After breakfast, we’ll check out from our hotel and take a relaxing ride towards Wiltshire and the southern entrance to the Cotswolds. Here, on top of the hill encircled by the River Avon, proudly sits the “Queen of Hilltop Towns” – Malmesbury. Malmesbury is said to be the oldest continually inhabited town in England, dating back over 1000 years. Malmesbury is also home to Old Bell – England’s oldest hotel, among many other historic buildings. According to the shires’ history parchments, the hotel has offered pilgrims and travellers bed and board since 1220. The town is a pleasant place to stroll around, take photos and have a coffee before continuing our journey.
Our next and last destination on this tour is the Old Prison in Northleach. A bike trip would not be a proper bike trip if, at some point, it doesn’t end up in prison. Originally called the “House of Correction at Northleach”, the Old Prison, on several occasions through its history, changed its purpose and, somewhere down the line, became a popular biking destination. It hosts a great collection of wagons, tools and farm implements. But it also has a fantastic cafe with a traditional menu and good flat parking, making it an ideal place to have lunch, say farewell, and head home.
We hope you enjoy this fantastic mini-tour as much as we organise and guide it.
Thank you for RidingWithUs, and we hope to hear from you soon again.
“The Porch House pub in Stow-on-the Wold can claim to be England’s oldest pub as it dates back to 947 AD”