What are some attractions and activities near Bourton-on-the-Water?

Flanking the Cotswolds AONB to the east is rolling rural Oxfordshire, which is also easily explored from Bourton-on-the-Water. The landscape includes architectural wonders like Blenheim Palace, one of the nation’s grandest residences, and the moated manor house of Broughton Castle, while the sights of Oxford are close by too. The Oxfordshire Way, beginning at Bourton-on-the-Water and finishing at Henley-on-Thames, winds all the way through the county. The area around Adderbury, south of Banbury, has some inviting campsites too. South of the Cotswolds AONB is the River Thames, the UK’s best-known and second-longest river with its very own 185-mile, long-distance trail running from source to mouth. The river begins near Kemble, then flows through the huge lake system of the Cotswolds Water Park, 21 miles south of Bourton-on-the-Water. The park is known for water sports, and there are several waterside campsites.