We have been really enjoying our staycations throughout 2023 as we haven’t had a big holiday like we used to since pre-COVID. Check out my 2 day guide to Stow-On-The-Wold and the awesome things you should do when you visit. We covered quite a bit of the Cotswolds last year including Bibury, Cambridge and now Stow-on-the-Wold and I hope many more places to come in the future. I love exploring our country and seeing new places we haven’t been to before.

A 2 DAY GUIDE TO STOW-ON-THE-WOLD // EXPLORE THE HEART OF THE COTSWOLDS

DAY ONE – 20TH AUGUST

On our first day, we drove to Stow via Chipping Norton. We explored a couple of the shops which included Trev Beadles who is a very famous butcher and then they had lots of lovely and quirky shops from a zero waste shop called Oats of Chipping Norton to a cute plant shop called Bumble & Fawn. We stopped for a drink at The Fox (which used to be called The Three Conies) and their old pub sign is hanging up in the courtyard garden.

After our drink, we continued driving to Stow and checked into our apartment – The Unicorn Apartments. Once we were all checked in and unpacked, we headed out to explore and get our bearings. Underneath the apartments is the Cotswolds Furniture Company who do lots of lovely wooden furniture and decor. As you turn the corner, you are on Sheep Street which takes you directly to the centre of Stow where there are lots of restaurants and shops.

There is a small Co-Op in the centre which is perfect for picking up any essentials and food if you are cooking in the apartment. The kitchen in the apartment is fully stocked with utensils and everything you need to cook for yourself. You can read my review on the apartment below.

Once we had explored Stow, we headed back to the apartment to get ready for dinner. We wanted to eat at The Porch House which is absolutely gorgeous but it was so busy and completely full (definitely book if you want to eat there), we decided to try The Stag at Stow instead. It was busy but we were able to get in for a meal. I ordered their house Ravioli with toasted pine nuts and herb butter. It was delicious!

READ MORE: A Lovely Central Apartment In Stow-on-the-Wold

NAVIGATE YOUR WAY AROUND STOW-ON-THE-WOLD

Open this map on your phone to help you navigate your way around Stow. Hit the star so you can come back to it later…

DAY TWO – 21ST AUGUST

We headed out to breakfast and stopped at Davenford, which is a lovely quirky spot for brunch that is decorated with the most beautiful wallpaper and comfy seats. I ordered their poached egg and smashed avocado on toast with an apple juice.

We then went out for a nice long walk around Swell and had to endure a very scary walk through a field full of sheep who kept kicking their legs. I was petrified of them chasing us.

After our walk, we stopped at The Bell at Stow for a bite to eat and some nice cold drinks. I ordered a lovely cold fruit cider and their Cheese and Tomato bloomer sandwich which came with chips, a salad and coleslaw. It was so nice sitting outside in the sun and taking in the surroundings.

READ MORE: A Weekend In The Cotswolds

Once we had finished lunch, we finished our walk by walking back into Stow. We then headed to St Edward’s Church which is famous for inspiring Tolkien when he was writing The Hobbit. It’s such a beautiful little church whose main door is surrounded by arching trees with thick stumps and ivy intertwining the trunk. There was actually a funeral or memorial service going on in the gardens, so we had to be quiet and mindful of what was going on. The church was closed for the service so we couldn’t go inside, but we explored the grounds and took photos of the beautiful trees.

After we explored the grounds of the church, we walked up through the village and into a lovely courtyard of shops in Talbot Court including a lovely shop called The Curated Store that has lots of handmade jewellery, fashion, home furnishings and gift ideas made by lots of small businesses.

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Have you been to Stow before? Has my guide inspired you to visit? Let me know in the comments below.