Pull Off the Cotswold Way and the Log Fire Is Lit
Come down off the Cotswold Way at the top of Hawkesbury Upton and you will see the sign before you see the inn, the honey-coloured village stretching either side of the High Street, the Somerset Monument still framed over your shoulder. Push the door open and the bar is what you remember: an upright piano against one wall, tartan-check chairs pulled around a working log fire in winter, exposed beams overhead, the slow village hospitality of a pub that opens for the next group of trail walkers coming down the hill. The Fox Inn lives on a National Trail and behaves like it; this is a walker's inn first, a hotel second. Bring the dog, drop the boots by the fire, climb the stairs to a quietly modernised room above the bar.
The village proper sits on the southern Cotswold escarpment in South Gloucestershire, six miles north of M4 Junction 18 and roughly half-an-hour's drive from both Bath and Bristol. Free private parking is on site, the pavement-edge bus stop is named directly after the inn, and the Beaufort Arms is fifty yards along the road for the evening dinner crowd. Couples consistently rate the location near the top of the bracket for a two-person trip, with staff and cleanliness both scoring close to nine and a half.
In the Heart of Hawkesbury Upton
Hawkesbury Upton sits on the southern Cotswold escarpment in South Gloucestershire, six miles north of M4 Junction 18 and roughly half-an-hour's drive from both Bath and Bristol. Some travel sites file the inn under Bristol because it's the nearest major city, but the actual address and postcode are firmly in Hawkesbury Upton, a small honey-stoned village, properly rural, on the Cotswold Way. The Somerset Monument (also called Hawkesbury Monument) rises a fifteen-minute uphill walk from the inn, a Cotswold-stone tower, big skies, the photographic anchor of the village.
The inn faces the High Street, with free private parking on site and the pavement-edge bus stop named directly after it (the 84/85 Yate buses serve the village). Walk fifty yards along the road and you reach The Beaufort Arms, the village's other pub, and the place we send our guests for evening dinner. The Cotswold Way is signposted in both directions: Wotton-under-Edge to the north (7.4 miles), Tormarton to the south (7.7 miles, ascent past the Somerset Monument).
Quietly Modernised Rooms Above the Bar
Bedrooms sit upstairs above the bar, reached by stairs only. There is no lift. They've been recently refreshed: clean white walls, dark grey carpet, white-painted modern wardrobes, mid-grey large-format porcelain in the bathrooms with matt-black fittings. Recent guests repeatedly describe the rooms as spotless, warm and well-appointed.
Every room has free Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, fridge, electric kettle, hairdryer, USB sockets at the bedside, and an on-trend modern shower-and-toilet en-suite. A courtesy bathroom light is the small touch that gets called out review after review. Pets stay free of charge, no surcharge, no weight limit specified.
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Interesting Points About The Fox Inn
- Listed at zero stars on the public listing (which is the platform flag for 'not formally classified' rather than 'poor quality'); in practice the inn is consistently well-reviewed for cleanliness and staff, strengths that hold their own against formally starred Cotswold-village pub inns nearby.
- Reception is bar-hours only (15:00 to 20:00): the landlady checks guests in from behind the bar, with arrivals outside the window managed by a pre-emailed door code rather than a desk, a pattern that suits Cotswold Way walkers coming off the trail late.
- Pet-friendly bookings are accepted with no per-night surcharge documented, useful context for Cotswold Way through-hikers travelling with a dog, since pet acceptance is not universal among adjacent village inns on the trail.
- Couples in particular keep coming back, and the reasons are concrete: the doorstep Cotswold Way access, the fifteen-minute uphill walk to the Somerset Monument, and the working log-fire bar waiting at the end of it.
Rooms & Accommodation at The Fox Inn
Twin Room
Sleeps 2 · 23 m² · Private bathroom · Two single beds
Comfortable twin with two single beds, a private bathroom with shower, flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, kettle and bedside USB sockets. Recent guests single out how comfortable the beds are. Upper-floor only, accessed by stairs.
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Quadruple Room
Sleeps 4 · 40 m² · Private bathroom · Family-friendly
Generously sized 40 m² family room with three beds, accommodating up to four guests. Same private en-suite, flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, kettle and free Wi-Fi as the Twin, with significantly more floor space, almost twice the Twin's footprint. Well placed for families breaking the Cotswold Way or attending Badminton Horse Trials. Upper-floor only, accessed by stairs.
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Best Suited For
- Cotswold Way long-distance walkers: the trail runs through the village and Wotton-under-Edge / Tormarton stages start at the door
- Badminton Horse Trials visitors (6–10 May 2026): five miles east on the Badminton Estate
- Hawkesbury Show, village hall events, family celebrations: the Show is on Saturday 29 August 2026
- Couples wanting a quiet 1- or 2-night Cotswold base near Bath, Bristol, Tetbury and Westonbirt
- Solo travellers who want a self-check-in inn with free parking and a real bar with a log fire
- Dog owners: pets stay free, no surcharge, no weight limit
Worth Considering Alternatives If
- You want breakfast or a full restaurant on site: there's neither (The Beaufort Arms serves food fifty yards along the High Street)
- You need a lift: bedrooms are upstairs only, accessed by stairs
- You want a swimming pool, spa, gym or balcony rooms: none on site
- You're a hen, stag or similar group: the inn doesn't accommodate parties
- You need a cot or extra bed: neither are available
Amenities & Facilities
Bar & Outdoor
- Traditional bar with open log fire (winter)
- CAMRA-listed (two changing real ales typically on tap)
- Outdoor seating with picnic tables on the High Street
- Garden
- Darts
- Not available: On-site restaurant
- Not available: Breakfast service
Room Amenities
- Free Wi-Fi throughout
- Private bathroom with shower
- Flat-screen TV
- Mini-fridge
- Electric kettle
- Hairdryer
- USB sockets at the bedside
- Courtesy bathroom light
- Heating, fan, clothes rack
- Free toiletries, towels, toilet paper
Parking & Transport
- Free private on-site parking (no reservation required)
- Pavement-edge bus stop named 'The Fox Inn' (Yate buses 84 & 85)
- M4 Junction 18, six miles south on the A46
- Yate mainline railway station, eight miles
- Bristol Airport, 27 miles
Outdoor & Recreation
- Cotswold Way National Trail through the village
- Hawkesbury Monument, fifteen-minute uphill walk
- Garden
- Pet-friendly (dogs welcome at no charge)
- Not available: Swimming pool
- Not available: Spa
- Not available: Gym
Services & Accessibility
- Self check-in via key code
- Non-smoking throughout
- Visa, Mastercard and debit cards accepted
- Children of any age welcome
- Not available: Lift
- Not available: Cot or extra bed
- Not available: Hen / stag groups
The Cotswold Way & Around the Village
Hawkesbury Upton is a small honey-stoned Cotswold village on the southern escarpment of the Cotswolds National Landscape (formerly AONB), in South Gloucestershire. The Cotswold Way National Trail passes directly through the village, the section from Wotton-under-Edge into Hawkesbury Upton runs 7.4 miles, and the onward leg to Tormarton via the Somerset Monument runs 7.7 miles, climbing roughly 1,135 feet of ascent. National Trails describes Hawkesbury Upton as one of the gateway villages on the trail.
Above the village rises the Somerset Monument, a Cotswold-stone tower commissioned in 1846 to commemorate General Lord Edward Somerset, a Battle of Waterloo veteran and nephew of the 6th Duke of Beaufort. The fifteen-minute uphill walk from The Fox Inn is the village's signature short stroll. Five miles east is the Badminton Estate, seat of the Duke of Beaufort and home of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials, the world's most prestigious five-star three-day event, running 6–10 May 2026.
The wider South Cotswolds offer some of the most rewarding walking and driving country in southern England, Westonbirt Arboretum (5 mi, famous for autumn colour), Dyrham Park (8 mi, late-17th-century baroque mansion in a National Trust deer park), Malmesbury Abbey (11 mi, founded 7th century), Thornbury Castle (11 mi, Tudor castle once visited by Henry VIII), and Horton Court (used as a filming location for Poldark and Wolf Hall) all sit within a short drive.
- Hawkesbury Monument (Somerset Monument): 0.7 mi · 15 min uphill walk. Cotswold-stone tower built in 1846 to commemorate General Lord Edward Somerset, a Battle of Waterloo veteran. The village's signature short walk and the photographic anchor of the Cotswold Way through Hawkesbury Upton.
- Cotswold Way, Wotton-under-Edge stage: Trailhead at the village edge. The 7.4-mile section from Wotton-under-Edge into Hawkesbury Upton runs north-to-south past Tyley Bottom and Kilcott Mill.
- Cotswold Way, Tormarton stage: Trailhead at the village edge. The 7.7-mile leg south to Tormarton, climbing past the Somerset Monument with around 1,135 ft of ascent, moderate, allow 3.5–4 hours.
- Westonbirt, the National Arboretum: 5 mi · 12 min drive. One of the country's most celebrated tree collections, especially famous for autumn colour and the lit Enchanted Christmas trail in December.
- Dyrham Park (National Trust): 8 mi · 18 min drive. Late-17th-century baroque mansion in an ancient deer park with views across the Severn estuary to Wales.
- Badminton Estate (Mars Badminton Horse Trials): 5 mi east. Seat of the Duke of Beaufort. The 2026 five-star three-day event runs Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 May 2026, accommodation across South Gloucestershire books out months in advance.
- Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge: 4.7 mi · 12 min drive. Reputed to be one of England's most haunted buildings, heritage curiosity for paranormal-tour guests.
- Malmesbury Abbey: 11 mi · 22 min drive. Founded in the 7th century, one of the oldest religious sites in England, and the burial place of King Athelstan.
Getting to Key Locations
Photo: Ballista at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
The Cotswold Way Through the Village
The Cotswold Way National Trail runs directly through Hawkesbury Upton, Wotton-under-Edge is 7.4 miles north, Tormarton is 7.7 miles south past the Somerset Monument. The trail is signposted in both directions from the village. For walkers staying at The Fox Inn, this is the reason to book.
View on Map
Photo: UKgeofan, CC BY-SA 3.0
Hawkesbury Monument
Fifteen minutes uphill from the inn, the Somerset Monument is a Cotswold-stone tower commissioned in 1846 to commemorate General Lord Edward Somerset, a Battle of Waterloo veteran and nephew of the 6th Duke of Beaufort. It dominates the skyline for walkers approaching from Wotton-under-Edge, the village's signature short walk.
View on Map
Photo: Ray Bird, CC BY-SA 2.0
Mars Badminton Horse Trials
Five miles east on the Badminton Estate, seat of the Duke of Beaufort. The world's most prestigious five-star three-day event runs Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 May 2026, Grassroots Championships and First Horse Inspection on the Wednesday, and the Saturday cross-country day is the headline. Accommodation within five miles books months ahead, The Fox Inn is one of the closest beds to the cross-country course.
View on MapHow to Get to The Fox Inn from Bristol
- Train from Bristol Temple Meads to Yate: Take a Great Western Railway service from Bristol Temple Meads to Yate. Around 12 minutes, multiple services per hour.
- Drive or taxi from Yate to Hawkesbury Upton: From Yate, drive north-east via the B4060 / minor roads through Wickwar to Hawkesbury Upton, around 8 miles, 15–20 minutes. Pre-book a taxi if you don't have a car.
- Find The Fox Inn on the High Street: The Fox Inn sits on Hawkesbury Upton High Street with green-painted door, pub signage and free private parking on site. The pavement-edge bus stop named 'The Fox Inn' is directly outside.
Hawkesbury Upton at a Glance
Hawkesbury Upton is a small Cotswold-stone village on the southern Cotswold escarpment in South Gloucestershire, quietly characterful, properly rural, and one of the gateway villages on the Cotswold Way. The village retains a working post office and stores, a village hall, the medieval parish church of St Mary's (a long but beautiful walk down from Upton), a village pond, and a working countryside calendar.
Two events lift demand sharply through the year. Mars Badminton Horse Trials runs 6–10 May 2026, the world's most prestigious three-day event, five miles east on the Badminton Estate, with the Saturday cross-country day pulling huge crowds. The Hawkesbury Show on Saturday 29 August 2026 marks 140 years of the village's horticultural show, with gates from 12:30 pm at the Showground behind the village hall, the Carnival Procession setting off from The Plain at 1:05 pm, the Sheep Show, Raptorcare Falconry, climbing wall and tractor pull. The Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival (HULF Talks) runs three or four single-venue events a year founded by author Debbie Young, small, sharp, and well-loved on the Cotswolds' literary calendar.
What Guests Say About The Fox Inn
Scores and review counts are aggregated from verified guest bookings on major travel platforms.
Very Good
Recent reviews paint The Fox Inn as a warm, well-run village inn that punches above its weight on staff friendliness, cleanliness and Cotswold Way convenience. Couples single out the location as a highlight of a two-person trip; the consistent praise themes are the open log fire in the bar, the modern bathrooms, helpful self-check-in hosts, and the dog-friendly welcome. The clear caveat is to arrive without expecting a full hotel restaurant, guests who book it as a walking or event base, not a dining destination, are reliably delighted.
Exceptional staff person, made the stay genuinely stellar. Only minor note was that the larger bed mattress was thin.
Sarah
Exceptional staff person, made the stay genuinely stellar. Only minor note was that the larger bed mattress was thin.
2026-04-26A comfy, safe stop on the Cotswold Way. Very friendly staff, clean and comfortable bedroom, fully met expectations.
2026-04-10Great stay. Open log fire in the bar, friendly staff, modern bathroom, and very patient hosts when I forgot the key-lock code.
2026-03-29Excellent and very friendly. Clean and warm room, perfectly placed for an evening event at the village hall, would have welcomed food on site, but found a meal nearby with no trouble.
2026-02-16Superb. Very comfortable, helpful staff, charming location and great walking countryside. Only quibble was that the tea bags tasted a little old.
2026-03-27Perfect location and a very comfortable room. Highlighted the courtesy bathroom light, USB sockets at the bedside, mini-fridge and easy parking. Would have appreciated a breakfast option.
2026-03-15Friendly host, large clean room, comfortable bed and a great bathroom with a powerful shower.
2026-03-11A handy stop on the Cotswold Way and a lovely old bar downstairs. A practical waypoint for trail walkers.
2026-04-22Good to Know Before You Book
No on-site restaurant or routine breakfast
The bar is open during normal pub hours, but the inn doesn't operate an on-site restaurant or routine breakfast service. The Beaufort Arms is fifty yards along the High Street and serves food; further pubs are in Hillesley and Wickwar.
Self check-in and stairs only
Check-in is via key code, there's no formal reception. Bedrooms are upstairs, accessed by stairs only with no lift. If you have mobility needs, phone ahead on +44 1454 238768 before you book.
Genuinely rural, plan for it
Hawkesbury Upton is a small Cotswold-stone village. Evenings are quiet, the bus runs in daylight hours only, and you'll want a car or a pre-booked taxi for restaurants beyond The Beaufort Arms next door.
Book early for early May 2026
Mars Badminton Horse Trials runs Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 May 2026 five miles east, and Bristol's Balloon Fiesta in August also tightens regional supply. Accommodation across South Gloucestershire books out months in advance, reserve as early as you can if either falls in your travel window.
Photos of The Fox Inn
Frequently Asked Questions
The Fox Inn is in Hawkesbury Upton, a small Cotswold-stone village in South Gloucestershire, not in Bristol. The village sits six miles north of M4 Junction 18 on the southern Cotswold escarpment. Bristol city centre is roughly 16 to 20 miles south-west, around 45 minutes by car. Some travel listings file the property under Bristol because it's the nearest major city, but the actual address and postcode are firmly in Hawkesbury Upton (GL9 1AU).
Yes, the Cotswold Way National Trail runs through Hawkesbury Upton. The 7.4-mile section from Wotton-under-Edge ends at the village; the 7.7-mile section to Tormarton starts here, climbing past the Somerset Monument with around 1,135 feet of ascent.
There is no on-site restaurant and breakfast is not served as a routine option. The bar is open during normal pub hours. For food, walk fifty yards along the High Street to The Beaufort Arms; further pubs are in Hillesley and Wickwar.
Yes, free private parking is available on site, with no reservation required. The pavement-edge bus stop named 'The Fox Inn' is directly outside, served by Yate buses 84 and 85.
Yes, dogs are welcome at no extra charge. Pets stay free, with no surcharge or weight limit specified by the inn.
Badminton Estate is five miles east of Hawkesbury Upton, around 12 to 15 minutes by car. Mars Badminton Horse Trials runs Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 May 2026, accommodation within five miles routinely books out months ahead, so reserve early.
Two room types are bookable: a Twin Room (sleeps 2, 23 m², two single beds), and a Quadruple Room (sleeps 4, 40 m², three beds, family-friendly). Both have private en-suite bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TV, mini-fridge and electric kettle.
Check-in is from 15:00 (window 15:00 to 23:00) via key code. There is no formal reception desk. Check-out is until 20:00. If you need to arrive sooner or leave later, flag it at booking; the team will try to accommodate but cannot promise it.
Other Great Stays in and around the Cotswolds
Charlecote House, Bath
The city swap, around 20 miles south in Bath: nine two-bedroom serviced apartments with full kitchens and free parking, the better pick when a self-catering family base beats The Fox Inn's rooms above the pub.
Alice Guest House, Cheltenham
Trade the village inn for a town B&B, about 35 miles north in Cheltenham: hosts on site, an included breakfast and Moroccan garden cabins, though you give up The Fox Inn's free parking and dog-friendly rooms, and it is cash only.
Henry's, Oxford
Choose Henry's, across the Cotswolds in central Oxford, when the city is the point: three self-contained rooms with mini-kitchens and keyless check-in steps from the colleges, swapping The Fox Inn's free parking and log-fire bar for a doorstep address.
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Free private parking, log-fire bar, dog-friendly, directly on the Cotswold Way.
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