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The Wild Rabbit pub with christmas trees and decorations at night in Kingham in December. Kingham, Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England
Photograph: Alamy

10 things to do in Kingham

Planning the perfect day in this Cotswolds village? Find cute cottages, roaring fires, lush local produce and more things to do in Kingham

Written by
Emma Hughes
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Remember the village from ‘The Holiday’? Rows of photoshoot-ready cottages with frosty windows and blazing log fires don’t really exist outside of Hollywood movies, right? Wrong. Nestled in an almost indecently gorgeous corner of Oxfordshire, Kingham is the jewel in the Cotswolds’ crown, making it the perfect spot for a wintery weekend away. Wellies at the ready, here are the best things to do in Kingham. 

A perfect day in Kingham

First up

First up

Work up an appetite with a brisk stroll, taking in Kingham’s Norman church and its seventeenth-century rectory. There are plenty of gorgeous stone houses with pastel-painted doors to covet. Even the local shop, Kingham Village Stores, is ridiculously good-looking.

Stop for lunch

Stop for lunch

The Wild Rabbit is a place of foodie pilgrimage, thanks to Michelin-starred chef Alyn Williams. It’s also a proper community hub with an unstuffy vibe and crackling log fires. Visiting on a Sunday? Snack from bowls of the crispiest roast potatoes on the bar while you decide what to order.

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Feel rural

Feel rural

Make some new four-legged friends, and watch live milking and shearing, at the Cotswold Farm Park in nearby Guiting Power. Run by Adam Henson (of ‘Countryfile’ fame), it’s home to a Noah’s ark’s worth of rare-breed cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

Soak up the vibes

Soak up the vibes

Join a guided 28-mile loop around Kingham with Cotswold Electric Bike Tours, which take you through the idyllic Windrush and Evenlode Valleys. You’ll pass historic houses and take in classic Cotswold views.

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Drink like a local

Warm your cockles with a couple of pints in The Kingham Plough, an award-winning boozer opposite the village green with ace handmade bar snacks (Tamworth pork pie, anyone?). The Cotswolds Distillery in Stourton is the place to go for a tot of English single-malt whisky. Take a tour – it’s more like a cosy country house than a corporate outfit.

If you only do one thing

If you only do one thing

If you go nuts for farm-fresh produce, Daylesford will be your foodie Disneyland. You only get lambing tours in the spring, but the ultra-chic shop is open all year round. You can admire organic veg picked just a welly’s throw from the tills, have a nose around the cheese room then sit yourself down with a slice of lemon drizzle cake.

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And if you stay the night, wake up here
Photograph: Martin Morrell

And if you stay the night, wake up here

Just over the road from The Wild Rabbit, the pub has its own row of two-bed cottages equipped with squishy sofas, woollen blankets and proper log-burning fires. It’s perfect if there’s a group of you – they’ll even lend you wellies and bikes. Cute cottage The Bunny has a private garden and a gorgeous, homely living room. Just the two of you? Bed down in one of the plush rooms above the pub, all of which are named after country critters. Bonus: you’ll be steps away from the best breakfast in the Cotswolds – a feast of locally sourced sausages, eggs, bacon, cheeses and cured meats. Cottages from £350, rooms from £140 a night.

Want to explore more of The Cotswolds?

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