How To Visit Cotswold Lavender: A Fragrant Sea of Purple

Last Updated on 13th September 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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Lavender has long been considered a flower of enchantment and ‘love at first sight’ which will soon become clear after a visit to Cotswold Lavender. The soothing fragrant smell of this vividly purple flower can be experienced between June and August in the rural countryside of England. Here’s your guide on how to visit Cotswold Lavender, as well as top tips and other nearby attractions you should visit!

A brief history

A family-run farm which has farmed in the local area for three generations and first moved to its current location on Hill Barn in 1994. But, it wasn’t until 1999, when the first lavender was planted, testing to see if the fragrant flower would like the soils of the Cotswolds.

Now, over 25 years later, Hill Barn Farm practically revolves around the sweet smelling flower and it production of essential oils and quality goods from it. Lavender aside, they also opened their land up to welcome visitors from all corners of the globe to enjoy the thriving and flourishing natural landscape!

This commercial working farm is a hive of activity, especially during the summer months, however, behind the scenes there is a constant work done to maintain, of course the lavender fields, as well as the Cotswold stone walls, plant trees and hedges, and the general goings on of farming life in rural England.

How to visit

The Cotswold Lavender Field is a tourist attraction and experience located near the quaint village of Snowshill. If travelling by car, the address given to reach the destination is as follows: Hill Barn Farm, Snowshill, Broadway, Worcestershire WR12 7JY.

To visit the Lavender Field there is an entry fee of £7.50 (adult) which does seem fairly costly, however, these funds help with the maintenance of the fields and also support the family run farm who own the land. Plus, there’s lots to see!

You can purchase your ticket on the day, meaning you can plan your visit depending on the weather, which is of course, best when the sun is shining. And, once you arrive you’ll see a car park with ample spaces, which are completely free to park in if visiting for the experience.

If you’re planning a longer trip to the region, check out our suggestions for how to spend 3 days in the Cotswolds.

Top tip: If you’re wanting to catch that perfect ‘Instagrammable moment’ or simply just a nice photograph, then I recommend wearing yellow, white or pastel shades as these colours really compliment the scenery and make the purple of the lavender pop!

At the experience there are a few temporary toilets available to use, as well as a small café which sells drinks and snacks. However, I would recommend bringing your own picnic (which is encouraged!), as the café has quite a limited selection and is a little pricey.

There are plenty of picnic benches where you can sit, relax and soak up the soothing properties of the sea of purple lavender that surrounds.

Highlights at Cotswold Lavender

Lavender Fields

Of course, one of the best things to see when visiting is the vast stretches of lavender fields that adorn the rolling hills of the Cotswolds. There are over 350,000 lavender plants spanning over 70 acres.

On the right hand side as you enter the fields there’s a filed filled with different varieties of lavender, the farm is now home to over 35 different varieties of the purple flower. For the best capture of the endless sea of purple, head to the field furthest away from the entrance.

You can wander through the sweet scenting fields and enjoy soaking up the picturesque scenery as well as getting plenty of photographs to remember the moment by. When walking through, be sure to avoid stepping on the flowers!

Wildflower Meadows

Another wonderful field filled with nature that you can visit is the Wildflower Meadows. Similar to that of a painting done by Monet, this 4 acre stretch of land is dedicated to recreating these traditional wild flower meadows that typically grow across undisturbed parts of the English countryside.

In the mass of rainbow colour you can expect to see a wide variety of flowers, from rich red poppies, milky pastel primroses to delicate blue cornflowers. Aside from this, the Wildflower Meadow is a haven for wildlife, supporting the ecosystem of bees, butterflies, moths and many more.

Distillery

Lavender, though not native to England, is one of the oldest fragrances used in the country. In the 1500s Queen Elizabeth I is said to have used it both as a perfume and in her tea to treat migraines!

So, as you can imagine, one of the best things to visit at Lavender Cotswold is to tour their distillery, where you can learn and see the process from field to bottle.

Each year the farm harvest lavender to create essential oils, using a method originally invented by the ancient Egyptians. Producing around 1.5 tons of essential lavender oil, they then use it to create all kinds of lavender treasures which you can purchase at their gift shop.

The Cabin (shop for souvenirs)

The Cabin is open throughout the summer months and serves as both a café and shop. If the scent of lavender has got you craving a lavender tasting treat, the café serve plenty of food and drink related items including things like lavender tea, lavender ice cream and lavender biscuits.

In the shop you can find some of the Cotswold Lavender products, from hand wash and hand creams to soothing muscle creams or sleep sprays, as well as pillows and basically anything home-y that you could scent with lavender!

Nearby attractions

Snowshill Village

The nearby picturesque village of Snowshill is as quaint and cute as its name suggests! And, for those who love Bridget Jones, it’s the very spot where her parents live, so many of the scenes are filmed in this area.

The village itself is fairly small and will likely only take 5 to 10 minutes to explore. However, Snowshill boasts views overlooking the Severn Vale to the west and a beautiful manor and garden that make it worth spending a couple of hours here.

Snowshill Manor and Garden

Found nearby to Snowshill village is the former eclectic manor house and garden of Charles Wade, an English architect, artist-craftsman and poet who loved to collect things that interested him.

Wade left his manor house to the National Trust, where today visitors can explore the collection of thousands of objects he gathered over the years, housed there. With a motto of “let nothing perish”, you can expect to see anything from toys, Samurai armour, to a variety of musical instruments, and clocks. Read our guide on how to visit Snowshill Manor here.

Seven Wells Hill viewpoint & Broadway Tower

Take a walk to the highest point on a north-south ridge, which is known as Seven Wells Hill and also home to  a prominent folly called the Broadway Tower. This walk is particularly popular amongst walkers and tourists as it boasts sweeping views of the rolling countryside and to the county’s beyond.

The Broadway Tower itself is the second highest point of the Cotswolds, a three-storey limestone ashlar turreted structure.

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