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Step into Tolkien’s world on a magical journey through the Cotswolds, where history and fantasy meet. Explore the countryside that inspired the Shire and uncover the places that shaped Middle-earth.

Highlights

• Immerse yourself in the landscapes that inspired Tolkien’s Middle-earth
• Discover the “Hobbit Door” in a traditional market town
• Walk through shadowy woodland to Broadway Tower, a folly that recalls Amon Hen
• Visit the historic Bell Inn, thought to be the model for Bree’s Prancing Pony
• See the Four Shire Stone, believed to have inspired the Three-Farthings Stone

Description

There are places in England that feel ancient, alive, and quietly magical, where history feels older than memory, where villages and hillsides seem to hum with forgotten stories. The Cotswolds is such a place and J.R.R Tolkien knew it well. He walked its lanes, drank in its inns, and wandered its hills when shaping the Shire, Bree, and the more mysterious edges of his world. The 'Lord of the Rings Cotswolds Tour' traces those echoes, guiding you through the places where history, folklore and imagination meet. Step into Tolkien’s world on this magical Cotswolds adventure; explore the countryside that inspired the Shire: and uncover the places that shaped Middle-earth. Discover the “Hobbit Door” in a traditional market town, said to echo the hidden Doors of Durin. Walk through shadowy woodland to Broadway Tower, a folly that recalls Amon Hen, the Seat of Seeing. In Moreton-in-Marsh, the historic Bell Inn is thought to be the model for Bree’s Prancing Pony, while the town’s stone houses mirror Tolkien's description of Bree itself. Nearby stands the Four Shire Stone, once marking four counties, and believed to have inspired the Three-Farthings Stone in the Shire, where Sam scattered Galadriel’s gift. The journey ends at the haunting Rollright Stones, a circle of weathered megaliths on a windswept ridge. Local legend tells of witches turning men to stone and the ancient pillars are often linked by Tolkien fans to the Barrow-downs. Here the hobbits fall under the spell of the Barrow-wights. Tolkien wrote of this place “stone rings grinned out of the ground like broken teeth in the moonlight.” Here, in the heart of the Cotswolds, history, legend, folklore and fantasy overlap seamlessly. We invite you to join us on this magical journey!

Includes

Transport to and from London Guided tour of Cotswolds locations that inspired Tolkien Visit to the 'Hobbit Door' in a traditional market town Walk through woodland to Broadway Tower Visit to Moreton-in-Marsh and the historic Bell Inn View of the Four Shire Stone Visit to the Rollright Stones

Important Information

• Wear comfortable walking shoes The tour involves walking through countryside and woodland paths The takes place in all weather so bring suitable clothing.

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund