There are plenty of towns in this neck of the woods that call themselves ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’, but Chippy, as it’s affectionately known, should win the prize. It has everything that such an accolade deserves: rolling hills and typically pretty, honey-coloured villages within a ten-minute drive, fun shops, cobbled lanes, even a theatre – as well as one of the area's most established campsites, a mile and a half outside of town.
Surrounded by trees, Chipping Norton Campsite has a real air of seclusion and, along with camping, now also offers the opportunity to glamp in new Ready Camp safari tents. The fully furnished glamping abodes are a great place to return to after a hard day's yomping across the hills. Each tent (sleeping up to four adults or a family of six) has two bedrooms, furnished with proper beds, and a kitchenette with hob, microwave, fridge and all the pots, crockery and cutlery you need. There's also a comfortable living area with sofas and an outdoor terrace to enjoy while you contemplate plans for the following day.
If you're not taking off on foot to explore the hills that roll southwards across the landscape, then you'll probably find yourself searching for antiques among the historic local hot-spots – the stone and thatch village of Minster Lovell, the 'Venice of the Cotswolds' Bourton-on-the-Water or picture-postcard Stow-on-the-Wold with its ancient market square.
For most, however, the first port of call is exploring the town on your doorstep. Window shopping, cream tea snacking and generally nosing around the many independent shops in Chipping Norton can easily occupy you for hours. And, while everyone knows it nowadays as home to the notorious Chipping Norton set – David Cameron, Rebekah Brooks, Jeremy Clarkson, et al – market day on Wednesdays and the farmer’s market on the third Saturday of each month confirms that this is a real place for real people, even if quite a few of them do wear rather a lot of tweed.