The Cotswolds are characterised by the mellow golden limestone, which varies across the region from creamy white to a golden hue. Here, in an area bounded by Bath, Oxford, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon, is a warm and appealing countryside with some of the finest landscapes in England. Towns and villages such as Burford, Bibury, and Bourton-on-the-water are famous all over the World and are typical of the many Cotswold communities that have grown up over the centuries in these attractive river valleys running through the hills.