In my opinion, you go to the Cotswalds to do the opposite of traditional tourist trips ... you stay overnight, you go slow, you go for long walks in the countryside, you meander through cute old towns, etc.

I honestly don't understand blasting through the Cotswalds in 8 hours ... that seems to miss the point. It's like doing an 8 hour tour of North Idaho, Hawaii, or some other beautiful place where the point is to linger and relax and enjoy the beauty.