Bibury

William Morris called Bibury "the most beautiful village in England" and that quote has been haunting the place ever since. Every tour bus, every coach trip, every Instagram account obsessed with the Cotswolds ends up here, photographing Arlington Row the 14th-century weavers' cottages that are so ridiculously photogenic they've become the visual shorthand for "quintessential English village." The problem is, Morris was right. Bibury is genuinely stunning. It's just that everyone knows it.

The village sits on the River Coln, which is trout-rich and absurdly pretty, with water meadows on one side and honey-stone cottages on the other. Arlington Row was built in 1380 as a monastic wool store, converted into weavers' cottages in the 17th century, and is now owned by the National Trust and protected to within an inch of its life. You can't go inside, you can only look at them, which is what the coaches full of tourists do for about twenty minutes before moving on.

What most visitors miss is the rest of Bibury, which is quieter and just as lovely. Rack Isle is the water meadow between Arlington Row and the river it's a protected wetland where medieval monks used to dry cloth on racks, hence the name. St Mary's Church dates back to Saxon times with Norman additions and some genuinely beautiful stained glass. The churchyard has a massive ancient yew and gravestones you can actually read, unlike most round here where the weather's worn them smooth.

Bibury Trout Farm is surprisingly good, especially if you've got kids. You can catch your own trout, they'll prepare it for you, and there's a café if you'd rather just buy lunch and sit by the water. It's been running since the 1900s and feels like a proper working farm rather than a tourist attraction, even though it's both.

The Swan Hotel owns most of the village and has done since the 1600s. It's posh, it's expensive, and the restaurant is Michelin-listed. The bar does a decent pint and you don't need to be staying there to use it. Catherine Wheel across the road is more relaxed, proper village pub, good food, locals actually drink there.

The village gets absolutely rammed in summer, particularly at weekends. If you're coming to see Arlington Row, go at 8am on a weekday morning or accept that you'll be sharing it with a hundred other people. Early evening in October is the sweet spot, the light's better, the tourists have gone, and you can actually hear the river.

Park at the Trout Farm (pay and display) or on the street near the church. Do not, under any circumstances, try to park near Arlington Row unless you enjoy getting your wing mirror clipped by a tour bus.