In Tolkien’s Footsteps: a Lord of the Rings–Inspired Cotswolds Tour

Name: In Tolkien's Footsteps: Lord of the Rings–Inspired Cotswolds Tour
Brand: Tour Britannia
SKU: 1086606
Price: 995 GBP
Availability: InStock

Follow in the Footsteps of JRR Tolkien and see the source of his inspiration while exploring the beautiful Cotswolds in this literary exploration of the quintessential English countryside.

Overview

Follow in the Footsteps of JRR Tolkien and see the source of his inspiration while exploring the beautiful Cotswolds in this literary exploration of the quintessential English countryside.

Step into Tolkien’s world on this magical Cotswolds adventure. Explore the countryside that inspired the Shire and uncover the places that shaped Middle-earth.

Discover the “Hobbit Door” in a traditional market town, said to echo the hidden Doors of Durin.

Walk through shadowy woodland to Broadway Tower, a folly that recalls Amon Hen, the Seat of Seeing.

In Moreton-in-Marsh, the historic Bell Inn is thought to be the model for Bree’s Prancing Pony, while the town’s stone houses mirror Tolkien’s description of Bree itself.

Nearby, beside a country lane, stands the Four Shire Stone, once marking four counties, and believed to have inspired the Three-Farthing Stone in the Shire, where Sam scattered Galadriel’s gift.

The journey ends at the haunting Rollright Stones, a collection of prehistoric monuments long linked to Barrow-downs.

Tolkien wrote “stone rings grinned out of the ground like broken teeth in the moonlight.” Here, history and fantasy meet in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Jump to…

↳ What to Expect
↳ Gallery
↳ Booking
↳ Ask a question

What to Expect

1. Swinbrook

A beautiful Cotswolds village surrounded by rolling hills that conjure up images of the Shire.

Pass by

2. Stow-on-the-Wold

A quintessential Cotswolds market town, steeped in old-world charm. Here we’ll discover the curious ‘Hobbit Door’ — a hidden gem said to have inspired Tolkien’s vision of the Doors of Durin, the secret western entrance to Moria.

45 mins

3. Broadway Tower

Walk through a shadowy, mysterious woodland to Broadway Tower, an 18th-century folly rising dramatically above the Cotswold hills. Did this striking landmark inspire Tolkien’s vision of Amon Hen, the ‘Seat of Seeing’? Standing here, with sweeping views in every direction, it’s easy to imagine how such a place could have stirred his imagination.

90 mins

4. Moreton-in-Marsh

In the heart of Moreton-in-Marsh, a traditional Cotswold market town with a history stretching back to the Saxons, stands the historic Bell Inn. Once a bustling coaching inn on the old London–Worcester road, it was here that Tolkien often met with his brother. Many believe this welcoming hostelry inspired the Prancing Pony, the famous inn at Bree in Middle-earth. Step inside for a drink at Tolkien’s old haunt and you’ll find a vast map of Middle-earth celebrating its literary connection. Beyond the inn itself, Moreton bears more than a passing resemblance to Bree: Tolkien described the village as having ‘some hundred stone houses of the Big Folk’ — a picture that perfectly matches Moreton’s stone-built cottages clustered around its broad market square.

40 mins

5. Great Wolford

Alongside a leafy country lane stands the Four Shire Stone, an 18th-century marker that once signified the meeting point of four counties — Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. For centuries, it served as a waymarker for travellers moving through the Cotswolds. Many Lord of the Rings enthusiasts believe it inspired the Three-Farthing Stone in the Shire — the symbolic centre of hobbit country. In Tolkien’s tale, it is here that Samwise Gamgee scatters the dust of Lothlórien, Galadriel’s gift, to restore a Shire left scarred by Sharkey and his men. Standing beside this weathered stone, it’s easy to imagine Tolkien blending real English landmarks with the deep history and myth that shaped Middle-earth.

10 mins

6. Rollright Stones

This mysterious collection of prehistoric monuments is believed to have inspired Tolkien’s eerie Barrow-downs, the haunted resting place of the Dúnedain. As you wander among the ancient, weather-worn stones, it’s easy to imagine Barrow-wights stirring in the shadows. In Tolkien’s words, “stone rings grinned out of the ground like broken teeth in the moonlight.” This haunting image perfectly fits the Rollright Stones.

60 mins

Make it your day

Every Tour Britannia tour is private, so the itinerary is a starting point, not a script.

This is the route most of our guests take, but you can change any of it. Your guide plans the day around you before you travel and stays flexible on the day itself. You can linger longer wherever you’re enjoying yourself, skip anything that doesn’t appeal, or stop wherever something catches your eye.

Ways to tailor this tour

Start in Oxford, where Tolkien studied and taught, and visit his grave at Wolvercote Cemetery
Visit Blenheim Palace on the way
Add Bibury or Bourton-on-the-Water
Have lunch at a traditional Cotswold pub
Get picked up from Heathrow, or finish the day at your Cotswolds hotel
Spread it over two days with a night in the Cotswolds

Tell us what you’d like when you book, or ask us first. We’ll confirm the plan, and any change to the price, before you pay.

“We were easily able to modify and customize the itinerary.”
JRS4140, Tripadvisor

Want something completely different? We design fully bespoke tours anywhere in the UK and Ireland, for a single day or several weeks. See bespoke tours we’ve created →

Questions about this tour

Is the price per person or per group?

Per group. £995 covers your whole private group of up to 8 guests, including the luxury vehicle, your own driver-guide and pickup from your London hotel. There’s no charge per person.

Where and when do you pick us up?

We collect you from your hotel or home address in London and bring you back at the end of the day. The tour lasts about 10 hours, and we confirm your exact pickup time after you book.

Are entrance tickets included?

No entrance tickets are included. If you’d like to go inside anywhere on the route, we’re happy to arrange it. Food and drink aren’t included.

Can we change the itinerary?

Yes. It’s a private tour, so your guide can change stops, spend longer where you’re enjoying yourselves or skip somewhere. If you’d like something specific, tell us before the day and we’ll plan it in.

Can we bring children?

Yes, children are very welcome. We provide child seats at no extra cost; just tell us their ages when you book.

What is your cancellation policy?

You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your tour and get a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours of the start time aren’t refundable.

What’s included

Private luxury Mercedes, just for your group
Your own English-speaking driver-guide
Pickup and drop-off at your London hotel
Air conditioning, USB charging and bottled water
Child seats at no extra cost

Not included: food and drink (apart from bottled water).

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour, with a full refund.

Not ready to book yet?

Tell us your dates and what you’d like to see, and we’ll send you a tailored plan for your day with a confirmed price, usually within 24 hours. There’s no payment and no obligation.

We’ll only use your details to reply to your enquiry. Prefer to talk? Call 0800 787 9757 (+44 800 787 9757 from overseas) or email bookings@tourbritannia.co.uk.

Explore our other tours

Every tour can be tailored to you, or we can design something entirely new.

Bespoke Tours, Designed Around You

Tailor-made

Tell us what you love and we’ll build a private tour around it, anywhere in the UK and Ireland, for a single day or several weeks.

Cotswolds at Christmas – Private Day Tour from London

£1899 per group

Festive Cotswold villages, Christmas shopping and Blenheim Palace’s Christmas decorations, market and light trail, with your own guide and luxury car from London.

Jane Austen’s Bath – Private Tour for Southampton Cruise Passengers

£1495 per group

A private Jane Austen day in Bath from your Southampton cruise ship, with a specialist Austen walking tour and the Roman Baths: after you disembark, or as a day in port.

London in a Day – Private Tour for Southampton Cruise Passengers

£1395 per group

London’s landmarks with your own guide and Mercedes, timed around your Southampton cruise: after you disembark, as a day in port, or before you sail.