The thriving market town of Fairford nestles on the River Coln, on the edge of the Cotswolds, and offers many amenities including individual shops, cafes and traditional pubs, as well as hosting a weekly country market offering homegrown and homemade produce and country crafts. RAF Fairford is home of the Royal International Air Tattoo, held in July every year, one of the largest military air shows in the world with a reputation as one of the UK’s top outdoor family events. Just a short drive away is the beautiful Roman town of Cirencester, gateway to the Cotswolds, which offers excellent shopping, restaurants, ancient buildings, museums and antique markets. The Cotswold Water Park is Britain’s largest water park, set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, covering 40 square miles and made up of over 40 lakes. A wide range of activities is on offer including water skiing, cycling, horse riding, boating, golf and fishing and for the nature lovers the park offers an abundance of bird and animal life, all of which can be seen throughout the year on the three nature reserves. A little further afield visit the historic town of Malmesbury with its 12th century Benedictine abbey and Westonbirt Arboretum with an extensive collection of trees and shrubs. The honey-coloured Cotswold towns of Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water and the university city of Oxford are also easily accessible.
