Things to do in Cirencester with kids – rediscovering my Cotswolds childhood
If you’re planning a family trip to Cirencester or the Cotswolds, I’m sharing the places we genuinely enjoyed, where we ate and the activities my children loved – along with a few memories from growing up here myself.
Known as the ‘capital of the Cotswolds’ Cirencester is teeming in Roman history and offers a fabulous mix of architecture, shops, street markets, boutique restaurants and cafes.
The parish church – one of the largest parish churches in England – is a prominent landmark – and holds a dear place in my heart as I grew up next to it – living above Horton Chemist where my dad was the pharmacist and owner for many years.
Planning a wider Cotswolds trip? Read Sarah’s guide to the best villages in the Cotswolds, based on her many visits to the area.
Growing up in the town centre like this was a unique and wonderful experience, our home had wooden beams and hidden secret passageways and hideaways which felt incredibly exciting as a young child.
Cirencester – Memory Lane
Despite being such a beautiful town, I hadn’t visited Cirencester for many years. This summer I was determined to rectify this. Last week, my twins and I visited for four nights, and it was a very special and nostalgic visit, showing them where I lived, where I went to school and even where I got married. It was lovely to take a trip down memory lane – and I even managed to catch up with old school friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen for 14 years!
We started our visit with a wander around the marketplace and a stroll down Cecily hill, one of the prettiest streets in Cirencester, before enjoying a splash about in Cirencester Open Air swimming pool, which has been welcoming visitors since 1870.
You can prebook a swim – but 100 spaces are also reserved for walk ins if you don’t mind a queue. I was an incredibly hot 35 degrees the week we visited so we were very grateful for this opportunity to cool down. The pool is beautiful; my kids loved the water slide and you can purchase a good selection of hot and cold food and drinks at very decent prices.
The Lakes and Malmesbury
The following day we visited Spring Lake at the Cotswold Lakes, where we had a lovely lunch at the Brasserie lakeside restaurant (I had fish, my mum had jambalaya) and the kids went on inflatable water rides. You can also try out water skiing here. Equally popular is Summer Lake which offers aquaventure ( a water assault/inflatables course) SUPs and kayaking. You can hire your own boat or enjoy mini golf.
Later in our visit we headed to Crudwell in Malmesbury, a beautiful village where I got married in 2010. We visited the church where I was married as well as The Rectory Hotel where we held the wedding reception. We enjoyed a delicious evening meal at the Potting Shed – a lovely pub opposite the church and hotel.
It was a warm evening and it was nice to sit in the lovely garden under strings of fairy lights. I had a halloumi burger and the twins had a children’s version of fish and chips which we all thought was good.
Bibury – Quintessentially English
I was also keen to re-visit Bibury, a picture-perfect, quintessential English village, which is famous for its trout farm, Arlington Row ( a row of beautiful stone cottages) and for being one of the most beautiful and photographed villages in the UK. We enjoyed drinks in the courtyard of The Swan pub before having lunch at Eleven- a restaurant directly opposite Arlington Row and which has a beautiful three tier garden terrace, before visiting the aforementioned trout farm (which is also a lovely place to have lunch). I spent a lot of time in Bibury as a child as one of my best friends at primary school lived there, but I never really appreciated before just how beautiful it is. It definitely felt quite strange returning as a tourist to the area where I grew up!
A few more swims in the outdoor pool and nostalgic catch-up visits with friends later and it was time to return to London after a whistle stop visit.
Looking for more family ideas? Jenny spent a full week exploring the Cotswolds with her children and shares her favourite budget-friendly days out, walks and attractions in our guide to the Cotswolds with kids.
It was a real pleasure taking this lovely trip down memory lane (& through the Cotswolds!), and I hope you have enjoyed sharing the journey with me.
Returning to Cirencester with my twins reminded me how much of my childhood was shaped by this part of the country. They loved the swimming pool and lakes; I loved showing them the streets, villages and places that hold so many memories for me.
If you’re planning your own family break, Cirencester makes a brilliant base for exploring this part of the Cotswolds — particularly if you combine time in town with the lakes and one or two nearby villages.
Planning a bigger trip? Start with our guide to the best villages in the Cotswolds, or read Jenny’s budget-friendly week in the Cotswolds with kids for more tried-and-tested family ideas.
By Kate Skelton,
Images Kate Skelton
