In November we spent 1 day in the Cotswolds and were pleasantly surprised with our experience. Although November may not be the first month that comes to mind when considering visiting the Cotswolds, it isn’t a bad idea.
There are pros and cons to visiting such an iconic location in the off-season and I’ll get to those below. This guide is to help you understand the potential weather in the Cotswolds in November, how alive the towns are, and whether a trip to the Cotswolds in November is good for you.
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Is November a Good Time to Visit The Cotswolds?
We visited the Cotswolds during the third week of November and there were things we loved about visiting that time of year and things that would have been nicer had it been a different time.
Pros of November in the Cotswolds:
- Parking was a dream. Finding a parking space in the spring and summer months in the Cotswolds can be an absolute nightmare (we have family that have experienced it multiple times). The villages are so small and parking so limited that visitors often resort to parking on the street a 20-30 minute walk outside of town. In November, we found prime parking spots centrally located in each village which made our experience smooth and easy.
- There were very few other visitors. It felt like we were walking around lived-in villages but not villages crowded with visitors. It was lovely to experience the charm of the Cotswolds on our own and at our own pace without fighting crowds.
Cons of November in the Cotswolds:
- Foliage is sparse. Visiting in November means trees are bare and flowers have yet to bloom. We didn’t mind this, but I can imagine the spring blossoms and the green trees of summer are quite beautiful.
- The days are shorter. The sun sets between 5:00 and 5:30 pm in November in the Cotswolds. This means that you may not be able to visit as many villages in a day as you would if you were visiting in the spring or summer months. However, the lack of crowds and the ease of parking may make up for the time difference. Plus shops generally close around 5/5:30 even during peak season.
Are Places open in the Cotswolds in November?
Yes! We explored four villages on foot and drove through two others and didn’t run into many shops or restaurants that were closed.
We enjoyed lunch in one village and the most delicious pastries at The Cornish Bakery in another. We shopped at an adorable bookshop and windowshopped some more.
However, keep in mind that most shops and cafes close around 5/5:30 pm. We didn’t have time for dinner in the Cotswolds, however, I hear that you should be fine walking into most establishments without a reservation unless it’s one of the Michelin star restaurants or other very popular locations.
Are Christmas Decorations up in the Cotswolds in November?
As I mentioned, we visited the Cotswolds the third week of November and stumbled upon some Christmas decorations but not many.
A lot of the shops had some Christmasy window displays or decorations hanging up inside but not much was visible from the exterior.
I hear that some villages hold Christmas markets on limited days come December but nothing was going on in November that we were aware of. If you’re hoping for a more Christmas events I think you’ll need to wait until December.
What is the Cotswolds Weather like in November?
My favorite way to research the weather for upcoming trips is to visit Accuweather.com. For the Cotswolds, I inputted one of the villages we planned to visit, ‘Bibury’, in the location bar and then selected ‘monthly’ in the top bar (you may have to scroll to the right to find the monthly tab).
This pulled up a calendar to which I selected the month of November to show me the expected average high and low temperatures for each day of November for the upcoming year.
However, my favorite feature on Accuweather is the ability to view the actual highs and lows of the previous year.
In the dropdown menu, I selected November of the previous year instead of the current year. Looking at the past year’s actual temps and the current year’s expected temps gave me a pretty good comprehensive view of what the weather might be during our trip to the Cotswolds in November.
You can expect the average highs for the weather in the Cotswolds in November to range from 40°F – 50°F.
We visited the Cotswolds in the third week of November, and the temperature was about 45°-50° F with snow flurries the night before and drizzling rain in the morning. Snow is pretty rare for the Cotswolds, but rain is quite common.
Plan for grey skies and the possibility of rain almost every day in November.
What to Wear when Visiting The Cotswolds in November
We wore boots, long sleeves, and a coat in November and were very comfortable. You may want a hat and gloves depending on the day and an umbrella could come in handy.
We didn’t need an umbrella but did use the rain cover on our stroller.
Guided Tours in the Cotswolds in November
If you’re worried about driving in the Cotswolds (which isn’t a walk in the park for us Americans) you may consider booking a guided tour. Public transit can be difficult to navigate the Cotswolds with (although not impossible).
- Full-Day Small-Group Cotswolds Day Trip From London: One of the easiest ways to visit the Cotswolds from London! Have free time in some of the most iconic Cotswold villages like Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and Stow-on-the-Wold. This tour has 4.8 stars on Get Your Guide- it doesn’t get much better than that.
- Experience Oxford and the Cotswolds on this Full Day Tour from London: If you’re willing to squeeze in a lot, try this full-day tour from London that includes Oxford, Bibury, and Burford.
- From Bath: Stonehenge & the Cotswolds Day Tour: If you’ll be based in Bath or can get to Bath, consider this Cotswolds tour that also includes Stonehenge!
There are all sorts of Cotswold tour options that leave from London, Bath, Bristol and Birmingham just to name a few. You can search for the perfect one for you on Get Your Guide here or on Viator here.
Additional Quiet Times to Visit The Cotswolds
If you’re looking for other good times to visit the Cotswolds for a quiet atmosphere, you may try anytime between October and February.
March through May bring spring blossoms and the possibility of sunnier weather in the Cotswolds which begins to draw crowds, however, if you visit on a weekday you’ll have better luck than a weekend. You may want to steer clear of Easter week.
The months of June-August are the busiest travel months in Europe, although, these months have the best chances for beautiful, sunny weather in the Cotswolds.
I’d imagine that the months of September to October have similar crowds to the spring months, but of course, I haven’t been at that time of year to confirm.
But if you’re like us and plan to visit the Cotswolds in November, know that you’ll have the villages to yourself and parking will be a breeze but you may have some rainy days and the plants and flowers aren’t yet in bloom.
And that’s everything I think you need to know about visiting the Cotswolds in November! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions and I’ll be sure to get back to you.
Check out these other UK posts, I know you’ll love them:
- Our Cotswolds Day Trip Itinerary + What We Would Change
- 8 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting The Cotswolds in England
- Our Day Trip to Oxford, England | An Easy Itinerary
- The Only Itinerary You Need For a Day Trip to Edinburgh (+ Map)
- 3 Days in London with a Toddler: A Realistic Itinerary + Tips & Map
- 21 Best Things to Do in Edinburgh, Scotland With Kids + Top Tips
- 18 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting The Isle of Skye in Scotland
- The Ultimate Guide to the Isle of Skye with Kids: 21+ Things to Do & Top Tips
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