Brook Bramley

My trip to the Cotswolds was everything I thought it would be and so much more! The fairy tale villages I had imagined in my head were so lovely, the country roads I drove through were beyond scenic, and what really took my breath away were the farm fields dotted with sheep that went on forever. 

You really do need a car to experience all that this region has to offer so I arranged for a rental from Heathrow. The idea of driving was a bit scary, but I reminded myself that I had had practice because when I had lived in London in the 1990’s I had taken driving lessons, passed my driving test there, and even owned a car. So, things really do come full circle. 

We stayed at the historic The Lygon Arms in Broadway which dates back as far as 1377! Since then, it has had different names and undergone changes, but it was truly an honor to stay here. It was so interesting to learn that Oliver Cromwell was a guest before the fateful Battle of Worcester on September 3rd, 1651, and a reproduction of the ‘warts and all’ portrait of Cromwell hangs by the side of the great 17th Century fireplace in the ‘Cromwell Room’. There have been many other famous guests over the years, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in 1963. 

Broadway is a popular Cotswolds village, and we enjoyed exploring the cute shops on the main street, toasties at The Broadway Deli and dinner at Flipside Burger. I brought home some Cotswolds gin from the Cotswolds Distillery. They offer free tastings of the different types of gin they make, so you can try before you buy.

There are so many wonderful walks and trails throughout the Cotswolds, and we so enjoyed our hike to Broadway Tower through the most beautiful fields and farmland. We walked through herds of sheep and horses. I have never experienced anything like this before, and it was magical! 

I watch a YouTube influencer who is based in the Cotswolds, and she shows glimpses of her daily life there which I find captivating. I wanted to see some of these spots for myself, so we headed to Daylesford Organic Farm Shop. We purchased local organic strawberries that were so glossy they shined. They were so delicious! We bought honeycomb and glass jars of English mustards as gifts.  

There is a Bamford Wellness Spa next to Daylesford Organic which we toured and found so spiritual. We signed up for yoga classes the next morning and used all the facilities following our class. A truly special experience.

I know it’s very touristy, but I just had to visit Didly Squat Farm since I am a fan of the show, Clarkson’s Farm. We couldn’t believe the overflowing parking lots and the queue to enter the farm shop once we arrived. But I got to see it and got my photo, so it was worth the drive.

We also visited the picturesque village of Stow-on-the-Wold and stopped for tea at Lucy’s Tea Room. The ham and cheese toasty there was particularly good, and I had a scone with clotted cream with strawberry jam and cream tea. So yummy!

Another noteworthy experience was our dinner at The Bull in Charlesbury where we ate rabbit terrine and steak. This pub and restaurant is very highly acclaimed in the area and we felt so lucky to get to experience it. It was worth the hype!

A highlight for me was our visit to Kiftsgate Court Gardens. The gardens were stunning, and if you are a gardener or just appreciate beautiful gardens, you will be blown away by these beautiful blooms. 

There are so many more places to visit in the Cotswolds, and we just did not have time to visit them all, but I have every intention of going back and seeing more of this glorious part of England.