The Cotswolds…

Bibury

William Morris is reputed to have said that Bibury is one of the prettiest villages in the world. The travel guides say that Arlington Row, in Bibury, is one of the most photographed row of houses in the world. They (whoever they are) and William Morris could very well be right, so let’s show some photos of the houses in question before we go any further…

Of course, Bibury isn’t all about Arlington Row, but on a miserable day like we had, it very well could be. There’s the trout farm (where our breakfast trout came from),

the river Coin,

and the Black Swan.

and more on a good day…

We considered lunching here, but the crowd felt a little too….ummmmm….so we drove onto the Hare and Hounds, just outside Fossebridge. Parsnip, pear and ginger soup in front of the fire warmed everything that had been frozen.

Bourton on the Water

The directions leading you to coach and car parking will give you an indication of what this town is like. Super popular with the tour coach trade, it’s quintessentially Cotswolds, yet also commercialism gone mad. As a result, I feel it’s lost some of its’ charm. Judging by the crowds on a cold, windy, wet winters’ day, others do not agree.

There’s a motor museum that seemed to attract large numbers,

and gift shops by the dozen, but it’s the river- the Windrush- that flows through the centre of town that for me gives this place its’ beauty. It’s worth getting away from the gift shops and taking a wander along the river paths and have a chat to the ducks.

Lower Slaughter

Twenty years ago I had the best ice-cream I’d ever eaten here at the Mill. Today it was too cold to contemplate.

Instead we settled for a beer at the Country House Hotel.

Oh, the name “slaughter” comes from old english meaning, essentially, wet place. There’s Upper and Lower Slaughter. Do the loop, but Lower Slaughter is much prettier.