The 801: One Bus, 4 Cotswold Towns + 1 Regency

Is there another bus journey in the UK that can take you through so many scenic Cotswold towns in a single journey?

The Pulhams 801 is, after all, a local bus service, used every day by the people who live here. But it is also a service for visitors, whether you’re staying in the Cotswolds, arriving by train, heading out for the day or simply looking for a way to explore without the car.

The 801 is part of everyday life here — used by schoolchildren, commuters and locals going about their day, as well as visitors exploring the Cotswolds. We’ve even seen how popular it can be with visitors from overseas — including Japanese visitors discovering the Cotswolds.

And what makes this local service particularly special is where it takes you — connecting some of the most beautiful towns in the Cotswolds, while winding through the countryside and villages before continuing into Cheltenham.

Chipping Norton → Moreton-in-Marsh → Stow-on-the-Wold → Bourton-on-the-Water → Andoversford → Charlton Kings → Cheltenham.

Four Cotswold towns, two distinctive villages and one Regency town — all connected by the same bus service.

We are a little biased, but we do rather like our 801.

And there’s a bit of history here too.

Long before the 801 was carrying people between these towns, there was a railway doing much the same job. The old Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway ran from Kingham through Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Notgrove and Andoversford, before reaching Charlton Kings and Cheltenham.

The railway disappeared in the 1960s. Today, the 801 provides a very different way to make the journey — but the idea of connecting these Cotswold towns hasn’t disappeared at all.

The history of the railway

For anyone staying at The King’s Head in Bledington, the 801 makes the geography of this part of the Cotswolds particularly easy to appreciate. Our accommodation makes a convenient base for exploring the surrounding towns and villages.

Chipping Norton, Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water are all within easy reach, with Andoversford, Charlton Kings and Cheltenham further along the route.

It is a reminder of just how well placed Bledington is. We’re surrounded by some of the best-known towns and villages in the Cotswolds, yet we’re tucked away in a quieter village between them.

So we thought we’d follow the 801 and take a look at some of the places you can discover along the way — starting with Moreton-in-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water.

Moreton-in-Marsh

Moreton-in-Marsh is one of the best-known market towns in this part of the Cotswolds, and it’s an easy place to spend a few hours. And it’s still a market town in the truest sense — the weekly market takes place every Tuesday, continuing a tradition that has been part of Moreton’s identity for centuries.

The High Street is the obvious starting point, with its mix of historic buildings, independent shops, cafés and places to stop for something to eat. It’s the sort of town where you can wander without needing a particular plan — browse a few shops, find a good coffee, stop for cake and see where the morning takes you.

There are plenty of places for coffee, tea and something light to eat, including Victoria Coffee House, while Lynwood & Co at the Corn Exchange is another handy spot for a coffee or bite to eat.

Moreton is also a good place for anyone with a sweet tooth, with shops and cafés offering cakes, chocolates and other treats that are rather difficult to walk past.

For something a little different, the Wellington Aviation Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into Moreton’s wartime history. The museum tells the story of the RAF airfield that was built on the eastern edge of the town during the Second World War, where Wellington bomber crews were trained.

Interestingly, the old airfield is still very much an active part of Moreton today. The site is now home to the Fire Service College, and some of the wartime airfield’s runways and other features survive within the grounds.

So while you’re wandering around Moreton, it’s worth remembering that the quiet Cotswold countryside around the town once had aircraft taking off and landing — and that some of the same ground is still used today for emergency-services training.

Moreton has more than just its High Street, too. The Market Hall, the old railway station and the surrounding streets all add to the character of the town, and it’s easy to spend a relaxed few hours simply exploring.

Which makes Moreton another very good example of just how much there is to discover within easy reach of Bledington.

Stow-on-the-Wold

From Moreton, the 801 heads towards Stow-on-the-Wold.

Stow needs little introduction. Its market square, old buildings, independent shops and antiques make it one of the most recognisable towns in the Cotswolds.

The bus stops close to the town centre, including by the old police station, which is still very much in use.

And Stow is very well equipped for the important business of a day out: coffee and cake.

Huffkins sits directly on the market square, while Lucy’s Tearoom gives you another traditional tea-and-cake option. There are also smaller independent coffee shops around the town, including Stow Town Coffee on Sheep Street.

If something sweet is more your thing, there are also confectionery and fudge shops around the centre.

It’s worth taking a look inside St Edward’s Church, too. The church stands just off the market square and is famous for its unusual tree-framed doorway, which has become one of Stow’s most photographed sights.

And, of course, there’s plenty of shopping. You can spend an hour or two simply wandering around the square and the surrounding streets, browsing the independent shops, popping into Scotts of Stow, and stopping whenever you see somewhere that takes your fancy.

Bourton-on-the-Water

Then the 801 carries on to Bourton-on-the-Water.

Bourton-on-the-Water is different again. The River Windrush runs right through the centre, with its famous little bridges crossing the water and giving the village a character all of its own.

The 801 stops on the High Street, at the Newsagent — a name that has been part of Bourton for decades. The original newsagent was a long-standing village business and an important local service, rather than simply another shop aimed at visitors.

Bourton is another place where you can easily fill a few hours without having to plan every minute.

Walk alongside the river, cross the little bridges, browse the independent shops and stop for coffee, tea, cake or a light lunch. There are plenty of cafés and tearooms to choose from, and if you’re looking for something sweet, Bourton has several sweet shops and places to pick up chocolate and other treats.

And there is plenty more to do if you want to make a proper day of it. You might visit the Model Village, head to Birdland, spend some time looking around the independent shops, or make a visit to the Cotswold Motoring Museum to see its collection of historic cars and motoring memorabilia.

That’s part of Bourton’s appeal. You can make it as simple or as full-on as you like — a wander along the river and a coffee, or several hours exploring some of the attractions that have made Bourton one of the Cotswolds’ best-known visitor destinations.

It’s a very different experience from Moreton or Stow, and another reason why having Bourton on the 801 route makes this part of the Cotswolds particularly interesting.

Andoversford

The 801 also passes through Andoversford, a village with a surprisingly important history for such a small place.

Andoversford grew rapidly in the 19th century with the arrival of the railways. Two railway lines and stations eventually served the village, turning it into an important local transport and trading centre. A livestock market was established here, while the railway carried livestock, corn, timber and coal for the surrounding villages.

The old Cattle Market is a reminder of that history. The market itself has long gone, but the site remains part of the village, and the old railway routes have left their mark on the landscape.

Today the trains have disappeared and the 801 is doing a rather different job, but Andoversford remains an important connection between the communities around Cheltenham and the northern Cotswolds.

Charlton Kings

The 801 also passes through Charlton Kings, an attractive and well-established village on the eastern side of Cheltenham. With its village centre, traditional buildings and surrounding countryside, it has a very different character from the Cotswold market towns further north.

It is another part of the route that shows just how much ground the 801 covers, linking the Cotswolds with the communities around Cheltenham.

Charlton Kings Local History Society Pdf

Cheltenham

And then the scenery changes.

The 801 continues into Cheltenham, bringing you from the Cotswold countryside into one of the country’s best-known Regency towns.

We’ll save Cheltenham itself for another day.

For this journey, it’s enough to know that the 801 doesn’t simply connect a handful of villages. It gives you a route all the way from the northern Cotswolds into Cheltenham.

One bus, a remarkable journey

And that’s what makes the 801 so interesting.

It’s not a tourist bus.

It’s not a sightseeing tour.

It’s simply a local bus service, used every day by people who live and work along the route — and increasingly useful for visitors too.

Think about the places it connects:

Chipping Norton.
Moreton-in-Marsh.
Stow-on-the-Wold.
Bourton-on-the-Water.
Andoversford.
Charlton Kings.
Cheltenham.

If you want to see the route from Pulhams’ own perspective, they’ve also put together a guide to having fun on the 801, with ideas for places to visit along the way.

And if you’re staying with us, there’s even more Cotswold countryside to explore beyond the 801 route. From Bledington, Stow and Charlbury are both close by — another reminder that we’re rather conveniently placed in the middle of it all.

After a day exploring, you can come back to Bledington, settle in and enjoy a meal at our restaurant.

All Aboard!! 🚌

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