Do you have a question about Go Cotswolds? You may find the answer here. If not, please send us a message via our contact form, e-mail info@gocotswolds.co.uk or call us on 07786 920166 and we’ll be happy to help!
Go Cotswolds is now closed for the winter so we have no small group tours running during December 2020 or January 2021. However, we are selling gift vouchers, and taking bookings for tours throughout 2021 and 2022.
COVID-19 information
Here are the Government laws and guidelines we have followed during 2020. Until advised otherwise, we will continue to follow these rules and will update them as and when the situation changes.
First and foremost: if you, or a member of your household has, or has had in the 14 days leading up to your tour, symptoms of possible or confirmed COVID-19 infection (for example, a cough, high temperature/fever or flu-like symptoms), you MUST contact us before your tour date, and you MUST NOT participate in the tour.
At the start of your tour, we will:
- Ask you to confirm that you have not had, or been exposed to anyone who has had, symptoms of possible COVID-19 coronavirus infection within the last 14 days
- Remind you that we will, if asked, share your name and telephone number, as provided by you at booking, with NHS Test and Trace
- Record your temperature using a non-contact infra-red forehead thermometer – just to be on the safe side. If you have a temperature of 37.8°C or higher, you will not be permitted to participate in the tour
- Ask you to sanitise your hands before boarding the minibus (hand sanitiser will be provided)
During the tour, please:
- Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth at all times while you are on board the Go Cotswolds minibus (unless you are medically exempt or under the age of 11)
- Keep an appropriate social distance from other people who are not in your household, including other passengers, your driver-guide, and members of the public. When wearing a face covering, the acceptable social distance is 1 metre (3 feet). When not wearing a face covering, it is 2 metres (6 feet)
- Stay in your allocated seat for the duration of the tour
- Do not eat or drink on board the Go Cotswolds minibus
- Sanitise your hands each time you re-enter the minibus after a stop
Go Cotswolds will:
- Reduce the maximum number of passengers to 10 (instead of 16) to enable appropriate social distancing on our minibus
- Provide hand sanitiser, which must be used by all passengers whenever you get on the minibus
- Provide disposable face masks if you forget to bring your own
- Clean all common touch points on the minibus throughout the day. This includes wiping down the seats, seat belts, arm rests, grab rails and door frames
- Deep clean the minibus before every tour
Cotswolds Day Tours – tour details
What days do your Cotswolds Day Tours operate?
How long is the Cotswolds Day Tour?
Where does the Cotswolds Day Tour visit?
Do we get any free time on the Cotswolds Day Tour?
Is lunch included in the price of the Cotswolds Day Tour?
I am vegetarian/vegan/have a dietary allergy – will I find something I can eat?
To our knowledge there is nowhere that caters specifically for halal or kosher diets in the Cotswolds, but feel free to bring your own food.
By law, all packaged foods in the UK are labelled to identify common allergens such as gluten, shellfish, nuts and dairy. Most restaurant/café menus are labelled too, or at the very least your server will be able to tell you which dishes to avoid or which dishes can be modified. If in doubt, please ask.
Can I bring a packed lunch or refreshments on the Cotswolds Day Tour?
A pub lunch IS included in the price of our Brewery and Pub Tour, but you're also welcome to bring or purchase other snacks. We highly recommend visiting the Purity Brewing Co. shop!
Do you provide drinking water?
Most cafes, pubs and restaurants will be happy to refill your water bottle for free, if you ask. You can also download the Refill app to your mobile phone to find out where you can refill your water bottle for free.
We do carry some water on board the minibus in case of emergencies, for example if a customer feels unwell.
Are your tours suitable for children?
Children aged 3–16 must have a child ticket, be seated in their own seat and wear the seatbelt provided, under adult supervision.
Please note that it is our company’s policy that children under the age of 3 may ONLY travel with us on purchase of a child ticket AND if you are able to provide (and fit) your own age-appropriate child's car seat. This must be secured using a three-point seatbelt (there are no isofix points on our passenger seats).
Please also see our FAQ, 'What are the rules about wearing seatbelts in the UK?'
Please note that our Brewery and Pub Tours are strictly for adults over the age of 18 only. Children under the age of 18 will not be permitted to travel or take part in this tour, and ID may required if you look under the age of 25.
Do you visit Bibury on your Cotswolds Day Tour?
Cotswolds Day Tours – meeting points and pick-up/drop-off locations
Where will you pick me up, and at what time?
- Leamington Spa rail station (Sundays only): 08.40 - please be ready to depart 10 minutes before this time
- Stratford-upon-Avon rail station and accommodation providers*: 09.00-09.15 (time will be confirmed via email before your tour) - please be ready to depart 10 minutes before your given pick-up time
- Moreton-in-Marsh rail station: 09.45 - but please be ready to depart by 09.30
- Chipping Campden bus stop (outside The Noel Arms Hotel): 10.00am - but please be ready to depart 10 minutes before this time
If you would like to be picked up from somewhere that is not on this list, please contact us before making your booking. We will try to accommodate your requests, but it is not always possible, or may incur a surcharge.
If you are arriving from outside of the area to join the tour we do try and be flexible to meet train times but this is not always possible and pick-up times are always subject to change.
*Because we operate an accommodation pick-up service in Stratford-upon-Avon, pick-up times are approximate. Please be ready to depart 10-15 minutes before your assigned pick-up time.
How do I get to your pick-up point from...?
If you are arriving in your own car, we recommend you join the tour at Stratford-upon-Avon or Moreton-in-Marsh. Address and parking information can be found here: https://www.gocotswolds.co.uk/drivingdirections/.
For help getting to/from one of these pick-up points from further away, please see the following articles, How To Join A Go Cotswolds Day Tour From...
Can you pick me up from my hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh?
We provide a hotel pick-up service from Stratford-upon-Avon because it is a much bigger town and the accommodation providers are scattered over a much wider area, many not within easy walking distance of the town centre or a convenient central meeting point.
Where is the meeting point at Moreton-in-Marsh station?
Where is the meeting point at Leamington Spa station?
Please note, we provide a pick-up from Leamington Spa on Sundays only.
Why do you only provide a pick-up from Leamington Spa on Sundays?
Where will you drop me off at the end of the Cotswolds Day Tour, and at what time?
If you would like to be dropped off somewhere outside of our normal radius, please contact us before making your booking. We will try to accommodate your requests, but it is not always possible, or may incur a surcharge.
We always aim to return to Moreton-in-Marsh station by 17.00, Chipping Campden by 17.15, Stratford-upon-Avon by 17.30, and Leamington Spa (Sundays only) by 18.15 at the latest.
If you are booking onward rail travel, we would always recommend that you purchase a flexible ticket that allows you to take any return train as opposed to a specific booked train. We do our best to arrive back at the drop-off locations at the times mentioned above, but we can never 100% guarantee this.
Is it possible to join a tour from London, Oxford or Birmingham in a day?
If you have your own vehicle, we recommend that you join the tour in Stratford-upon-Avon or Moreton-in-Marsh. Please see our article here for address and parking details: https://www.gocotswolds.co.uk/drivingdirections/
If you are travelling by train from London or Oxford, the best place to meet the tour is at Moreton-in-Marsh station, while if you are travelling from Birmingham, you should head for Stratford-upon-Avon station (except on Sundays, when it may be more convenient for you to go to Leamington Spa). Please see our articles for more information on joining a Cotswolds tour from:
Cotswolds Day Tours – during the tour
Do you provide a commentary on the Cotswolds Day Tour, as you drive along?
Can we bring our luggage with us?
Small handbags, coats and other small personal items may be kept inside the minibus, either at your feet or on the overhead shelf. All luggage and personal items are your responsibility.
Please note that although we do have room to store foldable wheelchairs and walkers, the Go Cotswolds minibus is not wheelchair accessible, so regretfully we can only accommodate wheelchair-users if they are able to get out of their chair to get on and off the minibus. Similarly, while we do have space for buggies and strollers, we do not consider the Go Cotswolds Day Tour to be particularly suitable for small children. Please see our other FAQs for more information.
What should I wear for the Cotswolds Day Tour?
Are there toilet stops on the Cotswolds Day Tour?
On our Brewery and Pub Tour, toilets are available at Purity Brewing Co., and public and pub toilets are available at each of the stops on the tour.
Brewery and Pub Tours
Is there a minimum age for the Brewery and Pub Tour?
Do I need to bring ID on the Brewery and Pub Tour?
Please note that vendors may also refuse to serve or sell alcohol to anyone over the age of 18 if they suspect you are purchasing it for someone under 18, or for someone who has been unable to provide valid ID.
Is lunch included on the Brewery and Pub Tour?
Is it possible to join the Brewery and Pub tour from London or Birmingham in a day?
Terms and Conditions and Cancellations
What are your Terms and Conditions?
Do you cancel your tours if there is bad weather?
The Go Cotswolds Minibus
Is the Go Cotswolds minibus accessible for disabled people?
Our Cotswolds Day Tours include 7 different stops throughout the day. You will be getting on and off the bus quite a lot, and walking around at each stop, but how far you walk is up to you. Please consider whether this tour will be suitable for you, according to your disability. If in doubt, please just ask!
The Go Cotswolds minibus has a large boot (trunk) space, so we have plenty of room to store luggage, including suitcases, foldable wheelchairs and walkers, strollers and buggies - please just let us know at the time of booking if you wish to bring these larger items.
Guide/assistance dogs are welcome at any time - please just let us know in advance if you intend to bring a guide/assistance dog.
Please see our >Access Statement for more details.
Do I have to wear a seatbelt on the Go Cotswolds minibus? What about children?
In terms of fastening and wearing seatbelts, UK law says that:
- Children under the age of 14 are the responsibility of their accompanying adult, parent or guardian.
- Children under the age of 3 should use an appropriate child restraint, or travel on a parent/guardian's lap where restraints are not available. (However, it is our policy that children under the age of 3 may ONLY travel with us if they are seated in an age-appropriate car seat, which must be provided and fitted by the parent(s)/guardian(s). Please see our FAQ 'Is a Go Cotswolds Day Tour suitable for children?' for more information.)
- Children aged 3–11 and who are less than 1.35 metres (4 ft 5 in) should use an appropriate child restraint, or use the seatbelt provided where restraints are not available.
- Children aged 12 and 13, or younger children who are taller than 1.35 metres should use the seatbelt provided.
- Children and adults aged 14 and over are responsible for themselves and should wear the seatbelt provided.
Go Cotswolds does not provide child restraints or booster seats and is not required by law to do so. If you wish to bring your own booster seat or child restraints, then you may use them if you have purchased a child ticket for the tour, but it's up to you to know how to use them properly.
Is smoking permitted?
General Questions
What are the Cotswolds?
What languages do you speak?
Do you provide discounts or commission for travel agents?
How and where do I book?
For private tours, please contact us and we will be able to provide you with a quote and details of how to pay. A non-refundable deposit is required for all private bookings. Use the contact form on our website, telephone us on (+44) (0)7786 920166 or email info@gocotswolds.co.uk.
Why should I book directly on your website rather than through an Online Travel Agent?
We also sell our tickets through TripAdvisor (and Viator, which is owned by TripAdvisor), and Get Your Guide. As the world’s biggest travel reviews and reputation site, it is beneficial for us to be listed on TripAdvisor, and to sell our tours via their site and affiliates to increase our marketing reach. Likewise, Get Your Guide is an increasingly popular global booking platform for tours and activities. However, did you know that TripAdvisor/Viator and Get Your Guide (both global, multi-billion-dollar corporations) take a huge 25% commission from sales of our tours? And, despite their ‘low price guarantee’, they often sell tours for a higher price than is listed on the operator’s own website, and pocket the difference as well as the commission. Tripadvisor will refund you the difference if you ask, but most people probably won’t ask…
Book directly with us for the best prices, to immediately guarantee your booking, and to imagine us doing a REALLY happy dance! We accept all major credit and debit cards via our secure payment processing partners Stripe and PayPal.
Why didnt I receive a confirmation email?
Within 2 working days of the automated email, we will send you a second, personalised email to provide further details about your tour.
What is my booking number?
If you have booked through Viator (or TripAdvisor Experiences), you will receive a 9-digit booking reference prefixed by the letters BR. This is the number you should cite to Viator if you need to contact them. When we confirm your Viator booking, you will also receive a 5-digit Booking Number from us. This is the Booking Number you should quote if asked on the morning of the tour.
Why do you need my email address and phone number?
For ticket bookings, immediately after your payment has been processed, you will receive an automated order receipt via email. Within 2 working days of your booking, we will follow up with a personalised confirmation email from a member of our team, which contains further details of your pick-up location, pick-up time and other useful details. After your tour, we will send you a copy of the group photo taken by your tour guide.
We collect your telephone number so that we can contact you before or during your tour; for example, to tell you if we are running early or late, or if we have arrived at your pick-up point and we cannot find you. The telephone number you provide at the time of booking should ideally be a mobile telephone number that you will have with you during the tour (it doesn't have to be a UK mobile, but it should be able to accept calls or SMS/WhatsApp messages from UK numbers). If you plan to purchase a UK SIM card, but don't have this number at the time of booking, please just let us know the number at a later date.
In line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) we never sell or give your contact details to any third parties and we do not subscribe you to any mailing lists or use your contact information for any reason other than to communicate with you about your tour.
Is there a minimum number of people you will take on a tour?