FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS
IN THE COTSWOLD
By Jennifer Richardson
The
Cotswolds, a picturesque network of hamlets, villages and market towns in
southwest England, is known for its honey-colored stone cottages, stately homes
and stunning scenery. Each year, tourists from around the world visit gardens
and sip tea in just a handful of the more well-known spots. But there’s much more
to the Cotswolds than gardens and tea shops. Here are my five can’t-miss
activities for any visit.
 |
| Gustav Holst Way near Guiting Power |
Walk:
The
single essential experience of the Cotswolds is to go for a walk. The idyllic
scenery–rolling hills dotted with contented herds of cows and sheep–is best
experienced through direct immersion. The Cotswold
Wardens offer guided walks, but armed with an Ordnance Survey map you can
go it alone. I’ve also documented four of my favorite Cotswold walks in Americashire: A Field Guide to a Marriage,
and you can find interactive guides to them all online at www.americashire.com/bookextras. Tip: pack a waterproof jacket and a pair of
lightweight hiking boots; sneakers don’t stand a chance on this often-muddy
terrain.
 |
| Favorite Sunday Roast, Naunton |
Eat:
The
quintessential British meal is a Sunday roast, and there’s no better place to
experience it than a country pub. Armed with the Sunday papers, lunch can turn
into an all-day affair. Whether its lamb, beef, chicken, or pork, the meat is
likely of local provenance, and will come with a slew of vegetables, roast
potatoes and a Yorkshire pudding. My favorite spot is the Black Horse Inn at
Naunton. Slightly more upscale offerings include the Village Pub in Barnsley
and the Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach. Vegetarians will fare best at the
excellent Abbey Home Farm Shop and Café. Tip: book in advance. Despite the
sleepy feel of the area, pubs and restaurants fill up.
 |
| Dog-friendly Dayleford Organic |
Shop:
My
favorite shopping experience in the Cotswolds is rummaging through the
reclamation yard at Little Rissington, chock full of everything from garden
ornaments (stone orbs and mushrooms are particular favorites in the Cotswolds)
to antique ledge and brace doors. Not much here will fit in the overhead
compartment of a plane, but you may find a brass door knocker or an antique
book that will make a suitably portable souvenir. Nearby, and at the opposite
end of the shopping spectrum, is a pristine set of converted farm buildings
that is Daylesford Organic. Known as the Harvey Nics of the Cotswolds,
Daylesford has a tasteful selection of kitchenware, gardening tools, and
clothing. If all the shopping has worn you out, a spa and an excellent café are
onsite to revive you. Tip: If you’re a royal enthusiast, head further south to the
market town of Tetbury. Here you will find a great selection of antique shops
along the High Street, as well as the Highgrove shop, named after Prince
Charles and Camilla’s nearby Highgrove estate and offering a selection of tasteful
memorabilia.
When in Rome: The Cotswold’s Roman lineage includes the
Fosse Way (A429), also known as the Roman Road and one of the main north-south
routes through the area. Of more interest are the National Trust’s Roman Villa
near Chedworth and the Corinium Museum in the market town of Cirencester
(pronounced siren-cess-ter). If your timing’s right at the Villa, you will be
treated to a gladiatorial display by middle-aged men (and at least one woman on
my visit) of questionable fitness, in addition to some fine mosaics and, of
course, tea and cakes. Tip: If your visit to England includes a stop in London,
head to the British Museum where several of the Roman mosaics on display are
from the Cotswolds.
 |
| Horses in the Coln Valley |
Horseplay: Drive or walk around the Cotswolds and it
won’t take you long to realize this is horse country. Stud farms, racehorse
training facilities, jumping equipment and, depending on your timing, the Hunt
are all in bountiful evidence. Equestrian-themed outings include a match at the
Beaufort or Cirencester polo clubs, point-to-points, and a day at the races at
the Cheltenham Racecourse. Cheltenham
Week, which includes Ladies’ Day—the Cotswoldian equivalent of the Kentucky
Derby—takes place each March. Tip: Check the dates of Cheltenham Week when
planning your visit to the Cotswolds. Even if you’re not attending the races,
restaurants and accommodation are extremely busy during this period.
The Details
EAT
The Black Horse Inn
Naunton
+44
(0)1451 850565
The Wheatsheaf Inn
West
End, Northleach
Gloucestershire,
GL54 3EZ
+44
(0)1451 860244
The Village Pub
Barnsley
Cirencester
GL7 5EF
+44(
0)1285 740421
Abbey Home Farm Shop and Café
Abbey
Home Farm
Burford
Road
Cirencester
GL7 5HF
+44
(0)1285 640441
SHOP
The Cotswold Reclamation Company
Unit
2, Sandy Lane Court
Little
Rissington
Gloucestershire
GL54 2NF
+44
(0)1451 820 292
Daylesford Organic Farmshop
& Café
Daylesford
near Kingham
Gloucestershire
GL56 0YG
Telephone
+44 (0)1608 731 700
Highgrove Shop
10
Long Street
Tetbury
Gloucestershire
GL8 8AQ
+44
(0)845 521 4342
VISIT
Chedworth Roman Villa
Yanworth,
near Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL54 3LJ
+44
(0)1242 890256
OS
Grid Ref: 163:SP053135
Corinium Museum
Park
St, Cirencester
Gloucestershire
GL7 2BX
+44
(0)1285 655611
Hunts in the Cotswolds
Cirencester Polo Club
The
Bothy, Cirencester Park
Cirencester,
GL7 1UR
+44
(0)1285 653225
Beaufort Polo Club
Down
Farm
Westonbirt,
Tetbury
Gloucestershire,GL8
8QW
+44
(0)01666 880510
Cheltenham Racecourse
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire,
GL50 4SH
Still
want to visit gardens and drink tea? Try these for both:
The Author
Jennifer Richardson is an American Anglophile who spent three years living in a Cotswold village populated straight out of English central casting by fumbling aristocrats, gentlemen farmers, and a village idiot. She is married to an Englishman who, although not the village idiot, provides her with ample writing material. She currently lives in Santa Monica, California along with her husband and her royal wedding tea towel collection, but her first book, Americashire: A Field Guide to a Marriage, is based on her experience in the Cotswolds. Americashire is out now from She Writes Press, and you can purchase it here. You can find Jennifer online at:
My husband and I wanted children right away, so I wasn't certain how I would like Jennifer Richardson's book in which she questions whether or not she's ready for motherhood. (I most assuredly agree that those who don't genuinely want children should not have them. There are far too many bad parents in the world without adding another set.) However, I need not have worried, because Ms Richardson sweeps the reader into a picturesque life my husband and I dreamed of living some day for a long vacation. Not the depressing parts, of course, just the fun parts. ☺
First of all, I loved her descriptions of life in an English village. We had a glimpse of this life while staying with a friend in Kent on several occasions, but living for an extended stay in the Cotswolds would be so much nicer than a visit. The author's descriptions painted vivid pictures that delighted me. She doesn't poke fun at England/the English, but at all of us. We are the same people everywhere, aren't we? There are tiers of society in every village, including mine in North Central Texas. Her clever wit merely brings the eccentricities into sharp focus.
As the book progresses and I learned of her medical problems, I sympathized with the couple. Although her wit takes the sting from the reader's view of her diagnosis, it is sad nonetheless. Does she make the right choice? I'll leave other readers to determine that for themselves. In the meantime, I recommend this book for those who love memoirs, travel books, and introspection.
Thanks for stopping by.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing with us Jennifer.
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