We'd planned to see some of the local towns today. Several people had recommended places to go and Jane had more suggestions. She typed up a suggested list of places to go and things to do.
First, we drove the short distance into town at Chipping Camden. We went down Sheep Street to take photos of thatched houses and to visit a crafts building. There we went to a silversmith shop to watch them making jewellry and to a craft shop.
Next, we travelled through Saintbury and Willersey before stopping at Broadway. This was another nice town with stone houses. There was a fair in the main square.
The most remarkable part of the visit to Broadway was a group of brightly coloured performers. Their faces were painted black and their clothes were decorated with coloured ribbons. Apparently it is a tradition where people used to busk on their day off and wore a disguise so their employer would not recognise them (for fear of losing their job).
Nearby there was a shop that is part of a chain of Scottish shops. They had summer specials. Suzy bought a scarf and I bought a heavy waterproof coat that will be ideal for our trip to Scotland.
The next town was Stanton (which Trevor had suggested as a great place to go). We drove through the town up to the Mount Inn pub overlooking the town. We had a very nice lunch on the veranda admiring the view. An English couple asked if they could join us at our table. This made the lunch even more enjoyable as we chatted and exchanged stories.
After lunch, we drove down the hill into the town so I could walk through the town and take photos. The town has no shops or businesses - just lots of charming stone houses along narrow streets - so it looked very natural.
Jane had suggested that we take a trip on the steam railway from Toddington to Winchcombe. We arrived at Toddington about 45 minutes before the next train departed and so we had plenty of time to take photos and have a cup of coffee.
The train trip was like an authentic trip into an age long gone. Suzy said it reminder her of Miss Marples.
At Winchcombe, we walked from the station into the town. This took about 20 minutes in each direction and so we only had a short time to look around the town before the next train left to go back to Toddington. But this was enough time to buy an ice cream.
From Toddington, we drove to Sudeley Castle. We parked on the road and walked about 1km up the drive to reach the entrance to the castle. There was a fair and a craft show near the entrance. Suzy bought a colourful ring at the craft show. We decided we didn't have time to look through the castle and walked back to the car.
Next we drove through Upper Slaughter but did not stop until we reached Lower Slaughter. Annie and Paul had suggested that we should go to Upper and Lower Slaughter. They had suggested that we should park in one and walk to the other.
First, we drove the short distance into town at Chipping Camden. We went down Sheep Street to take photos of thatched houses and to visit a crafts building. There we went to a silversmith shop to watch them making jewellry and to a craft shop.
Next, we travelled through Saintbury and Willersey before stopping at Broadway. This was another nice town with stone houses. There was a fair in the main square.
The most remarkable part of the visit to Broadway was a group of brightly coloured performers. Their faces were painted black and their clothes were decorated with coloured ribbons. Apparently it is a tradition where people used to busk on their day off and wore a disguise so their employer would not recognise them (for fear of losing their job).
Nearby there was a shop that is part of a chain of Scottish shops. They had summer specials. Suzy bought a scarf and I bought a heavy waterproof coat that will be ideal for our trip to Scotland.
The next town was Stanton (which Trevor had suggested as a great place to go). We drove through the town up to the Mount Inn pub overlooking the town. We had a very nice lunch on the veranda admiring the view. An English couple asked if they could join us at our table. This made the lunch even more enjoyable as we chatted and exchanged stories.
After lunch, we drove down the hill into the town so I could walk through the town and take photos. The town has no shops or businesses - just lots of charming stone houses along narrow streets - so it looked very natural.
Jane had suggested that we take a trip on the steam railway from Toddington to Winchcombe. We arrived at Toddington about 45 minutes before the next train departed and so we had plenty of time to take photos and have a cup of coffee.
The train trip was like an authentic trip into an age long gone. Suzy said it reminder her of Miss Marples.
At Winchcombe, we walked from the station into the town. This took about 20 minutes in each direction and so we only had a short time to look around the town before the next train left to go back to Toddington. But this was enough time to buy an ice cream.
From Toddington, we drove to Sudeley Castle. We parked on the road and walked about 1km up the drive to reach the entrance to the castle. There was a fair and a craft show near the entrance. Suzy bought a colourful ring at the craft show. We decided we didn't have time to look through the castle and walked back to the car.
Next we drove through Upper Slaughter but did not stop until we reached Lower Slaughter. Annie and Paul had suggested that we should go to Upper and Lower Slaughter. They had suggested that we should park in one and walk to the other.
I got out of the car to take photos while Suzy waiting in the car. After going about 50m, I raced back to the car to tell her she had to come and have a look.
Lower Slaughter is an amazingly beautiful town. It has a small creek flowing through the centre of the town with houses on either side. The water in the creek is crystal clear. At the top of the creek was an old mill and a delightful craft shop.
At the lower end of the creek, amongst the trees and grassland were two high-class hotels built from stonework perfectly in keeping with the Cotswold architecture.
This town is a delightful gem. Well worth a visit. Judging by the expensive cars outside the hotels, it seems to have a good reputation.
Next we drove through Upper Swell and Lower Swell before stopping briefly at Stow-on-the-Wold to take a few photos. Then we drove to Upper Oddington where we went to dinner in a hotel called the Horse and Groom Village Inn. It was a much better dinner than you normally get in a hotel.
After dinner, we drove through Lower Oddington towards Broadway where we stopped to take photos of Broadway Tower which is a tall stone tower in the middle of open fields.
We got back to the B&B at about 8:30pm after an excellent day.
Click here to see my photos for this day.
Lower Slaughter is an amazingly beautiful town. It has a small creek flowing through the centre of the town with houses on either side. The water in the creek is crystal clear. At the top of the creek was an old mill and a delightful craft shop.
At the lower end of the creek, amongst the trees and grassland were two high-class hotels built from stonework perfectly in keeping with the Cotswold architecture.
This town is a delightful gem. Well worth a visit. Judging by the expensive cars outside the hotels, it seems to have a good reputation.
Next we drove through Upper Swell and Lower Swell before stopping briefly at Stow-on-the-Wold to take a few photos. Then we drove to Upper Oddington where we went to dinner in a hotel called the Horse and Groom Village Inn. It was a much better dinner than you normally get in a hotel.
After dinner, we drove through Lower Oddington towards Broadway where we stopped to take photos of Broadway Tower which is a tall stone tower in the middle of open fields.
We got back to the B&B at about 8:30pm after an excellent day.
Click here to see my photos for this day.
1 comment:
Steve, just letting you know that we love reading about your trip, and will certainly be using your experiences to help us when we visit the same areas. We might even use some of your suggestions where you have had meals. We also had Kenwood House as a suggested outing in London, so it was good to read your comments. Sounds like you are having a wonderful time and we can't wait to get over there, especially after reading what you have been doing. Have fun. John and Colleen
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