Where to go in the Cotswolds and surrounding areas
The Cotswolds
One of the most beautiful parts of SW England, but close at hand if you want great shops, restaurants and nightlife are Bath and Bristol. Our local town – Chipping Sodbury – boasts its own artisan bakers Hobbs House Bakery (The Fabulous Baker Boys), Waitrose, local butchers and greengrocers as well as a great Deli/coffee shop called Hamptons, which serves a great brunch!
The free Park and Ride service into Bath is around 15 mins drive located at the top of Lansdown, near the Racecourse.
There are a host of places to visit close at hand; Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury and Cirencester, Malmsbury Abbey, Berkeley Castle, Bristol Zoo and Aquarium, @Bristol to name a few.
The Cotswolds Way cuts through the farm and there a many local footpaths and walks which take you through some of the beautiful local countryside.
There is a cinema and sports centre with a indoor pool in Yate, which is 15 mins away, and Yate also offers a train service to Bristol Parkway.
Things to do at the Farm
We feed the chickens and ducks and collect eggs every afternoon at around 4pm. Guests are welcome to join us. If guests are interested in feeding sheep (or pigs when we have them) we can arrange this. We will be lambing during March so guests may come and watch – we can't always guarantee any action, but we may have lambs to watch!
Rainy days out
Bath and Bristol provide a wealth or ‘wet weather’ entertainment.
The Roman Baths, Fashion Museum, The Assembly Rooms, The Jane Austen Museum Bath Abbey, The Holburne Museum, The American Museum to name a few in Bath.
The new Tivoili Cinema is great – big comfy sofas and seating, food and drink served at your seat.
Bristol offers SS Great Britain,
Bristol Aquarium, The Wild Place and We the Curious are fascinating days out for all ages, but will keep the children fully entertained.
Bristol Cathedral, Bristol Museum and Art Gallery which are all fascinating.
Malmesbury Abbey, Berkeley Castle, Lacock Abbey are all close by – try to work out which movies are filmed on location here!!
Other places to visit
As well as Bath and Bristol, Cirencester, Cardiff, Ross on Wye, Oxford and Salisbury are all less than 2 hours drive away.
Longleat of course is a fabulous day out, as well as Bristol Zoo, Adam’s Farm, Noah’s Ark Zoo and Slimbridge Wetlands.
The Cotswolds Sculpture Park is fascinating place to visit. Open from April to the end of September, walk through the beautiful grounds and discover a wide range of stunning sculptures and art. Exhbitions and displays change frequently and many pieces are available to buy. Highly recommened.
And anyone who loves a knickerbocker glory can't miss The Vintage Birdcage Bakery near Kingsgate Park in Yate!!
Outdoor & Active
As the Cotswolds Way cuts straight across Woodcock Farm, you would be hard pressed to find a more perfect walking location! Whilst 15 mins drive takes you to Westonbirt Arboretum, where the array of trees and plants offer a glorious backdrop regardless of the time of year.
For a beautiful river trip along the Avon in Bath, try the Bath Boating Station Here you can hire rowing boats, punts and canoes and take a glorious trip up or down river at your own pace. Stop at The Bathampton Mill for coffee or paddle down to Pulteney Brigde at Bath, either way the riverbank holds a wonderful array of wildlife and the backdrop of Bath and the outlying villages.
For the cycling fans, the Cotswolds are ready to be explored. You can ride in the glorious countyside on the Macmillan Way, or a number of guided cycling tours near to Woodcock Farm.
If you are keen on the water then a visit to The Wave in Bristol is a must! The Wave is the first inland-surfing destination of its kind, where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can experience the joy of surfing on consistent, safe waves all year round! All levels and beginners and spectators are all welcome.
And for the 'wild swimmers' then Cromhall Quarry is a great spot, offering swimming, scuba diving and paddle boarding.
Just outside Bristol is Oldbury Court and Snuff Mills. Oldbury Court is a beautiful and diverse estate, combining woodland and riverside paths with historic parkland and excellent children's play facilities. Beyond the parkland, you can follow the path down to the river Frome, where paths lead either towards Frenchay, or in the other direction, towards Snuff Mills, a beautiful and historic section of the Frome Valley Walkway. You'll find it hard to believe that you are so close the the centre of a bustling city, on a walk that could see you catch a glimpse of kingfishers, herons, foxes, owls, bats and even deer.
Badminton Horse Trials the world’s premier 3-day event and highlight of the equine eventing calendar is within 10 mins drive. The Badminton estate can be accessed by foot and horse from Woodcock Farm.
For the music lovers Woodcock Farm is close to WOMAD and Westonbirt Forest Live.
Chipping Sodbury Golf Course is open to non members and around 3 miles away. It's a friendly club with comfortable clubhouse.
If you fancy a swim… try the Parlour Pool just down the road. A beautiful pool created in an old milking parlour, you can book a private session for just you!
Around 45 mins drive is The Cotswolds Water Park, with its beach, Inflatable Obstacle Course, waterskiing, and boating.
Another fun place to visit is Flourish in Keynsham. Its both a fabulous farm shop, brilliant brunch/lunch restuarant, but also hosts a range of crafty activities for all ages! Try pottery painting, sewing, glass fusion and many other fun things to try. The afternoon tea with the crafts are huge and delicious!
We also have OS Walking Maps of the local areas if you'd like to borrow one and explore on your own.
Shopping
Bath and Bristol offer fantastic shopping with a wide mix of independent shops as well as all the High Street and high-end brands.
Chipping Sodbury offer a great food shopping location; Waitrose, Hobbs House Bakery, Jon Howell and Artingstalls Butchers, Ian’s Fruit and Veg are all in the Town. There is free parking, but it is about a 3 mile walk.
The petrol station across the fields from the farm sells newspapers, alcohol and some basics.
Where to eat
The Bull at Hinton: Hinton SN14 8HG 0117 937 2332. The best Sunday lunch around! Definitely need to book for this, but great food any time.
The Old House at Home: Burton SN14 7LT 01454 218227. Lovely old pub in a pretty village. Good food and very cosy place with good beer.
Burton Farm Shop and Kitchen: Gorgeous new farm shop serving delicious breakfasts, lunches, coffee and cakes. All local produce.
The Crosshands Hotel: standard pub grub, but the nearest if you’re hungry!
Il Gusto: Chipping Sodbury 01454 501020. Friendly, family run Italian restuarant with authentic recipes. Unprententious but excellent food.
The Crown Inn: Tolldown SN14 8HZ 01225 891166 (on A46 towards Bath) Nice food and atmosphere.
The Squire Inn: Chipping Sodbury 01454 312121 – has been recommended by other guests as a nice place to eat.
The Bell Inn: Chipping Sodbury 01454 325582 - has been recommended by other guests as a nice environment and lovely food.
Fox and Hounds: Burton Road, Acton Turville GL9 1HW 01454 218224. Lovely warm, cosy country pub with good food.
The Rattlebone Inn: Church Street, Sherston, SN16 0LR 01666 840871. The Rattlebone Inn is a classic English country pub, oozing character out of every nook and cranny. It even has a ghost, the 11th century Saxon warrior John Rattlebones! Great pub with delicious food and local ales. May need to book in the evenings.
The Hare and Hounds: Lansdown Bath BA1 5TJ 01225 482682. Lovely pub with amazing views across Solsbury Hill and the east of Bath. Really good food, very child friendly, but usually need to book for evening meal. Great location with gardens and patios for outdoor eating.
The Charlcombe Inn: Lansdown Bath BA1 9BT 01225 421995. Good family pub near Bath racecourse. Lovely food, good value and excellent base for walking. with amazing views around the top of Lansdowne, Kelston and Sir Bevill Grenville's Monument.
The Tudor Raj: Chipping Sodbury 01454 321118. Good curry house. Take-away and eat in. Always reliable and good selection on the menu. The Horseshoes pub is a good ‘watering hole’ opposite while you’re waiting for your take-away!
The Weighbridge Inn: Nailsworth 01454 832520. This is the home to the 2in1 pie! An absolutely delicious take on the best of pub pies. Even if you don't think you like pies, this will change your mind!!
Amigos Cocina: Chipping Sodbury 01454 31369. Small but vibrant and atmospheric Mexican restuarant with delicious food and cocktails. Worth booking ahead over the weekend....
If it's brunch you're after then we thoroughly recommend
Hamptons Deli Cafe : Chipping Sodbury 07526 322132. Super little cafe serving breakfasts, lunches and delicious coffee and cakes. Book for a weekend brunch as it's popular!
The Coffee Bean: Chipping Sodbury 01454 324832 Small but very good coffee shop with, hot and cold meals. Again worth booking for a weekend breakfast or lunch.
Tetbury is about 20 mins drive away and has an excellent range of pubs, cafés and restaurants, including the well-know Snooty Fox. Café 53 is super with an interesting menu. Casa is a really lovely italian we love and Lola and Co is a fantastic new tapas addition
Bath is around 25 mins drive into town, or about 15 mins to the well served Park and Ride on Lansdown Hill. Bath offers a wealth of dining options from The Ivy Brasserie, Wagamama’s Pizza Express, Nando’s, TGI’s etc. But there are many great independent bars, cafes and excellent restaurants, one of our favourites is the wonderful Nepalese Yak Yeti Yak,so it’s worth exploring rather than going for the obvious.
