Cotswolds artnbarb in the Cotswolds!

[Pauline]

@artnbarb planned their Cotswolds trip in the UK forum and they are here now!

Unfortunately the weather can be summed up with this variation on San Francisco weather: "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in the Cotswolds". The weather has not been good. Cold (temps in the mid 60s) and overcast (occasionally the sun comes out) or raining. Today (Friday) was the worst - it poured rain all day and is still pouring. Tomorrow is supposed to be "good".

We met up with Art and Barb on Minchinhampton Commons last Saturday after they picked up their rental car in Bath and were driving to Chipping Campden. We showed them the cows (they range free on the commons) and had lunch at The Kitchen in Minchinhampton. Then they continued their drive to Chipping Campden.

On Tuesday, because good weather was forecast, we all hiked part of the Cotswold Way from Broadway to Stanton (5 miles), leaving a car at each end so we could do a one way walk. Then we visited Hailes Abbey (ruins of a Cistercian abbey), had tea at the nearby farm, drove backroads through several villages, ending up in Great Barrington for the 5pm Giffords Circus.

The circus was good, but not as good as the other years we have seen it. Still - we all had fun. After we visited Windrush to see the Norman doorway (I love this), then drove back lanes along the River Windrush through villages and countryside, ending up in Broadway for fish and chips at Russells. An excellent day.

Today, because the weather was forecast to be horrible - and it was - we planned some indoor things. Art and Barb drove down to Painswick and we gave them a very wet walking tour of our village. We all got soaked!! But I think they were impressed with our 99 shaped yew trees Then we had a very good pub lunch at The Woolpack in Slad (one valley over from Painswick), where we met up with @jonathan . It was still pouring so we went to see the Gloucester Cathedral - a good inside activity.

Yes, I am writing Barb's trip report - but only for the days we are together.

We were thinking of a day at Avebury on Sunday, but the weather forecast has changed and it looks like it will be another very wet day.

All of us, except Steve who took the photo, at The Woolpack.

Gloucester Cathedral - The fan vaulting in the Cloisters (1350).

Gloucester Cathedral - Burial tomb for King Edward II who died when imprisoned in nearby Berkeley Castle in 1327.

 

[artnbarb]

As Pauline said, the weather here has been challenging, but today mother nature definitely won! We're home now, dinner was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, and we've turned on the heater - NOT what we expected for the end of July! We have been able to visit quite a few places in spite of the weather: Snowshill Manor, Hidcote Gardens, The Slaughters, and, after years of waiting, Warwick Castle.

Our cottage in Chipping Campden is charming (review to follow) as is the village itself. Driving is stressful for both the driver and the passenger, but other than one very ugly scrape we've done okay. Thank goodness for zero deductible! The food has been much better than on previous visits to England, as you can tell from the photo above (altho I blame most of that on our previous 2 weeks in Italy!).

Steve and Pauline have been so helpful, especially when they offer to do the driving! Our time here is coming to an end, and rain is predicted for our last few days, but we'll take each day as it comes and try to see and do as much as possible. Even spending a rainy day indoors in our own cottage seems special!

thanks for starting our trip report Pauline1

 

[Lisa in Ottawa]

So nice to read your report and realize you are finally there. I was wondering when as you began your plans while we were still in Oxford. Too bad about the weather but you have the best guides in Pauline and Steve.