Hoar frost and snow in the Cotswolds, England

© Peter Adams/Getty Image

Cold falls on the Cotswolds. Winter in England's Cotswolds

The Cotswolds region is well known by British people as a sleepy summer getaway, a day-trip destination for rambling through rolling pastures and charming villages while sampling delicious local produce. But in winter, this rural landscape takes on a new character when snows blanket the countryside.

Some visitors take several days to hike all 102 miles of the Cotswold Way, the trail that leads from charming Chipping Campden in the north, over hill and dale through villages including Dursley – near the spot where this photo was taken – and finally to the city of Bath in the south. The whole stretch has year-round appeal – especially if you include stops at cosy cafes and pubs on the route. It's no wonder the Cotswolds region is the largest patch of land in the UK designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.