The Area
Hook Norton & the Cotswolds
Our guide to the village and the world beyond it.
Hook Norton is a proper Cotswold village in the rolling hills of north Oxfordshire: quiet, friendly and a good base for getting out and about. We've spent years in this part of the country, and this is the guide we'd hand a friend, from the shop at the end of the lane to the wider Cotswolds beyond.
The lanes of Hook Norton
On your doorstep
Everything within an easy stroll of the front door.
Hook Norton Butchers A few minutes' walk
A friendly team of proper butchers with very good meat, and the place to stock up for the BBQ. Try the Carolina Reaper scotch eggs if you fancy the second-hottest chilli in the world.
© Hook Norton Butchers, hooknortonbutchers.co.uk
.jpg)
The Village Shop & Post Office 1 min walk
Now a Budgens and recently expanded, so well stocked: all the essentials plus frozen meals, decent fresh food and a good range of drinks.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
The Sun Inn Behind the cottage
Right behind the cottage, pouring the full range of Hook Norton beers from the village brewery alongside some good food. An easy first night without getting back in the car.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
Hook Norton Brewery 10 min walk
One of the few working Victorian breweries left in the country. Book ahead to see the old steam engine, learn how the beer is made and maybe meet the shire horses, or just have a drink and a bite at the Malthouse Kitchen.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
The Pear Tree Inn Short walk
A traditional pub in front of the brewery, with beams, open fires and Hook Norton Bitter. Have a go at Aunt Sally in the garden.
St Peter's Church 1 min walk
Opposite the Sun Inn, with a 12th-century Norman core, a tall Perpendicular Gothic tower, medieval grave slabs and a 15th-century font.
Geograph © Geoffrey Lloyd, CC BY-SA 2.0
Hook Norton Children's Park 5 min walk
A big, well-equipped playground for most ages. Walk there through the lanes behind the church for a bit of an adventure.
© freeparks.co.uk
Long lunches in the cottage garden
Food & drink
Country pubs, farm shops and good dining across the Cotswolds.
Daylesford Organic approx. 15 min drive
A well-known organic farm with a farm shop, café and farm-to-table dining. A lovely spot for lunch or a treat of a food shop.
© Daylesford, daylesford.com
Diddly Squat Farm Shop under 15 min drive
Jeremy Clarkson's farm shop from Clarkson's Farm, with fresh produce, meats and local goods. Go early, as it gets busy.
© Diddly Squat Farm Shop, diddlysquatfarmshop.com
Soho Farmhouse approx. 10 min drive
The members' club set in 100 acres near Great Tew, with a spa, restaurants and country pursuits if you're a member.
© Soho House, sohohouse.com
The Falkland Arms, Great Tew approx. 10 min drive
A very pretty pub where you can hang your tankard from the ceiling. A 30-minute circular walk starts and finishes at the door, so you can begin and end with a pint.
© The Falkland Arms, falklandarms.co.uk
The Wild Rabbit, Kingham approx. 25 min drive
A smart spot for a proper dinner, or just a drink and a snack if you want something more relaxed.
© The Wild Rabbit, thewildrabbit.co.uk
Cotswolds Distillery, Stourton approx. 20 min drive
Single malt whisky, gin and liqueurs, with tours and tastings if you book ahead.
© Cotswolds Distillery, cotswoldsdistillery.com
The Cotswold Cheese Company Cotswolds
Everything from traditional cheddars to rarer finds, with helpful staff and tastings.
© The Cotswold Cheese Company, cotswoldcheese.com
Restaurant Henne, Moreton-in-Marsh approx. 25 min drive
Heavily recommended, built around local, sustainable food. One for a special night out.
© Restaurant Henne, restauranthenne.com
The Back Lane Tavern, Woodstock approx. 25 min drive
A small-plates pub, and a good choice if you're visiting pretty Woodstock and fancy something a bit special.
© The Back Lane Tavern, backlanetavern.co.uk
The New Inn, Coln St Aldwyns Cotswolds
A 16th-century coaching inn in a quiet corner of the Cotswolds, reopened by the local food duo Baz & Fred.
© The New Inn, thenewinncoln.co.uk
The Catherine Wheel, Bibury Cotswolds
A village pub with stone walls and open fires in one of England's prettiest villages, near Arlington Row.
© The Catherine Wheel, catherinewheel-bibury.co.uk
The Swan, Ascott-under-Wychwood Cotswolds
Fireside seating, a nice beer garden and a menu of traditional and modern British cooking.
© The Swan / Lionhearth Group, countrycreatures.com
The Fox Inn Cotswolds
A very old pub serving simple, good food and well-kept real ale.
© The Fox at Oddington, thefoxatoddington.com
The Gate Hangs High Just outside the village
An old, rustic pub serving Hook Norton Bitter and more.
© The Gate Hangs High, thegatehangshigh.co.uk
The Chandlers Arms, Epwell Cotswolds
A zero-waste gastropub in a lovely 17th-century building.
© The Chandlers Arms, thechandlersarms.co.uk
Grand houses and gardens nearby
Sights & days out
Ancient stones, grand houses and the prettiest Cotswold towns.
,_Oxfordshire_-_geograph.org.uk_-_605694.jpg)
The Rollright Stones approx. 10 min drive
An atmospheric Neolithic and Bronze Age site sometimes called 'Baby Stonehenge': a stone circle, a burial chamber and standing stones with plenty of folklore attached. It even turned up in a Tom Baker episode of Doctor Who.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
Blenheim Palace approx. 30 min drive
A UNESCO World Heritage palace near Woodstock and the birthplace of Winston Churchill, with baroque architecture, formal gardens and acres of parkland.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Broughton Castle near Bloxham
A moated medieval manor house with Elizabethan gardens, and one of the most picturesque castles in the country.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sudeley Castle Cotswolds
A castle with plenty of royal history and lovely gardens, and the resting place of Queen Katherine Parr. A good stop on the Cotswold Way.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Broadway Tower Cotswolds
A hilltop folly with views across many counties on a clear day, surrounded by walking trails and tied to the Arts and Crafts movement.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
Chastleton House near Moreton-in-Marsh
A well-preserved Jacobean house (National Trust), with a rare sense of 400 years of largely unchanged family life.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Snowshill Manor & Garden Cotswolds
A National Trust manor known for Charles Wade's huge and eclectic collection, set among quiet gardens.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Chedworth Roman Villa Cotswolds
One of the largest Roman villas in the country (National Trust), with well-preserved mosaics and bathhouses.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Upton House & Gardens Cotswolds
A National Trust estate known for its art collection and terraced 1930s gardens.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
Hidcote Cotswolds
One of the country's finest Arts and Crafts gardens, made up of outdoor 'rooms' with bold planting.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
The Slaughters Cotswolds
Upper and Lower Slaughter, two classic stone villages linked by a gentle riverside walk.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Bourton-on-the-Water Cotswolds
The 'Venice of the Cotswolds', with low stone bridges over the River Windrush, tea rooms and a few small museums.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
Stow-on-the-Wold approx. 25 min drive
A hilltop market town known for antique shops, galleries and tea rooms around its old market square.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0
Moreton-in-Marsh Cotswolds
A handsome market town with a broad High Street and a Tuesday market that has run for over 800 years.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon Cotswolds
The playwright's birthplace, in a historic market town that's an easy day out.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cheltenham Racecourse Cotswolds
Home of the Gold Cup, with a real buzz on a National Hunt race day.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
Lambs in the fields each spring
With the children
Animals, adventure and imaginative days out.
Waterfowl Sanctuary & Children's Farm approx. 5 min drive
A small, family-run animal sanctuary and farm where children can get close to lots of animals.
© Waterfowl Sanctuary & Children's Farm, waterfowlsanctuary.co.uk
Fairytale Farm approx. 10 min drive
Animals, fairy-tale themes and interactive play, with gardens designed to be accessible to everyone.
© Fairytale Farm, fairytalefarm.co.uk
_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5916774.jpg)
Cotswold Wildlife Park approx. 30 min drive
Lions, giraffes and penguins, plus a playground and a little train ride.
Wikimedia/Geograph, CC BY-SA
Batsford Arboretum approx. 25 min drive
One of the largest private tree collections in the UK, good year-round and with plenty of space for little ones to run about.
Wikimedia Commons, Mark Kent, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Model Village, Bourton-on-the-Water Cotswolds
A one-ninth-scale replica of the village. See if you can spot the model village within the model village.
Wikimedia Commons, Sumit Surai, CC BY-SA 4.0
Turpins Lodge Riding School Cotswolds
Lessons, hacks and pony days for all levels. This is where we learnt to ride as children, and it's still going strong.
© Turpins Lodge Riding Centre, turpinslodge.co.uk
The Cotswold Range Cotswolds
Learn archery or try air-rifle shooting, with beginners very welcome.
© The Cotswold Range, thecotswoldrange.co.uk
Bluebell woods in spring
Walks from the door
Footpaths, old railway lines and bluebell woods straight from the village.
Hook Norton circular walks From the doorstep
A good set of circular walks straight from the village, through rolling fields and along old railway lines. The village has put together a free booklet of several of our favourites.
Download the walks booklet (PDF)
Wikimedia/Geograph, Derek Harper, CC BY-SA 2.0
Great Tew, Golden Valley approx. 12 min drive
A waymarked walk through the Great Tew estate's Golden Valley, and one of our favourite half-days, ending with a pint at the Falkland Arms.
Download the Golden Valley walk (PDF)
Wikimedia/Geograph, Dave Thompson, CC BY-SA 2.0
Broadway & the Tower Cotswolds
A classic Cotswold ridge walk up to Broadway Tower, with views across many counties on a clear day.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
Shopping & craft
Potteries, weavers, markets and garden shops.
Whichford Pottery under 10 min drive
Handmade English terracotta from a family business of more than 40 years, with workshops, demonstrations and a garden café.
© Whichford Pottery, whichfordpottery.com
Burford Garden Company Cotswolds
One of the area's biggest garden and home shops, with plants, homeware and crafts.
© Burford Garden Company, burford.co.uk
Cotswold Woollen Weavers, Filkins Cotswolds
A working textile mill where you can see the history of Cotswold wool and buy good textiles.
© Cotswold Woollen Weavers, cotswoldwoollenweavers.co.uk
Chipping Norton Market approx. 12 min drive
A market town with a Wednesday market and a farmers' market on the third Saturday of each month (8.30am to 1.30pm).
Geograph © Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0
Golf
Three welcoming courses in lovely Cotswold countryside.
The Cotswolds Club Cotswolds
An undulating 6,316-yard, par-72 course of mature, tree-lined fairways on some of the highest ground in the county, with good drainage and year-round playing conditions.
© Cotswolds Hotel & Spa, cotswoldsclub.co.uk
Feldon Valley Cotswolds
A 6,230-yard, par-71 course with a friendly, family-run club that welcomes visitors and societies.
Rye Hill Golf Club Cotswolds
A challenging 18-hole course with wide countryside views and well-kept greens.
© Rye Hill Golf Club, ryehill.co.uk
Getting here
Easy to reach by car or train.
By car Free parking
Park directly outside the cottage. Hook Norton is within easy reach of the M40 and about 25 minutes from Banbury.
Wikimedia/Geograph, Robin Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0
By train, Charlbury Cotswold Line
On the Cotswold Line, with trains from London Paddington. Take a taxi from the station to the cottage.
Wikimedia/Geograph, Neil Hanson, CC BY-SA 2.0
By train, Banbury Chiltern Mainline
On the Chiltern Mainline, roughly halfway between London and Birmingham. Take a taxi from the station.
Wikimedia/Geograph, Richard Vince, CC BY-SA 2.0
Nothing in that category yet.
Stay a while
Make Bridge Hill your Cotswold base
There's a printed copy of this guide waiting for you at the cottage, and we're always happy to share a few more tips once you've booked.