The steep western ridge of the Cotswolds commands a spectacular view of the Severn Valley, the Malvern Hills, and the Forest of Dean, while to the north is an equally impressive view of the Vale of Evesham, the Worcester Plain, and Bredon Hill. The source of many rivers, including the Windrush and Thames, are found in the high uplands and to the south is the historic city of Bath. The 790 square miles that comprise the Cotswolds formed between 200 and 150 million years ago and were then shifted, twisted and arranged over the next 100 million. Moreover, in the past 10,000 years human activity has further shaped and altered the land through agriculture, trade, transport, the building of towns and cities—constantly changing, but at the same time adding to the stunning appearance of the landscape. Dry stonewalls criss-cross hills and valleys, marking out arable fields and pastures for sheep and cattle, while villages and towns, built of the glorious honey-colored stone, all radiate the warm mellow color of this local bedrock—the very foundation of this range of hills. A Postcard from the Cotswolds describes this outstandingly picturesque region in words and pictures as immortalized by earlier generations of photographers and artists for the benefit of countless visitors to this exceptionally beautiful part of England.
