to wonder why the bloody hell people go on holiday to the Cotswolds?

[GatOwfMarLaaaandInnitBabe]

Or dream of moving there from London.

There is nothing special about it.

I can think of loads of places of the top of my head which have far more stunning scenery - vast majority of nothern Devon, the Quantocks, Peak district, north wales, yorkshire dales, dorset coast.

What's so good about the Cotswolds? Yes the houses are a lovely golden stone colour, and look at the lovely walls , but the towns are nondescript and TWEE and it costs a fortune for not very much.

It's just really mediocre imo. And I live here. Was driving round the Cotswolds today feeling like Victor Meldrew in my muttering complaints.

Tintern Abbey is where Wordsworth proved he could be boring outside of the Lake District

Oh dear collegemum - whereabouts are you?

Nah, it is hilly. Just very gentle undulating hills. Just not great big 1 in 4 jobbies which terrify me people when they drive up 'em (actually that is a plus point)

Symonds Yat is v pretty - but that aint the Cotswold (Wye valley I think)

i dream of getting a transfer one day and moving to the cotswolds...ive been loads on hols. was there last year in fact. loved it. did cotswold wildlife park, bourton on the water, scenic drives, water parks, blenheim palace, longleat....

you are just spoiled if you think its pants!

but i currently live in the worst place ive ever lived and hate it...its shit. and ugly. and a concrete jungle.

I live in Cheltenham and despise it!

All my neighbours seem to think they've died and gone to heaven living here, near Cleeve Hill etc, but it's utterly boring. The countryside is very unimpressive and the town is a dump.

Agree with another poster - Cheltenham is the worst of both worlds.

We're desperate to move.

GatOwfMarLaaaandInnitBabe, I think we agreed on another thread about this - you're absolutely right about Cheltenham: "Not a decent town, mediocre, parochial people, casual racism, laughable snobbery".

Jareth I used to live near Lechlade and Burford but now have escaped to sunny South Wales. Much happier these days!!!

I feel your pain. We are TOGETHER in this.

I too lived in Cleeve Hill. What a miserable place. What do you see when you climb to the top of Cleeve Hill? FUCK ALL. Cheltenham, fields, GE Avitaion (used to work there so double shudder), the malverns and a racecourse. Bollocks.

Bollocks indeed!

Fossebridge and stow in the wold and northleach just undulating hills - yeah right...

I used to live near Lechlade and Burford but now have escaped to sunny South Wales.

Does that translate as Brize to St Athan ?

Oh yeah granted northleach is a bit hilly

Actually live at bottom of Cranham woods and that turns into a 1 in 10.

But MAINLY undularing hills

want to swap?
google goole. then moan. it did get a mention on the worst place to live thread.

but cotswolds would do. really.

waves to oldraver< I lived in Burford too (Carterton really, but Burford to anyone who asked ).

VicarInaTutu, I used to live in York and loved it. I'd go back too.

Gatowfmarlaaaaninnitbabe - get your push bike and come for a cycle, then we will see if you still disagree

I have lived in The Cotswolds for 10 years and LOVE it!! Made the best friends ever here and we are never stuck for interesting places to visit. It's just beautiful and we can't imagine moving from here. We are in Chipping Norton - "gateway to The Cotswolds".

I thought it was great. Lower Slaughter was very quaint and no tourists to be seen at the time.

Even the ice-cream tasted much nicer than around London way. Am I imagining it?

There's a compromise to be made here - the best bits of the Cotswolds are perhaps neither the pretty, pretty villages, nor Chelt/Gloucester but somewhere in between - just pleasant rural areas with a relaxed way of life.

I was there last year for a few days. I live in a non-scenic, built up part of Scotland which has either housing estates or bleak, not particularly scenic hills with few off road paths nearby. I've been all over Scotland and while its nice, endless treeless hills and not particularly high mountains get repetitive after a while. I'm also a runner, but not a hill runner and I really enjoy running off road but not up hills, and England is blessed with bridlepaths etc in a way Scotland is not.

The Slaughters are gorgeous and Moreton-in-the-Marsh was just charming. The buildings have a slightly aged, imperfect style that yo just don't get in Scotland. I just like scenery which consists of nice fields, bits of woodland, little villages interspersed with off road footpaths. Its also near enough to be combined with a holiday to Stratford Upon Avon.

That said, I thought Dorset was just stunning!

I'm assuming people from other places maybe don't know any better? I was just telling my husband the other day "wouldn't it be lovely to visit England - we could maybe visit the Cotswold area" - no joke. I'm from Canada and I have this lovely imagery of walking through rolling hills from little quaint village to little quaint village - thats why its always good to get a selection of local opinions when planning a trip I guess.

I know what you mean greenshadow. When the baby refuses to sleep I have started taking her for a drive. I've found some lovely places, my favourite is Boddington, there is nothing there but a few cottages, farms and a quaint little church. When the baby is asleep (about half way to Tewksbury!) I drive through Boddington and pull into the little layby by the church and get my kindle or book out. It's so peaceful and lovely. I want to move there. But I think it is more I want a break from everyone and if I was stuck in the middle of nowhere without even the Co-Op staff for company, just my children, I might go mad!

I've lived in the Cotswolds all my life, and have travelled around the UK alot, and I can honestly say that there is nowhere more beautiful. [csmile]

I agree with Nijinsky. I live in "scenic" Scotland - scenic as in housing estates, drunks, poverty, sour faced people and pissing bloody rain!
My mother worked in Cirencester for several years in a prep school and we visited often and I love it! We found the people friendly, the scenery tranquil and picturesque and we had some lovely walks along meandering brooks, rather than squelching up and down muddy hills in sheeting gales.
If you don't like living in the Cotswolds may I suggest inner city Glasgow/Liverpool/Birmingham etc.