# Bourton-on-the-Water Tourist Guide, Cotswolds > Explore Bourton-on-the-Water, the Little Venice of the Cotswolds, with low bridges over the River Windrush, attractions such as Birdland and a 4-mile walk. URL: https://cotswolds.info/places/bourton-on-the-water.shtml Section: Villages & Towns Location: Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire (51.884, -1.757) Last updated: 2021-02-11 Things to see & do around Bourton-on-the-Water Villages Nearby Famous Gardens Attractions Walking Town History Blog Accommodation, Restaurants, Shopping, Whats On Places to Stay Places to Eat Location Map Bourton Events Follow @CotswoldInfo ![Village of Bourton-on-the-Water](https://cotswolds.info/images/bourtononthewater/village_of_bourton_on_the_water.jpg) ### Bourton-on-the-Water Tourist Information Guide Bourton-on-the-Water is only 4 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold and straddles the river Windrush with its series of elegant low bridges beside neat tree-shaded greens and tidy stone banks. Standing back from the river are traditional Cotswolds buildings, many of which are now tourist shops for the day-trippers and visitors. Bourton-on-the-Water has been described as the 'Little Venice' of the Cotswolds and is one of the most popular tourist spots in the region being serviced by the many shops, cafe's, and attractions. ### Bourton-on-the-Water Attractions Birdland - Is an authentic zoo for birds, with a remarkable collection of penguins, some of which have come from the owner's islands in the South Atlantic. Established by the late Len Hill and is also home to a huge variety of exotic birds. **Model Village** - Excellent miniature of Bourton using authentic building materials depicting Bourton-on-the-Water as it was in 1937 at 1/9th scale. **The Cotswolds Perfumery** shop & factory - made personalised scents for the Queen herself. ![one of the several bridges over the river](https://cotswolds.info/images/bourtononthewater/photo21.jpg) ![river Windrush in Bourton-on-the-Water](https://cotswolds.info/images/bourtononthewater/photo11.jpg) **Model Railway Exhibition** - on the High Street with some of the finest operating indoor model railway layouts in the country, covering over 500 feet of track. **Cotswold Motoring Museum & Toy Collection** - Overflowing with vintage car collections, classic cars and motorcycles, caravans, original enamel signs and an intriguing collection of motoring curiosities also home to **Brum**, the adventurous four-wheeled hero of children's TV. **Dragonfly Maze** - which comprises a yew maze with a pavilion at the centre. The object is not only to reach the pavilion, but to gather clues as one navigates the maze. Correctly interpreting these clues when one reaches the pavilion allows access to the maze's final secret.Constructed by Kit Williams of '_golden hare treasure hunt_' fame. ### Greystones Nature Reserve Greystones is a cattle farm managed along organic principles with grazing, silage and hay cutting making up the principle farming system. Located 300 metres from the main Pay & Display car park. The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust took over Greystone’s Farm in 2002. They aim to restore grassland fields across part of the farm to species-rich neutral meadows by using seed collected from the Salmonsbury Meadow **Site of Special Scientific Interest** (SSSI), which is contained within the boundaries of the farm and which they also manage. For more information about see - Greystones Farm Cotswold Nature Reserve. ### Visiting Cotswold Famous Gardens There are several famous gardens within 20 minutes car journey of Bourton on the Water village including Hidcote Manor, Snowshill Manor, Bourton House, Sezincote, Kiftsgate Court and Batsford Arboretum. See full information of gardens see - Cotswold Gardens and for their location see - North Cotswold Gardens Map and Driving Directions. ### Nearby DRIVE TIMES - > Moreton in Marsh - 15 minutes > Broadway - 15 minutes > Chipping Campden - 25 minutes > Bourton on the Water - 15 minutes > Upper and Lower Slaughter - 10 minutes > Bibury - 30 minutes > Burford - 20 minutes > Chastleton House - 10 minutes > Snowshill Manor - 15 minutes > Broadway Tower - 15 minutes > Chedworth Roman Villa - 30 minutes > Rollright Stone Circle - 15 minutes ### Filming Locations **Die Another Day (2002)** - Part of the Ice Chase scenes were filmed in the car park at Bourton-on-the-Water and on the ex-RAF nearby aircraft runway at Upper Rissington. At one point Bond in his Aston Martin was chased across the car park in a Jaguar sports coupe; the car park was covered in artificial snow. For full details of - filming locations in the Cotswolds. For - Bourton-on-the-Water Hotels, Bed and Breakfast For - Events in and around Bourton-on-the-Water For - Activities in and around Bourton-on-the-Water For - Bourton-on-the-Water Restaurants, Tea Shops For - History of Bourton-on-the-Water Bourton-on-the-Water is the home of **Giffords Touring Circus** - animals and artists from the circus fill many Cotswold village greens with wonderment during the summer months. Toti and Nell Gifford started Giffords Circus in 2000. Their vision was of a miniature village green circus, packed, rowdy, glamorous - birds and horses and motorbikes bursting from a fluttering white tent - a show for rural families, farmers and filmstars. ### Bourton-on-the-Water Walking Route 4 miles approx 2 hours Three small rivers, a nature reserve and a maze in a church. This easy walk through meadows to the unspoilt village of Wyck Rissington can be muddy, so come prepared. For comprehensive walking guide see -www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk ### Further Walks around Bourton-on-the-Water **A walk from Bourton-on-the-Water to Lower Slaughter (1½ miles – 40 minutes approx)** Please note that there are no public toilets along this route. From the village green, walk along the High Street towards the Parish Church. Turn right to walk through the church gates and continue through the churchyard, passing close to the church tower. After leaving the churchyard walk straight ahead along a footpath between two hedges, passing two schools on the left. After 400 yards, you arrive at a road. Turn left and walk to the junction with the A429. Cross the A429 at the traffic lights, turn right and walk for 30 yards. Turn left to pass through a gate into a field. Note the footpath sign. Follow the path over two fields to Lower Slaughter. The village lies on your left so walk a short distance upstream along the river. The best way to return to Bourton-on-the-Water is to retrace your steps. **See Lower Slaughter for walk to the village of Upper Slaughter.** --- **A circular walk from Bourton-on-the-Water to include river and lakes** (3½ miles – 2 hours approx) From the village green walk along the Little Rissington road. Immediately after passing a car park on the right, turn right along a narrow tarmac road marked by a no through road sign. Remain on this road for ¾ mile. When the road becomes a stony track, continue ahead. When you reach a solitary house partly hidden by trees, turn left along another track. In 400 yard, where the track makes a sharp right turn, walk ahead and go over a stile into a field. Walk along the edge of two fields with a woodland on your left. In the second field, at the end of the woodland, go over a stile on your left. Cross the river on a long wooden bridge. When you see a lake in front, bear to the left to pass the lake on your right. Follow the footpath sign and re-cross the river using another wooden bridge. Go through two metal gates that are close to each other. Walk through a narrow strip of woodland with the river and a large lake on your right. At the end of the wood, turn right to re-cross the river using a wide wooden bridge. Follow the track with the lake still on your right and in 150 yard climb the stile on your right. Walk through the field with the track and a hedge on your left. Climb a stile, rejoin the track and walk to the road. Turn left and return to Bourton-on-the-Water. ![Pencil sketch of river scene at Bourton-on-the-Water](https://cotswolds.info/images/generic/richardgrassi/bourton-on-the-water_river.jpg) Pencil Sketch of River Scene at Bourton-on-the-Water by Richard Grassi ![Ink sketch of Bourton-on-the-Water](https://cotswolds.info/images/generic/richardgrassi/bourton-on-the-water.jpg) Ink Sketch of riverside houses in Bourton-on-the-Water by Richard Grassi ## Bourton-on-the-Water Tourist Information and Travel Guide Cotswolds England This page last modified Thursday, 11-Feb-2021 13:23:49 CET