📷 Photo by Simon Godfrey on Unsplash
This riverside village sits about four miles southwest of Stow-on-the-Wold and rewards visitors with a genuinely peaceful walk whatever the season.
The River Eye winds through the heart of the settlement, crossed by a series of stone footbridges and a shallow ford that give the place its distinctive character. As you explore, you'll find yourself moving between both banks, which keeps the walking route interesting and offers different perspectives on the village from each side.
The architectural core dates from the 16th and 17th centuries, with honey-coloured Cotswold limestone cottages displaying those characteristic mullioned windows and decorative gables you'll recognise throughout the region. The most striking landmark is the 19th-century water mill at the village's western edge, built from red brick rather than stone. You can still see the undershot waterwheel and chimney that powered it with steam as a backup. Though no longer working commercially, it stands as a fascinating industrial presence in such a rural landscape.
The village name derives from Old English meaning wet land, which makes immediate sense given how the river shapes everything here. Upper Slaughter lies just upstream, and many people combine a walk between both villages to get the fuller picture. This is genuinely a place where moving slowly pays dividends — you'll appreciate it far more by letting the landscape unfold naturally rather than ticking things off.
Visitor reviews
Every review has a sheep rating. If you have dogs on your account, you can add an optional dog-friendly paw rating when you post.
