Contact
The Wilds is right in the middle of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds and you’ll be spoilt for choice for family activities, great food and outstanding natural beauty.
Milton and the local area
Our quiet village has a football pitch with goals and a playground to tire out the kids, a library and a variety of shops including independent coffee shop and brunch spot Rise and Flour Artisan Bakery. No visit to the Cotswolds is complete without a visit to a classic country pub and Milton-under-Wychwood is lucky to be the home of our friends at award-winning gastro pub The Hare. Several more highly-rated hostelries are just a short ramble from The Wilds and the bridleway beside the house leads to beautiful local villages like Kingham - home of the Wild Rabbit and the Kingham Plough, Nether Westcott - home of the Feathered Nest country inn and Fifield - home of the 13th century. All will welcome you with open arms after a long (or not-so-long!) walk.
For the family
There are plenty of family activities within easy driving distance. Bourton-on-the-Water and Burford are picture-postcard Cotswold villages less than twenty minutes’ drive away. Nature-loving children will enjoy The Cotswolds Wildlife Park where you can see rhinos, giraffes and giant tortoises. Birdland is home to pelicans, penguins, flamingos, a woodland dinosaur walk and the Dragonfly Maze. Model and motor enthusiasts can enjoy the Cotswold Motoring Museum and the Bourton model village. The Cotswolds Water Park near Cirencester is a vast network of reservoirs with all kinds of activities on offer from sailing to golf to shooting to bird-watching.
For adults
Groups of adults looking for a chic urban/countryside blend might enjoy Soho Farmhouse or the countryside branch of Chelsea favourite Daylesford Organic. Or, see what all the fuss is about at Clarkson’s Farm. If you’re looking for some self-care, both Daylesford and Soho Farmhouse have spa facilities. Alternatively, try Dormy House for a state-of-the-art spa experience. Spirit lovers should pay Wood Brothers Distillery a visit for a distillery tour, tasting experience, or candlelit supper in the still.
Many of our guests ask for particular experiences to make their stay even more special. To this end we have partnered with a local and experienced private chef,Mike Fishpenwho, along with his team, will visit the house and prepare a three- or six-course menu for you and your group. Please get in contact with us or Mike directly for more information on costs and availability.
Culture and History
Nearby Cheltenham and Oxford are two of Britain’s most beautiful and historic towns and both are easily reachable from The Wilds. Oxford is home to summer punting, world-class museums and breath-taking architecture, including Hogwarts a.k.a Christ Church College Dining Hall. Cheltenham is the UK’s most complete Regency spa town and hosts a number of cultural festivals throughout the year: Jazz (April/May), Science (June), Music (July) and Literature (October) as well as “the Greatest Show on Turf”, the Cheltenham Racing Festival, in the third week of March every year. See www.cheltenhamfestivals.com and www.thejockeyclub.co.uk for more information.