CWC members were asked to submit memories or ideas of a great day in or out of the cold. We asked Delaina Stone, Editor of Expatriate Living magazine, to be our impartial judge of the original stories. Although difficult to choose only one, Delaina selected Doris Dalacker’s lovely poetic composition as the winning entry. All the entries are published in the next bulletin which members should receive shortly.
The Cotswolds ….. Olde England at its romantic best. Small villages steeped in history, dotted throughout the rolling green countryside, thatched roof cottages with gardens and places like, Bournton-on-the-Water with Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold and a little further north Broadway and Chipping Camden (‘chipping’ meaning market)….all these places invited us to experience their quaint country charm.
I had read about the Cotswolds when I was a young teenager at high-school in Canada, so I knew that the Cotswolds would be the ideal destination for an outing with my old English teacher and friend, Walter, who came to visit me here in the UK some weeks ago. We started our excursion bright and early from Windsor in order to make the most of the daylight.
It was the tiny village of Lower Slaughter, the quaint village that sits beside the little River Eye with its unspoilt limestone cottages in the traditional Cotswold style that caught Walter’s eye and we discovered this delightful little place and the Old Mill which was an ideal spot for a hot chocolate break.
Bournton-on-the-Water, known as the Little Venice of the Cotswolds, was also picturesque, delightful from a photographer’s point of view! Stow-on-the-Wold, a bustling ancient market town offered many shops, cafes and restaurants. I was in need of cosy sheepskin slippers (especially at this time of the year!) and I was also on the lookout for Christmas presents, so this was the place to shop for sheepskin rugs and fur-lined jackets.
Chipping Camden was our next destination. During the middle ages, it was a major market town because of the high quality of the wool produced by Cotswold sheep. Sitting in the Market Hall which was built in 1627, it was clear to see how important the wool production was and what impact it had on the local economy. The churches were often called “wool churches” because it was money from the wool trade that financed the construction of many such buildings. Chipping Camden is now a historical conservation area and High Street has been called “the most beautiful village street” because of its well maintained, hundreds-year-old buildings. The oldest house was built in 1380 and was one of the first in England with chimneys instead of just holes in the roof.
We never made it up to the top of Broadway Tower (the second highest spot in the Cotswolds) from where one can admire the wonderful views over the village of Broadway, the Vale of Evesham and the Welsh Mountains beyond. But that will need to be done on our next day excursion to the Cotswolds! Or we might even book a quaint hotel with a roaring fireplace, just to spend a relaxing weekend in the English countryside!
Perhaps you’d like to follow our foot-steps and leave the hustle and bustle of the big city behind? So, take a mini-van and a bunch of good friends and head for the Cotswold Hills!
Photo of Broadway Tower, Fish Hill, Worcestershire from Flickr
