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Cotswolds Two Weeks in the Cotswolds and London in 2012

devarae

100+ Posts
I'm sharing an old trip journal in the hopes it might be useful to folks here. My husband and I spent a week in the Cotswolds in 2012 visiting the various towns, hiking/walking and basically touring using mass transportation. Then another week in London, seeing the sites and enjoying the food!

Day One: Arrival and a Glimpse of London

After saving vacation time and money for over a year, my husband Bob and I were finally ready for another big adventure in 2012: one week in the English countryside, and one week in London!

I love reading exhaustively-detailed trip reports, so I am probably going to go overboard with my own write-ups. I'm going to divide it into several posts, and include a list of favorites and resources at the end for folks looking for just the highlights.

We arrived at Heathrow just after 6am. With economy seats and a wailing infant a few rows away, neither of us had gotten much sleep. Thankfully, we both still had plenty of energy due to excitement and the fact that a direct flight from Boston to the UK is relatively short! After a bit of searching, we found our way to the platforms for the Heathrow Connect. While not as fast as the zippy Heathrow Express, it's considerably cheaper. I purchased our round-trip tickets online, and we claimed them at a kiosk near the platform with no hassle. We could have taken the tube even more cheaply, but we were nervous about navigating the underground while jet-lagged, and the HC goes straight to Paddington, where we would be catching our train. If I were doing things over again, however, I would have gotten only one-way tickets, since the tube was actually a faster and more convenient way to get back to the airport from our apartment in Chelsea.

By the time we reached Paddington Station it was still not yet 9am, but the station was already bustling with activity. I still didn't quite feel like I was in London, possibly because there were so many other tourists around! The station is quite a cool, old-fashioned structure, long and vast, with elegant, old-fashioned metal filigree decorations that give it an almost art nouveau feel. There are also plenty of fast food kiosks and grocery outlets offering a wide array of quick, cheap food.

Our train wasn't leaving until 1:30pm so we decided to spend a few hours getting an early glimpse of London. We checked our bag at the Left Luggage office in the station, picked up our train tickets from the automated kiosk, availed ourselves of the 30 pence toilets, then headed off in the direction of Hyde Park.

A few minutes walk, and we were surrounded by green fields and trees, joggers, and dozens of dogs out on their morning strolls. We were impressed by how many of the dogs were off-leash! And so well behaved! It made us miss our own dog Charlie, even though we'd been away for less than 24 hours. We passed through a lovely Italianate garden, still bright with flowers, and then made our way toward Kensington Palace (and the street behind it, where my handy Google map told me I could find several recommended bakeries!)

We took our goodies (just-okay almond croissant from Ottolenghi's for me, good plain croissant from Patisserie Valerie for Bob) and hot drinks back to the park and had our first London meal on a bench watching more Londoners and their dogs. It was a lovely way to ease into the trip.

Thus fortified, we continued on. We ogled the enormous, elaborate Prince Albert memorial (which made me sad, knowing how young he died, and how deeply Victoria mourned him), then headed out of the park toward the Museum of Natural History.

I adored the exterior of this building! It's huge and set back from the street, and absolutely every corner and window and ridge is decorate with carvings of flora and fauna. Everything from monkeys to pterodactyls (and a few of what I took to be griffins-- not exactly "natural" but quite imposing!). There was a huge line of people (mostly families with kids) waiting for the doors to open (the museum is free) so we continued on to the Victoria & Albert museum, of design, right next door.

The V&A is also free, which we really appreciated since we only had time for the briefest of surveys. Everyone says it's enormous and overwhelming, and they are right. We really only visited two areas: the Greek and Roman statues, and the rooms with art from the Middle East. Unfortunately I think I was too jet-lagged to really appreciate the details, but I really enjoyed just wandering the huge rooms full of beautiful items. Overall this wasn't one of my must-see sites, but I am glad we did get a glimpse of it.

By the time we left, the waiting crowds had entered the Natural History Museum, so we decided to poke in there too. I really wanted to see the great hall, and I was not disappointed. The interior is just as richly carved as the exterior, all brown wood and rich natural colors, with an elaborate staircase leading up to the second level balconies that run all around the hall. Wandering past the old-fashioned display cases I could almost imagine the modern tourists replaced by Victorian-era ladies and gentlemen. After a quick photo-op with the statue of Darwin, we headed back out to catch our train.

Ninety minutes later and we were disembarking at Moreton-in-Marsh! We easily located the bus stop in the parking lot. I'd been a little nervous about the buses since all I had to work from were schedules found online, some of which were not entirely clear. Fortunately this stop had posted times and line numbers, which confirmed that the next bus to Chipping Campden was due in ten minutes (they only run every hour or two, so that was lucky timing!)

As soon as we were on the bus I knew we'd made the right decision not to rent a car. Those Cotswold roads are so narrow! Even on the bus I was wincing whenever we passed another vehicle, at first. But before long I had stopped watching the cars, and started paying attention to the ridiculously charming countryside. It had been a bit overcast all day, but as we were driving, the sun began breaking through the clouds! When we got out in Chipping Campden my heart gave the same sort of little leap it had when I first saw Paris and Venice. It was perfect! The rows of buildings all gold in the evening light, the long curving main street, the patchwork of green fields covering the gentle hills.

After a bit of wandering around we oriented ourselves and located our apartment (it was actually almost directly across the street from the bus stop, behind the Noel Arms Inn) and the promised key in its hiding spot. We explored our new home and found it just as charming as the town itself, tiny yet perfectly comfortable for two people. And surrounded by other adorable houses with beautiful gardens still overflowing with roses. Our house even had a lovely outside sitting area lush with flowers.

Jet lag was starting to kick in by then, so we availed ourselves of the small Coop grocery store around the corner. We really loved how easy it was to get fresh Indian entrees in all the grocery stores! After a meal of microwaved Chicken Tikka Masala and Lemon Rice, we headed to bed.

Day Two: Hidcote and Kiftsgate
The next morning I woke relatively early. It was gray and drizzly out, so I spent a few hours updating my travel journal and reading. By the time we were ready to head out, the sky had cleared considerably -- and in fact that morning was to be the only time during our entire trip that we saw any substantial rain. I don't know what we did to get such great weather-karma!

I went out to explore the town a bit at 10, and found the conveniently located ATM not far from the Noel Arms. I had had my own breakfast of muesli at the apartment, but I stopped in the Bantam Tea Shop (so adorable!) for a cheese scone I brought home for Bob. He said that was his favorite scone of the entire trip!

As it was a Sunday, the buses weren't running. I had, however, contacted a lovely local taxi service the night before, to set up transportation to the nearby Hidcote and Kiftsgate gardens. The driver, Jill, was wonderful, very warm and helpful. Her husband Jim is a sheep farmer, but he also helps drive when needed. They are both extremely knowledgeable about the area. It was Jill who picked us up Sunday morning, just around the corner from our apartment. I had thought I might need to arrange a specific pickup time for our return, but Jill said we could just call her when we were ready, as long as we didn't mind waiting 20 minutes or so if she was out on another job. We really appreciated her flexibility! She also showed us where Kiftsgate was (it's a short walk down the road from Hidcote) and recommended that we take a stroll past the entrance to Hidcote before entering, to see a cute little collection of thatched cottages and meadows. The sun had actually come out around that time, turning the cottages and fields into something out of a fairytale, impossible to capture on film (though we did try!).

The Hidcote gardens themselves were stunning, even with many of the beds past their prime for the season. I particularly enjoyed the green vista of the Long Walk and the peaceful loftiness of the Beech Allee. The many different "rooms" were also fun to explore. It was crowded, but everyone was good natured. It was still damp from the overnight rain, and the stones were slick in places, especially where there was a slight incline.

We had lunch at the restaurant inside the garden. I think I had soup -- it wasn't especially memorable -- but Bob was the winner with his plate of macaroni and cheese with leeks. We found that pretty much anything involving cheese in the Cotswolds was delicious!

After more exploring, we exited the garden and stopped at the cafe outside for a restorative treat and beverage (all that walking and photo-taking wears one out!). I noticed a freezer full of single-serving ice-creams in a variety of interesting flavors, including Honeycomb, which I'd been wanting to try. Yum! Vanilla ice cream with bits of crunchy-chewy honey toffee bits.

Next up was Kiftsgate. We made our way along the narrow road, leaping up onto the brushy border as necessary to avoid oncoming cars. At the mouth of the drive, we noticed a man with two kids and a dog resting beside a trail marker that pointed down from the road and into the wooded valley. I was seized by the sudden desire to traipse off down the trail myself, but we still had the garden to explore.

Kiftsgate was smaller (and cheaper) than Hidcote, but lovely in its own way. I am glad we saw both, though I think if I were with anyone who was less mobile, I would skip Kiftsgate as it involves a number of steep stone staircases. One of my favorite parts of Kiftsgate was the grassy lawn and half-circle pool at the base of the terraced hillside garden below the house. The land drops away on the far side, offering a beautiful view of fields and hills.

Once we'd finished exploring the gardens, I convinced Bob to take a stroll back out to the trail I'd seen earlier. We headed down the hill from the road, through some muddy woods, and ended up out in the fields below the gardens. I would have loved to keep walking, but we were running low on energy by then, so we turned back and once more sought out the restorative elixir of tea.

One of my favorite things about England in general and the Cotswolds in particular was how every site seemed to offer, at a minimum, pots of tea (Real pots and cups! Not paper!), scones, and an assortment of other sweet treats. I especially enjoyed these scones as the jam provided was raspberry, which I think goes best with the clotted cream.

After tea, we phoned Jill and arranged our pickup. Unfortunately, it was at this time that the natural world turned viciously against me. While we were wandering along the overgrown path to the bluebell wood (not in bloom at that time of course) I brushed against an innocent-looking plant and felt a sharp pain. I thought I'd been stung by a bee at first, but soon realized it was a stinging nettle. I had not realized they were so deserving of that name! Ouch!

A very kind fellow visitor quickly offered a dose of anti-sting balm she had in her purse in case of bee stings. I was also informed that crushed dock leaves would do the trick, but did not want to risk further injury seeking them out to see if it was true!

Not long after that Jill arrived, to take us back to our apartment. The total fee was around £15, which we paid happily (plus a tip), as it was far less than a car rental would have been, and much less stress.

Back home we freshened up. While Bob rested, I went out to explore the trails behind the town, following the trail markers that run past our apartment toward Broad Campden. The sun had come out again, turning the meadows emerald green, and setting diamonds in the trees still wet with the earlier rain. It was so beautiful I came back and dragged Bob back out with me to see it! We also saw a number of folks walking dogs out along the trails. And plenty of sheep!

We celebrated our first full day in the Cotswolds with delicious Indian food at the Maharaja restaurant in Chipping Campden. We even dared sample the cheesy naan, which was not something we'd ever seen in the US. But how can you go wrong with hot bread and melted cheese?

Day Three: Stow and the Slaughters
I had been stalking weather websites for weeks before our trip, having heard horror stories about the wretchedly wet summer Great Britain had been experiencing earlier in the year. As the trip got closer and closer, and the long-term forecast got sunnier and sunnier, I was sure it could not last. But Monday morning was gorgeous!

I spent the early morning reading and writing my travel journal, then went out at 8:30 to ramble along the main street toward St James church. I visited the Grevel house (the one where a merchant lived who was supposedly the inspiration for the merchant in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales) and then the church and graveyard, then walked back along Calf Lane to our apartment.

We started this day “early” (Bob loves to sleep late) in order to catch the 9:45 bus. While we waited at the bus stop, I had a second breakfast of almond croissant from the Coop (actually tastier than the more expensive one from Ottolenghi in my opinion!). The bus came right on time. This time we were on the 21 bus, which takes longer as it goes through Broadway along the way to Morton-in-Marsh (the 22 line does not stop in Broadway). So it was a leisurely morning, as we also had to switch buses in Moreton-in-Marsh (MIM), and hung out there for about 45 minutes, exploring the town. MIM is larger and busier than Chipping Campden (CC), and not nearly so charming in our opinion, though certainly more convenient to the bus lines and train!

By the time we reached our destination, Stow-in-the-Wold, it was around 11:30. We walked around the town center (square and picturesque, though CC was still our favorite!), then found the Church of St Edward. This was of interest to us primarily because we are big Tolkien fans and had heard that there were two large yew trees growing up against the back door that may have been inspirational for the image of the gates of Moria in The Lord of the Rings.

The trees were indeed striking, and we proceeded to take many photos! After that, it was time for lunch. We considered a number of fine looking pubs, but decided in the end that the weather was so nice, we should just get sandwiches to eat outside. We found an excellent shop at the corner of Digbeth St where we each got made-to-order baguette sandwiches for £3 each. I got cheddar and tomato chutney with “salad” (aka lettuce). Bob had chicken with honey mustard. Both were delicious -- some of the best food we had on our trip, though simple. We got beverages from the Coop and ate them on a bench, people-watching. I would not have wanted to park in the square! We observed several people squeezing tiny cars into tinier spots, holding our breaths for fear of a crunch!

After lunch (I saved part of mine for later - it was too big!) we found the public restrooms near the square. I think they were 20 pence or perhaps 30?

Thus fortified and prepared, we headed off on our day’s main adventure: a hike from Stow to Bourton-on-the-Water, via Upper and Lower Slaughter!

I had a bit of confusion finding the way to the footpath, even with Google maps on my tablet, an Ordnance Survey map for hikers, and printed out directions from other hikers. We ended up walking along the main road a bit (not so nice) but eventually did find the footpath. Once we were on the way, the walk was lovely though. It’s mostly a long slow downhill slope at first, so it was very easy going. We saw plenty of green fields, sheep, horses, goats. Passing through fields of cows was a little more disconcerting, though we thankfully never saw the dreaded “Bull in field” sign!

We only encountered one other person on the trail between Stow and the Slaughters -- a young fellow who looked like he must be local. We had been planning to take a trail that would go to Upper Slaughter first, then go from there to Lower Slaughter and on to Bourton. But we missed the turn, and ended up going straight to Lower Slaughter. Near the village the trail was less lovely, but the town itself was almost too picturesque, with the adorable cottages along the lovely river, and the old mill house.

It still didn’t win my heart as Chipping Campden had, as it felt somehow empty -- too full of tourists, and too empty of real life. It did provide the best ice cream of our trip, however! There is a little shop inside the mill that sells woolens and shirts and souvenirs, as well as drinks and ice cream. I had the honeycomb/buttercrunch flavor again, and it was even more delicious!

We watched kids and dogs playing in the water as we snacked, then headed up the trail along the river to Upper Slaughter. The views of the Lords of the Manor hotel were stunning -- I kind of wished we were doing one of those walking tours from town to town and staying there for the night!

Upper Slaughter had fewer shops, but much more charm than Lower Slaughter, in my opinion. We dawdled around for a bit, watching frogs in the stream, resting, eating our leftovers, and then headed back through Lower Slaughter, then to Bourton-on-the-Water.

This last part of the hike was less pleasant, crossing the busy road again, then passing through a bunch of generic suburban streets (perhaps we missed a nicer route?). When we reached downtown Bourton-on-the-Water it was colorful and busy and full of tourists. But we decided to stay only long enough to use the public toilet and get a drink, before taking the next bus back to Moreton-in-Marsh. It was just a bit too overwhelming after our afternoon in the fields.

Back in MIM, we realized that we had over an hour before the next bus home, so we decided to get supper. Fortunately the ASK Pizza was open (though not yet serving pizza) so we had a delicious meal of pasta. We were home to CC by 7pm.

Even though the bus limited us, we were still very glad not to have a car. After a tiring day, we enjoyed having someone else driving us home. And we still both felt the narrow roads would have stressed us out far too much to make up for the convenience of a car. Perhaps if we return we will reconsider, since we’ll be more familiar and perhaps more interested in getting to out-of-the-way spots. But for this trip, no car was perfect for us!

Day Four: Broad Campden and Broadway
Our plan for this day was to visit Broadway in the afternoon, and hike up to the tower. Since I had the morning to myself (Bob was sleeping in) I decided to hike to Broad Campden, following a route in a booklet left in the apartment. I started off circling through the sheep fields, passing horses, admiring the hills mosaiced in green and gold, then eventually coming to quaint little Broad Campden itself. I wished I had been able to time it so I could have eaten at the pub! There is a direct path (level, partly paved, straight) running straight back almost literally to our doorstep, so I returned that way. One of the things I loved about these trails that is how they have narrow secret passages that cut along the backs of houses and such, to allow hikers to pass through the towns themselves! Though I found that in CC, some of these were overgrown with stinging nettles! So be careful!

Back “home” I met up with Bob, and we had an early lunch at Badger Hall tea shop. I had spinach and cheese soup, a scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam, and a pot of Assam. All delicious! And the shop itself was adorable, cozy and warm, with low wood-beamed ceilings and a collection of china badgers. And the delectable display of pastries and sweets!

We took the 12:45 bus to Broadway. In town, we followed our Ordnance Survey Map to the start of the trail up to the tower. This was a relatively strenuous hike for us -- I am not sure I’d do it over again, though there were some lovely views. If one has a car, one can drive up to the top.

We did, however, have the good fortune to see a fox on the hike, which was a lovely reward for our efforts! And I had brought along a slice of lemon drizzle cake from Badger’s Hall, which helped me get through the climb. :)

Hiking down was much easier, of course! We had enough time before our bus to explore the town a bit, and to have tea at Tisane’s. Broadway was pretty, and had more shops and restaurants, but once again we found ourselves preferring the charm of Chipping Campden’s narrow main street and beautiful green meadows.

We had dinner from the Coop that night: fresh roast chicken (good), macaroni and cheese (eh) and spinach. After a nice hot bath I was ready to sleep away the day’s exertions and get ready for another adventure.

Day Five: Oxford
Another beautiful day of sun, blue skies, puffy clouds, and no rain. We surely did win the weather lottery!

I went out to ramble around town, picking us up pastries from a French shop. After our breakfast, we caught the bus to MiM, where we then took the train (we bought tickets at the station, very easily) to Oxford! Between bus and train this was a lot of travel for a single day, but it was worth it. Next to Chipping Campden, Oxford was probably my favorite place we visited during this week of our trip. The train station itself was rather hectic, but once we walked up to the university area, I fell in love. The towers, the hidden college squares, the narrow twisting streets. It helped that Oxford is associated with so many of my beloved literary works and authors (Tolkien and Lewis, and more recent works by Laurie King and Connie Willis, to name a few).

It was also a special day as I was able to meet up with a friend I know from online for the first time. She lives near the city, and suggested we meet for lunch at Turl Street Kitchen. This was conveniently near the Bodleian Library, so we stopped in there first to pick up tickets for a tour later that afternoon.

Turl Street Kitchen was delightful -- a modern, airy, open space with absolutely delicious food. This was one of the best meals of the trip for me. I had a casserole with butternut squash, potato, and cheese, with a side salad. So good! I wished I had the appetite for dessert!

After a lovely visit, my friend went her own way, and Bob and I returned to the library for our tour. The tour itself was rather dry and tedious in places, but it was the only way to see Duke Humphrey’s library, which I had very much wanted to visit. It was all I hoped it would be: mysterious and full of beautiful old books, and busy students hard at work!

The Divinity School was also gorgeous, and fun to see as it was used as a set in the Harry Potter movies! But I think I most loved just walking around the interior quadrangle of the Bodleian, looking up at the towering stony heights, and the small doorways with their old labels in Latin: Schola Metaphysicae, etc.

After our tour, we bought some souvenirs at the lovely gift shop, then proceeded on to explore more of the town. I really did wish I had more time in Oxford! As it was, we had only time to visit one college. I chose Magdalen, as this was where C S Lewis lived as a student, and I wanted to visit Addison’s Walk, a trail along the river where Lewis and Tolkien would walk and talk. If we had had more time I would have loved to go punting too!

Eventually we had to head back to catch our train. We stopped at the covered market, which was full of all sorts of interesting shops. I got a cookie from Ben’s Cookies, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, and a cupcake from a cake shop that was so dry and tasteless I threw it out after one bite. Bob’s Cadbury Cream Egg milkshake from Moo Moos was much better -- worth waiting in the huge and rather confusing line.

Back home we had takeaway from the Maharaja, watching Notting Hill (the apartment was provided with a collection of England-based DVDs).

Day Six: Dover Hill and Batsford
Today was another slower-paced day. Bob slept in, leaving me to go off on another ramble near town. I decided to head up nearby Dover Hill. This was a lovely spot with beautiful views, especially as the weather was still clear. I did get more than my fill of sheep and sheep dung, however! There were so many trails running off into bewitching little groves and valleys that it was hard not to just keep going onward, but eventually I forced myself to return.

I had a tasty solitary late breakfast of fresh OJ and an “egg and soldiers” on the terrace at Noel Arms, then went to wake Bob. We had lunch at the Bantam Tea Room, which I found even more cozy and quaint than the Badger Hall.

We took the bus to Batsford Arboretum, one of the stops along the route toward MiM. A short walk along the entry road, and we were at the extensive grounds. Trails wind through plantings of a variety of trees of all sorts, as well as a large Buddha, a “hermit’s cave” and streams and bridges. It was beautiful and peaceful, though I think my favorite thing was just sitting observing the enormous Batsford house (privately owned still) and wondering what it was like to live in such a place!

We had tea and sweets in the cafe -- once again, I am so impressed by how easy it is to get good tea everywhere!

Eventually we headed back to catch the bus. I was nervous about this, since there wasn’t a posted bus stop even though it is on the schedule. But we simply flagged down the bus as it rounded the corner, and it stopped and let us on no problem!

My only regret is that we didn’t have time to walk over to Sezincote Manor. There is an entry road right across from Batsford, though I think it would have been a 10 or 15 minute walk.

We had dinner at the Lygon Arms that night, which was delightful and atmospheric. The food was too rich and too plentiful though! I was uncomfortably full. I don’t regret going, but if I returned I would order just an appetizer, and avoid the Sticky Toffee Pudding, which was way too sweet (even for me, and I love sweets).

Day Seven: Sezincote, Stanway, Stanton, Sudeley
Our last day in the Cotswolds! But a perfect ending...

For my solo morning ramble, I took the 8:45 bus to Bourton-on-the-Hill, and did the short hike from there to Sezincote. The manor wasn’t open (it has very limited hours) but the trail runs right below it, with beautiful views. This was one of my favorite walks of the trip -- I realize that I love best the walks that pass through fields with trees sprinkled through them, and along the edges.

Then back in Bourton, I stopped at the Bourton House for a cup of cider (sadly I had no time to see the gardens) before catching the bus home. As a note: the schedule says to catch the bus toward CC “at the church” but the driver told me that it is better to wait directly opposite the covered bus stop (where I got off coming the other way) as the road is wider there.

I really liked Bourton-on-the-Hill. It would have been too small, I think, for a car-less stay, since there is only a single pub and no shop in town. But with a car, it would be lovely. So charming and beautifully situated, with Batsford, Bourton House, and Sezincote all nearby.

Back “home” we had a lunch of leftovers (chicken covered in tikka masala sauce with cheddar on baguettes = YUM).

Then Jill picked us up, as we had arranged a few days earlier, for a last trip. She dropped us in Stanway, so that we could hike to nearby Stanton.

Stanway was -- at risk of overusing the words -- very charming and picturesque. I wished we had been able to see inside Stanway House, but it was fun just to ogle it from outside. The hike was also beautiful, through level, green fields dotted with trees. Stanton was a bit larger, and featured a pub that was quite busy even in mid-afternoon, with dozens of other hikers and tourists. We enjoyed sodas out on the porch, looking down over the village. Both these towns felt a bit “empty” aside from the tourists, but perhaps that was because it was midday on Friday?

We had a slightly nerve-wracking adventure trying to figure out the next stage of our plan: getting to Winchcombe. My research indicated there was a bus that ran from “Stanton Turn” to Winchcombe, but it was not clear where the bus actually stopped. Fortunately we had procured a cell phone for this trip (a Mobal phone, since we didn’t expect to use it much, and liked the convenience of their service) and so I was able to call the bus company and the kind woman who answered directed us to a spot along the highway just outside town. Had it been raining, this might have been miserable, but as it was, we had no problem waiting for the bus, flagging it down, and boarding. But this was one time when I know having a car would have perhaps been less stressful, even for us!

We reached Winchcombe rather late, but had time for a snack at a tea shop, and the short walk out from town to Sudeley Castle. Since we only had an hour before the castle closed, we bought the garden-only tickets. Even though it was brief, this was fun and worthwhile. The grounds were very different from the other gardens we had seen, being more extensive and large.

Back in Winchcombe we stopped at a gourmet deli for dinner, while waiting for Jill’s husband Jim to come pick us up. I had one of the vegetable samosas one sees all over the place, and it was quite tasty!

In retrospect, I realize we could have taken the last bus from Winchcombe to Broadway, and then gotten a taxi from there which would have been cheaper -- but we were happy with how things worked out as Jim took us on the scenic route home, past the Snowshill lavender fields. And we got to hear his stories about sheep farming, and the state of the industry. I had not realized that the sheep are primarily raised for meat these days, as it is nearly impossible to make a profit on wool. Our total taxi fare for the day was £45 -- expensive, but still worth it to us.

Overall, we felt a week was the perfect amount of time to spend in the Cotswolds, and that Chipping Campden was the best place for our base. We enjoyed all the other villages, but CC won our hearts. If we return, we might stay in the south for a change, or possibly in Bath, which I really wanted to visit. But we would also be tempted to return to CC, and to our cute little apartment!

Day Eight: London, Baby!
We departed Chipping Campden with fond hopes of returning one day, and set off on our second week of vacation: in London!

We took the bus to MiM and then caught the 10:50 train to London. It was a Saturday, and the train was very crowded, but fortunately there were luggage racks at one end of the car where we could stow our large suitcase. We arrived in Paddington Station at 12:30, and decided to grab something quick for lunch from the shops. Bob had a sandwich from M&S, I had chicken tikka masala from Sainsbury (cheap and just as good as average restaurant version). We then purchased Oyster Cards from the kiosk -- in retrospect we might have done better to get the seven day pass, but didn’t realize it at the time. Though I am not sure that would have taken us to some of our more distant destinations, like Highgate.

We decided to take the bus to Chelsea, so we could see more of the city. This was fun, but would have been better had we had two smaller suitcases, as Bob hurt his back wrangling our larger single case up to the top of the bus, and we had to switch once in Trafalgar square. But it was delightful to see the city from the front of the upper level of the bus, swooping along the streets! And the bus let us off almost directly across the street from our apartment in Chelsea.

The apartment owner (we rented through AirBnB) met us at the apartment and showed us around. She was very helpful, and directed us to nearby sites and the Waitrose around the corner. Bob took a nap, and I went out to explore. I found the Waitrose as well as some old favorites from Paris: Pain Quotidian and Amorino. I got gelato from the latter to celebrate: Mascarpone Fig, Pistachio and Speculoos. Yum!

Once Bob woke, we headed out by bus (the schedules were quite confusing, but there was a simpler version in my Rick Steves guidebook that listed a few of the main lines that run through the popular areas) to Saint Paul’s, where we were planning to join a London Walks “Ghost Walk” at 7:45. We were early enough that we took some time to walk around, visiting the Millennium Bridge with a lovely sunset view of the Thames and the Tower Bridge. There were many extra lights up for the Olympics, and various events going on over on the South Bank, lending a festive atmosphere.

Saint Paul’s was very impressive. It hadn’t been a site I was all that excited by, but actually being there, staring up at the immensity of the structure, was awe-inspiring. I would have loved to visit inside for one of the (free) Evensong services, but we never had the chance.

We had a quick dinner at Pizza Express -- very tasty salad of rocket, gran padano cheese, & balsamic dressing and a plain pizza we split.

With a chai from Starbucks to fortify us, we set off on our tour. The crowd was thankfully not too large (these tours are just “show up and pay”). Our guide was excellent, very dramatic and excellent at making everything come alive. The sites themselves were not especially stunning (this was mostly in the old City portion of London, which I found less charming than some other areas) but we did find plenty of interest, such as the walls still pitted with damage from the Blitz, and the old graveyard where people have heard a monk singing. Our guide actually sang the song, very haunting!

We took the bus back home, once again grateful that it stopped so near the apartment!

It was a full day, perhaps a bit too full! I was finding London kind of overwhelming after the Cotswolds, so crowded and busy and noisy! And also missing my friends, feeling a bit disconnected from the rest of life.

Day Nine: Tower Times Two
I went out early as is my wont, enjoying yet another day of glorious weather. I went up into Kensington, past the Museum of Natural History, then Harrods (still closed), then on through the park to Buckingham Palace. Quite unexpectedly I ended up reaching the Palace just as the Paralymic Marathon was finishing, and saw the first several runners come in. It was stirring to see the visually-impaired runners with their guides running together, joined by tethers, coming in to the cheers of the enormous crowd.

I headed home to pick up Bob, and we enjoyed a picnic lunch of sandwiches from Pret a Manger (cheaper to go!) eaten in the park area along the Museum of Natural History. After a delicious dessert of gelato from Scoops (on the square by South Kensington tube station) we headed off to the Tower of London.

The Tower was very impressive and very tiring! We skipped the Beefeater tour because there were so many others waiting for it. But it may have been just as well as I was footsore from my earlier walk! The lines were not at all bad, even though it was a sunny Sunday afternoon. We got in to see the Crown Jewels easily (I was rather terrified by the enormous metal railed queue area outside, and could not imagine what it must be like at the height of the season), and had plenty of freedom to explore all the other sites. My favorite parts were the three swords (Temporal Justice, Moral Justice and the blunted Mercy blade), the graffiti in Beauchamp Tower (especially the IANE ones for poor Lady Jane), and the resident ravens, so glossy black and imposing.

I also very much enjoyed just sitting on a bench people watching. There were so many tourists from so many countries.

We then took the Thames Clipper boat from the Tower Pier down to Embankment, and walked past Westminster Abbey and Big Ben, which were both as stunning as one might expect from such landmarks.

A quick bus home, and we headed out for dinner at a noodle/dumpling bar I’d seen earlier, called New Culture Revolution. The food was excellent, especially Bob’s Singapore noodles, and we took home our leftovers.

Then it was time to head back out: for a return to the Tower of London! I had sent a request several months ago for tickets to the Ceremony of Keys, which happens every night at 9:45. It is free, but only 25 people or so may attend, and you thus need to get the tickets in advance.

It was quite late for me (my normal bedtime is 9) but worth it for the atmosphere! The shadows of the marching soldiers, the flickering of the real lanterns, the clinking and clanging of the doors and the lap of the water behind us at the Traitor’s Gate. I did wish there were not quite so many people allowed, because it was hard to see some parts. If you can get a good spot in front, it is best! The ceremony is short.

There were more post-Olympic festivities going on across the river, which added an odd energy to the night, with a distant driving beat of drums and an enormous screen playing images of flames and dancers. If I had more energy I might have gone across to check it out!

But as it was we just returned straight home. At first I was worried about walking back in the dark, but there seemed to be many people out along the main streets from the tube to our apartment.

Day Ten: British Museum
After two days of feeling a little “off” I finally got my travel mojo back today, whew!

I went out on my own on the morning for a “pastry walk,” collecting scones from Harrods (after ogling the ridiculously ornate rooms), macarons from Pierre Herme, and a passion fruit meringue from Ottolenghi (I had read about this on a food blog and simply had to try it). I brought home this bounty for our breakfast. The meringue was the best, in my opinion. So deliciously tart, sweet and creamy.

Then we headed out to the British Museum! This was one of my favorite days of the entire trip. I really enjoyed the Bloomsbury neighborhood, and the museum itself was just stunning, from the building itself to the collection.

I was blown away by the enormous enclosed courtyard, under that frosted glass roof, everything so vast and pale, with the old library at the center wrapped in a white stairway. You really do just have to see it to understand. And of course, it is free!

We spent most of our time in the Egyptian and Assyrian rooms. The carvings of the lions in the latter are exquisite. We headed outside for lunch at Mooli’s, a few minutes walk away on Frith Street, where we feasted on delicious Indian-inspired wrap sandwiches. I also visited several bookstores for souvenirs (I liked Foyle’s best, even after visiting the enormous Waterstones later).

Back in the museum we went through the Mesopotamian and Persian rooms, but we were running out of steam. There is just so much.

Eventually we gave up and decided we would try to return later to see the mummies. We had reservations to visit the Dennis Severs house that night. And we had one other stop first. As fans of the David Suchet Poirot series, we wanted to stop at Florin Court, where they film Poirot’s apartment. We decided to try to walk from there to the Dennis Severs house, which was probably a mistake. It was not a pleasant or attractive area, and it just wore us out. Dennis Severs house is near Spitalfields, and it would have been more fun to get there earlier and walk around that region.

As it was, we were glad to find a Wagamamas nearby, and had some noodles and dumplings for dinner, then made our way to the house.

The Dennis Severs house isn’t going to be for everyone, but as fans of “atmosphere” we loved it. It’s a house that was decorated by Mr. Severs to evoke a Victorian house. You wander through it in silence (there are little notes everywhere reminding you to be silent and “let the house work its magic on you and become part of the story” or similar). The light is all candles and lanterns, and there are recordings of atmospheric noises, and even food set out (you can sniff the tea and strawberries). It’s jammed with knickknacks and you have to move with great care to avoid knocking into things, but it was quite an experience! There are also some steep stairs and narrow passages...

Day Eleven: Highgate
I spent my solo morning exploring Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. I had not planned to visit the latter but ended up so glad I did! I wish I had been able to come back with Bob -- I enjoyed it much more than the Tate Britain, actually! The rooms themselves are beautiful, and there’s such a glorious range of art. Sometimes I wonder whether seeing the art in person is really any better than seeing it on a computer screen or in a book, but I was so grateful to have the opportunity to see Van Gogh’s Wheatfield with Cypresses, Delaroche’s The Execution of Lady Jane Grey, and Vermeer’s The Guitar Player in person.

I walked back through Piccadilly, stopping at Fortnum & Mason and Burlington Arcade, and to peer through the window into the Ritz. All of it is so glitzy and overwhelming! Everywhere you turn in London there seems to be some beautiful bit of architecture, or some other lovely thing.

Once Bob was up, we headed out to Highgate, where we had reservations for the tour of the West Cemetery (only one a day, during the week, and only ~12 people allowed. I called the week before to make our reservation). We followed the directions from the Cemetery website to take a bus from the Archway tube station, then walk across the (lovely!) park. We brought more Pret a Manger sandwiches with us, which we ate in the park, watching local dogs romping on the rolling grassy slopes.

The cemetery itself was striking and (again) very atmospheric. It was moving to see the beautifully carved angels and crosses, growing over with ivy, with trees sprouting up everywhere, setting things askew. Nature taking over from humanity and mortality, green and inevitable. Perhaps not every tourist would enjoy this, but we loved it. Though again, the glorious weather probably helped!

We rested up afterward with tea and cakes at a cafe in the park, then headed back into the city to Westminster Abbey where we attended the 5pm Evensong service.

This was magical! And also, free! It was (in my opinion) so much more awe-inspiring to see the space being used in service, with the glorious voices of the choir lifting us all up. There was a large crowd, and clearly many of them were fellow tourists, carrying backpacks and shopping bags and ogling the architecture. We were (understandably) not allowed to sight-see as it was a religious service, but even so the route in and out passed by many of the sites. I was satisfied by this visit and had no yearning to return and pay to see the rest.

Back home we had a dinner of Indian food from Waitrose. We are not cooking as much as I had expected, partly because there is so much good prepared food, partly because we have been out in the evenings so often, and the city is so spread out we don’t have time to come home for meals.

Day Twelve: Musical Theater Day
Another beautiful day in London!

I went off on a morning ramble, stopping at Paul for French pastries for breakfast (delicious!). I took the tube up to Regent’s Park, but had to wait for the third train before I could get on board due to the morning commuter crush!

I walked up through the park, past the London Zoo, then up Primrose Hill for a view of the city. I explored some of the delightful Primrose Hill neighborhood (quiet and upscale, would be a nice place to stay I think!) then headed into Camden Town. The markets were only just opening, but I could already tell I was going to love this region, and very excited to come back later with Bob. More on that on Day Fourteen!

I did do a little shopping, after spotting an adorable owl shirt in one open stall. I decided I would wait, but then saw the same shirt again a little while later, at a different stall. And the shop-keeper offered me a discount as his first sale of the day. So I got it! I did notice lots of “beware pickpocket” signs, though, and kept my money close!

Back home again, I picked up Bob and we went out for lunch at Pizza Express, which we found to be ever-present, reliable, and not too expensive. This time we had the Banoffee Pie Sundae and oh my word it was delicious (banana, cream, toffee, chocolate). A quick bus trip and we were at the Victoria Apollo for our matinee of my favorite musical of all: Wicked!

We’ve seen the show twice before, but love it so much we decided to see it again in London. And in a lovely stroke of luck, our cheap seats were upgraded, and we got to move down to the front of the mezzanine, right across from the Time Dragon above the stage. We sat in our new seats, jittery with excitement. There is nothing quite like live theater. One of the orchestra was amusing us by warming up with bits of the Charlie’s Angels theme song. And then, finally, the show!

It was an excellent production, though it was a little odd to hear some of the songs sung with British accents!

Afterward we were happy, but drained, and decided to get the bus up to Chinatown for dinner. It was very colorful and bustling with sightseers and theater-goers. We ended up getting dinner back on Frith Street, at a wonderful Thai restaurant called @Siam. Bob’s massaman curry was the best food of the entire trip, I think, and my own vegetable pad thai was really tasty too -- so fresh and flavorful!

As we were sitting there, talking about how much fun it had been to see Wicked, I said it was too bad we couldn’t see any other theater. Then we realized that we were, in fact, right around the corner from Les Miserables, and it was only 6:30. So we quickly paid our bill, and ran around to the box office, and got tickets for the evening show!

It was an indulgence, but so worth it! I had never seen Les Mis, and our seats were center, six rows back from the stage. Wow. It is not my favorite story, but the music is wonderful and being so close made it even more powerful. I loved it!

Day Thirteen: Borough Market and the Tates
I started my day with a walk along the Thames, looking across to Battersea Park and the Peace Pagoda. It was fun to encounter a number of elderly pensioners from the Royal Army Hospital out on errands in their uniforms.

Then Bob and I headed to one of my must-visit sites: Borough Market! It was packed, even early on a weekday. I can’t imagine what it’s like on a summer Saturday! Everything smelled and looked amazing: Vietnamese chicken curry, enormous piles of bread and cheese, acres of fresh fruit, dozens of different fresh mushrooms, and more.

I got one of the famous Kappacasein grilled cheese sandwiches I’d read about, and it was indeed tasty (though too big! I wish I could have gotten half as I had to throw out part). Bob got a venison pie from Pieminster, also very good. I wish I had had an extra stomach for the fresh pasta and ruby grapefruit juice and baked goods of all sorts.

We ate our food by the nearby church, then headed on to the Tate Modern. I am not as big a fan of modern art, but had wanted to see the building itself, and walk along the Thames river walk. The building is indeed impressive, especially the enormous hanger-like main hall. And since the museum is free we were able to just wander inside a bit, then go up to the top floor for tea with a beautiful view over the city.

The river walk was chaotic and colorful, with tourists and school groups and buskers everywhere. I walked out along the graceful Millennium (pedestrian) bridge, and listened to a young fellow playing spacey synthetic music.

Then we caught the Tate-to-Tate boat, which gave us a nice view of the city from the river. It turned out the Tate Britain was not all I hoped, as much of it was under renovation, and all the Pre-Raphaelites were in an (expensive) special exhibit I couldn’t bring myself to pay for. We headed home for an early night, to regain our energy for our last day.

Day Fourteen: Camden Market, the Canal and the Zoo
I started my last full day with a special treat: breakfast at the Wolseley, one of the fancy establishments that also serves fine teas and such. This was fun, though I would not do it again, or perhaps I would return for an actual tea. The atmosphere (art deco glamour!) was the best part, as the food was surprisingly just-okay given the exorbitant prices. They also tried to put me in a side room at first, though when I asked, they moved me to the main hall. It was interesting to watch all the business men and women in suits and fine dresses, and wonder what their lives were like, that they would eat at a place like this regularly!

Back home, I reconnected with Bob and we headed out to Camden Town. We loved this, and wished we had had more time to visit. We didn’t buy anything, but it was such a great place to just people watch and ogle the goods. We especially loved the Stables market, which is built in the old horse stables, full of dim and twisty passages lined by small shops full of antiques and cheesy souvenirs and glittery jewelry and cool gothy fashion. And numerous giant bronze horse statues! It was a bit like I imagine Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books...

One of the most impressive stores is Cyberdog, the entrance flanked by giant brilliant chrome robot statues, and inside is like something out of Bladerunner or a William Gibson novel: low throbbing techno music and bright neon and space-age clothing.

We had lunch at the Camden Lock market along the canal, hitting several different delectable food stalls for our meals. My Jamaican chicken wrap with fried plantains was delicious. After that, we hunted down the Chin Chin Laborist ice cream parlour, where they make your ice cream fresh on demand with liquid nitrogen. It was entertaining as well as delicious. I had vanilla with honeycomb, while Bob had special flavor of the day, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, made with PB ice cream with bits of caramelized toast, and a swirl of jam.

After a bit more wandering and a peach boba tea, we headed back to the lock to try to catch a canal boat to the zoo. You can purchase a combination boat and zoo ticket, and the boat lets you off at the zoo, then you can get back on when you are done and continue on to Little Venice.

The canal boat ride was restful and lovely, with views of enormous manors and sculpted lawns. We enjoyed our visit to the zoo as well, especially the butterfly tent, warm and moist and full of greenery and free-fluttering butterflies in all colors.

Back on the canal boat, we continued on to charming Little Venice, where we admired the house boats, and then found the tube station.

For our last evening, we made one more stop at the British Museum, which was open late on Friday. Just enough time to see the mummies and get souvenirs! We thought about trying to eat on Frith Street again, but the restaurants were packed and the streets thronged with theater-goers, so we caught a bus back to Chelsea and went to a small Italian place on King’s Road (Ca’puccino) for a light but delicious salad caprese and foccacia. We went to bed shortly after that, since our early flight meant waking up at 4:45am to get to the airport.

Day Fifteen: Heading Home and General Ponderings
We planned to take the tube to Paddington and use our return Heathrow Connect tickets from there. However when we got to the station we discovered the Circle Line was out of service! Eep! But then we realized that it would be just as fast to take the tube directly to Heathrow, so we did that, and it was much more relaxing and easier to manage than switching at Paddington would have been. And no more stairs!

At Heathrow, there was a convenient station to turn in your Oyster Card and get a refund for anything that was left on it (you filled it up as you went, using kiosks in the tube stations).

We spent our last pounds on snacks, souvenirs, and books, then headed off home!

London was not a city I fell in love with, but I did really enjoy myself there. Perhaps I would like it more if I returned again, knowing more what to expect. Generally it was just a bit too spread out, and without the consistent beauty and charm I found in places like Paris or Venice. This trip taught me that I really do love a city I can walk. If we returned, I might stay in Bloomsbury or Fitzrovia, and enjoy myself more thoroughly.

On the other hand, I think the food we had on this trip was some of the best vacation-food we’ve had. A big part of that is my learning better what works for me: cheap but tasty and satisfying sandwiches, pastries, and ethnic foods if we are going to a sit-down restaurant.

Resources
@Siam Restaurant: www.atsiam.co.uk/

Borough Market: www.boroughmarket.org.uk/

Bus Timetable CC to MiM: www.worcestershirebus.info/timetables/Bus-services-21-and-22-Broadway-from-15-04-2012.pdf

Bus Timetable MiM to BotW: www.pulhamscoaches.com/#/timetables/4539355309

Chin Chin Laborist Ice Cream: www.chinchinlabs.com/

Chipping Campden Apartment Review: www.slowtrav.com/uk/vr/review.asp?n=5425

Cotswold Travel Resources: www.cotswolder.com/

Dennis Severs House: www.dennissevershouse.co.uk/

Highgate Cemetery: www.highgate-cemetery.org/

Jill's Taxi Service: www.chippingcampdentaxis.co.uk/

London Waterbus: www.londonwaterbus.com/

Mooli's Restaurant: www.moolis.com/

New Culture Revolution Restaurant: www.newculturerevolution.co.uk/

Our Chipping Campden Apartment: https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p6850463 (The original agency we used no longer lists the property. But I found it via a different rental agency. It looks a bit different so they may have renovated or changed ownership since we were there.)

Our London Apartment: www.airbnb.com/rooms/15400

Photo Albums
picasaweb.google.com/116795678555228710481/England2012#
 
Last edited:
The link for the apartment does not work. It looks like their website is done. I will remove the link from your report. I also removed the link to the ST forums thread, since the boards are shutting down.

Thanks for the trip report!!
 

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