Scenery straight out of a British passport, hidden in a fairytale honey-colored village

The Cotswolds, England's most beautiful countryside, is dotted with countless charming villages, but none is more famous than Bibury in Gloucestershire. With its distinctive honey-colored stone cottages and serene pastoral landscapes, this village has become a holy grail for countless travelers and the final stop on our Cotswolds journey.

Honestly, Bibury was much smaller than I imagined—you can basically take it all in from one side of the road. The soul of Bibury is undoubtedly Arlington Row, a line of stone cottages built in 1380 featuring steep slate roofs and ivy-clad walls. These cottages curve gently along a narrow lane, creating one of England's most photographed scenes—so iconic they appear on British passport pages. Today, they're protected as historic landmarks by the National Trust.

Surprisingly, these Arlington Row cottages were originally built as wool storage warehouses before being converted into weavers' cottages. Tracing the area's history, Bibury indeed flourished during medieval times thanks to the wool trade, standing as a witness to England's golden age of wool industry.

Though the row isn't long, its pairing with the winding River Coln creates pure poetry—crystal-clear waters with darting trout, stone bridges, and wildflowers along the banks forming an unexpectedly picturesque scene. As Thackeray once said: "The Coln Valley is among England's most beautiful valleys, and Bibury its loveliest village." The literary giant's praise was no exaggeration.

The best way to experience Bibury is to slow down. From the parking lot, stroll along the River Coln to Arlington Row. Though the route is short, it feels like a frozen pastoral poem where time stands still, presenting medieval England in near-perfect form. Here, modern noise fades away, leaving only pure natural and cultural beauty.

That said, Bibury is truly tiny—a full walkaround takes under 30 minutes, which might disappoint some expectations. However, locals often combine it with hikes to Winson to the south and Northleach to the north for a more fulfilling experience.

Post by caeryn_6476 | May 28, 2025