On the banks of the River Coln, a tributary of the mighty Thames, is Bibury. It is only around seven miles from Cirencester and is another of my personal favourites.

With quaint cottages and the pretty River Coln, Bibury is an utterly charming village in the heart of the Cotswolds.

The National Trust is now responsible for part of Bibury. This includes a line of weavers’ cottages dating from the 1600s and a water meadow known as Rack Isle.

What to see and things to do

Bibury is famed for being home to the iconic Arlington Row, a row of postcard-perfect cottages from the 14th century.

Arlington Row’s cottages actually date back even further, as the thoroughfare dates from the 1300s.

Once upon a time, locals living in Arlington Row hung their wool on racks after washing to dry – hence the name Rack Isle. Today, visitors can see the flora and fauna that flourish at this nature reserve.

I'd recommend a visit to Bibury Trout Farm, where you can catch your own lunch! If that’s not for you, there’s an appealing café on site where you can pause for a bite to eat and a coffee.

For a more substantial meal, I'd suggest stopping for a bite to eat at The Swan Brasserie – they also serve afternoon tea here too.

Parking in Bibury

From personal experience, Bibury parking can be a bit of a nightmare during peak periods, when you may need to wait for a space.

The good news is that there is some free parking available in Bibury, both on the main street and in a car park. 

The latter can be found across the road from Bibury Trout Farm and has a couple of coach bays as well as car parking spaces.

If you arrive early or visit outside the busy summer months, then parking in Bibury shouldn’t pose a problem at all.

But if you plan to visit during peak times then I’d strongly recommend arriving early, or you could be waiting a while for a parking spot.