Farmland & Flavors of the Cotswolds

Experience Tour 2026

Woman feeding a sheep on a Heritage Farmland tour experience
Reserve Your Spot

FALL 2026 | September 10 - 18

8 nights / 9 days

Itinerary Details

Day 1 - Welcome Dinner in Oxford

Your heritage farmland and flavors tour in Oxford begins with a warm welcome dinner at The Store Hotel, where seasonal dishes showcase the region’s rich agricultural traditions. Afterward, the group heads to one of Oxford’s historic pubs to enjoy local ales and stories that bring the city’s past to life. It’s a relaxed and flavorful start to a journey rooted in culture, community, and the countryside.

Dusk view of Oxford University buildings, including the Radcliffe Camera with lit windows, surrounded by historic architecture and streets.

Day 2 - Oxford University | Blenheim Palace Gardens

We will start the day with a walking tour of Oxford University. Then a visit to Blenheim Palace immerses you in magnificent Baroque architecture and sweeping history while offering stunning views across its vast estate. Beyond exploring the grand state rooms, you can take a buggy tour of the Formal Gardens, gliding past ornate fountains, sculpted hedges, and beautifully designed landscapes. It’s a relaxing and picturesque way to experience the palace’s most elegant outdoor spaces.

A large historic mansion with elaborate gardens, surrounded by lakes and greenery, under a clear sky.

Day 3 - Historic Brewery Tour | Shire Draft Horses | Sheep Farm Dairy & Distillery

We’ll begin the day at a 176-year-old brewery, where guests enjoy a guided look into traditional ale-making and learn how historic Shire draft horses still play an active role in daily brewery life—a rare and memorable tradition. From there, we’ll head to a sheep farm dairy and distillery, where guests enjoy an interactive experience with both adult sheep and lambs before discovering how sheep’s milk is transformed into vodka. The visit includes an immersive distillery tour, culminating in a perfectly crafted signature cocktail.

Two draft horses harnessed to a carriage in front of the Hook Norton Brewery, a large historic brick building with multiple gables and a tower, under a partly cloudy sky.
A small black and white sheep standing on green grass with a bottle of Black Lion gin in the foreground.

Day 4 - Stay in Lygon Arms | Walk on Old Cotswold Way | Broadway Food Festival

We’ll wake up at the charming Lygon Arms Hotel in the heart of beautiful Broadway, surrounded by classic Cotswold stone and quiet morning streets. After breakfast, we’ll set out on the old Cotswold Way, following the rolling hillside path up to the iconic Broadway Tower for sweeping views of the countryside. Once we’ve taken in the scenery, after lunch in the Tower Barn we’ll wander back into the village and head to the lively Broadway Food Festival. There, we can sample local specialties, meet artisan producers, and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

On a Heritage Farmland guided tour, two cows grazing on green grass in a field with trees in the background, under a clear blue sky.

Day 6 - Visit a Famous English Cheesemaker | Explore Stow-on-the-Wold

At Charles Martell & Sons, we’ll explore the craft behind their famous Stinking Bishop cheese and then enjoy a relaxed picnic on the farm, surrounded by peaceful Gloucestershire countryside. Afterwards, we’ll head to nearby Stow-on-the-Wold to admire the ancient yew trees framing St. Edward’s Church, rumored to have inspired Tolkien’s Doors of Durin. We’ll finish the visit with some leisurely shopping in Stow, where independent boutiques and classic Cotswold charm line the historic market square.

Day 5 - Jersey Cow Dairy & Ice Cream Maker |Suffolk Sheep Farm

On our Cotswolds farm tour, we’ll visit a sustainable dairy where contented Jersey cows graze on lush pastures, producing rich milk that’s turned into small-batch, house-made ice cream. We’ll learn how the farm prioritizes regenerative practices, from soil health to low-impact energy use. Afterwards, we’ll head to an award-winning Suffolk sheep farm, known for exceptional husbandry and beautifully maintained flocks. There, we’ll meet the sheep, explore the fields, and hear how thoughtful breeding and land stewardship have earned the farm its accolades.

A wheel of Charles Martell & Son Ltd farm single Gloucester cheese on a wooden board, with a slice cut to reveal its yellow interior, accompanied by a bunch of red grapes, all set on a green surface.
View of a historic building, possibly a castle or church, seen through a lush, green park with trees displaying fall foliage, and a person sitting on a park bench in the distance.

Day 8 - Helen Brownings Farm & Spa Day

At Helen Browning’s organic farm, we’ll explore wide-open orchards and meet the free-range pigs that roam and root as nature intended, gaining a firsthand look at truly regenerative farming. After the visit, we’ll retreat to the elegant Danesfield House Hotel and Spa, where you will spend the rest of the day on the relaxing grounds and a tranquil spa provide the perfect contrast to a day on the farm. It’s a blend of wholesome countryside experience and luxurious comfort.

Day 7 - Tetbury Westonbirt Arboretum | Highgrove Royal Gardens

We’ll take a break from fields and livestock to wander through the breathtaking Westonbirt Arboretum, where thousands of tree species create a canopy of color and texture in every season. The peaceful walking paths offer a chance to slow down and absorb the beauty of one of the world’s finest curated woodlands. We’ll then continue to the Highgrove Royal Gardens, where meticulously designed landscapes, organic principles, and creative garden rooms reflect decades of vision and care. Exploring both places adds a rich layer of natural artistry to the agricultural experience.

Luxurious hotel room with a four-poster bed draped in golden curtains, two wooden nightstands with lamps, a cushioned bench at the foot of the bed, a sitting area with patterned armchair and sofa, decorative pillows, tall windows with curtains, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Your Host:

Mary Maranville is from an eleventh-generation dairy farming family. Mary was born and raised in upstate NY, her Irish family’s dairy farming roots started in County Cork, Ireland. In 2008, she started Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) a 501c-3 non-profit, that educates thousands of students annually about the farm origins of their food and the agricultural journey from soil to consumption.

Mary founded Heritage Farmland Touring Company, a woman-owned business, in 2023. Her passion is connecting travelers with remarkable farms and the delicious, authentic flavors that make life worth savoring.

A woman smiling outdoors in an apple orchard wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a denim shirt, and a turquoise necklace.

What’s Included:

• Experienced tour manager
• Chauffeured transportation
• Two nights at The Store in Oxford
• Five nights at Lygon Arms in Broadway
• One night at Danesfield House & Spa in Marlow-on-Thames
• Welcome dinner
• Four lunches at gastro pubs or cafés
• Visit to Highgrove Royal Gardens with lunch
• Visit to Blenheim Palace, including a buggy ride through the gardens
• Tours of five bucolic farms, cow and sheep dairies, orchards, distilleries with on farm cheese and spirit tastings 
• Admission to the Broadway Food Festival
• Walk along the historic Old Cotswold Way
• Award-winning cheese tasting on the very farm where it’s produced
• Explore botanical gardens and an arboretum with over 15,000 trees and plants, at your own pace
• Centrally located 4-star hotels with the charm of the Cotswolds right outside your door

A woman with long blonde hair feeding a sheep on a Heritage Farmland tour experience, with other sheep visible behind a wooden fence.

What’s Not Included:

• Airfare
• Transfers to/from airports and train stations
 (Guests typically arrive early or stay longer, and shuttles rarely align with the full group.)
• Meals not listed above
• Additional beverages or mini-bar charges