Weekend in the Cotswolds
Shortly after our Bolgheri, Italy trip was cancelled due to covid, we quickly turned around and went on an English road trip to the Cotswolds! While we have visited in 2018, we had not been to several of these idyllic villages.
Logistics
Coming from London, we needed to rent a car in order to travel between these villages. Considering we booked last minute, we found one last automatic rental car in Oxford and then decided it was a sign we were definitely going to the Cotswolds!
While we did not have a set itinerary, we found a great one night deal at a Hilton in Cheltenham, which is located on the “other side” of the Cotswolds from Oxford. This would allow us to be closer to these great villages without having traveling.
In order to get to Oxford, it was quite simple as there are hourly trains leaving Paddington. Using the site Trainline, we found a great deal on train tickets!
Onto Oxford
Because we live less than 20 minutes away from Paddington, getting to our train was quite simple and easy! From London, the travel times are less than one hour and you're in central Oxford! Since we did not have a plan, we quickly crafted an itinernary for today purely based on our food options.
Wild Rabbit Inn
Located in the charming village of Chipping Norton, Wild Rabbit is a highly rated pub in the Cotswolds. Serving farm fresh traditional pub food with a modern twist, Wild Rabbit is an experience like none other! Because their website stupidly wouldn't allow us to all sit together, we had our meals a few feet apart.
For our appetizer, we ordered a Daylesford cheddar (local cheese!) and onion tarlet which was exceptionally tasty! For our mains, I had a risotto with mushrooms and local cheese whilst Mary Frances tried the local fish special for the day. Finally, for dessert, we ordered the caramel parfait which had caramel and bananas. We enjoyed our exceptional meal! For a traditional pub, we loved the modern, yet rustic decor in addition to our wonderful meal. I wonder why we didn't stay here!
Daylesford Farm
For some reason, today was all about food as we went to the famous Daylesford Farm to browse their selection of food, wine, home decor, and other great items. Daylesford is immensely popular in the UK for not only having fantastic fresh farm ingredients, but also trendy Cotswold decor.
Because we just ate, we simply browsed the store, but could not resist their entire room of cheese so we walked away with fresh Cotswold cheese for tonight!
Stow-on-Wold
Revisiting one of our favorite Cotswold villages, we could not wait to show it off to Kelly! One of the oldest villages in the UK, the town square surrounds an extremely old church and is quite charming to stroll through whilst window shopping. Because the weather was freezing cold, we did go into a few stores.
Old Bakery Tea Room
The last time we visited here, we had a wonderful afternoon tea - except Mary Frances was on the Whole 30 diet and could not have any of it. She was determined to have it one day! However, we did not plan that well as we were completely full from lunch and snacking on Daylesford Farm treats. It was worth pushing through the pain!
Bourton-on-Water
One of the most charming Cotswold villages is Bourton-on-Water and we almost missed it because of bad directions! Once we found a good parking spot, we wandered through a fairytale! With a river running through the center of the village, we truly saw how the village earned the name!
Even in winter, the village is extremely charming. The slow flowing river adds a wonderful sound as we walked along the path. While I wouldnt want to live in these river houses, they are absolutely great to admire as they have all sorts of decorations. The path does not last very long (typical small English village!) so we made sure to enjoy the slow pace of Cotswold life!
Chirencester
For our only night in the Cotswolds, we had a Cotswolds cheese, brownie, and California wine night! While not the most exciting plans, we weren't that hungry since we had been eating all day so we just went with something simple!
The Weekend That Wasn't Meant To Be
On our last day in the Cotswolds, we opted to see only places that began with a B!
Touristy Bibury
One of the most famous Instagram villages, Bibury is a classic medival village with a row of houses that is extremely famous. Because we had been here before, we again admired the beautiful views, took our pictures and moved onwards!
Beautiful Burford
In terms of Cotswolds villages, Burford is more like a town! With a bustling high street, there is a store or restaurant for whatever you desire! Plus, the architecture of the buildings is absolutely charming as they are in the Tudor style and most of them are now leaning. Giving it an unique charm, the village buildings definitely make Burford a must see whilst in the Cotswolds!
Basking in Blenheim Palace
In England, there are many old castles and peerage estates but only one holds a non-royal title of palace. Built in the early 1700s, Blenheim Palace was a gift from the Crown to the Duke of Marlborough in reward for a great victory over the French and Bavarians. However, nowadays, it is better known for the unique English Baroque architecture style and the birthplace of Winston Churchill!
While I do not want to spoil the self guided tour, the interior is simply spectacular as it is extravagantly decorated with marble, beautiful paintings and rugs, and awesome artifacts. Of course, they had an entire exhibit dedicated to Winston Churchill and "fun" facts about his birth.
The exterior was possibly even better as the sun finally appeared casting its beautiful yellow rays on the palace and making it shine! Plus, the gardens are spectacular and many people were out enjoying themselves. For a non-royal palace, Blenheim sure feels like English royalty especially as we gazed at the great architecture.
The UnChartered Summary
Visiting the Cotswold is stepping back in time to the rural, yet grand English heritage. By far it is one of the best long day trips from London as the food is wonderful (see Wild Rabbit Inn) to the amazing English villages (Bourton-on-Water) to the non-royal Blenheim Palace!
- Despite our initial hesitation, Blenheim Palace is fantastic and it does not take long to visit. Similar to other countryside estates, pack a picnic to really take advantage of the palace's grounds.
- It is SO DIFFICULT to chose which Cotswolds village we prefer - each has their own unique characteristics and is great. That being said, Bourton-on-Water and Stow-on-Wold are definitely high on my list!
- In terms of food, Daylesford Farm should be on your bucket list! We loved it so much that we constantly visited the London location in Notting Hill!