Broad Blunsdon

This small village gives you a genuine sense of rural Cotswolds life away from the main tourist trails. The cottages are traditional stone, and there's a real sense of community here, though it's modest in scale.

What makes it worth a visit is the surrounding countryside and your proximity to Cricklade itself, which has genuine historical roots stretching back to Saxon times. From there, you can walk sections of the Thames Path, which offers wonderful views across the river and landscape. The Thames at this point is still relatively quiet and unspoiled, quite different from its character further downstream.

The area is excellent for walking and cycling, with gentle routes through farmland and along the waterway. If history appeals to you, there's plenty to explore from the Saxon and medieval periods across the wider area. Swindon is about fifteen minutes away by car if you need bigger shops and amenities, while Cirencester offers a more substantial Cotswolds market town experience around twenty minutes in the other direction. It's a good base if you want to experience the area without the crowds that gather in more famous villages nearby.