“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu. This pretty much sums up my drive through the Cotswolds earlier this year :) We got into the car and just drove off. I picked the towns based on how quaint and pretty the names sounded :)
The day started out dark and cloudy. It was my first encounter with the typical English weather as the previous few days had been bright and sunny! However, I could completely relate to it as the the weather in the Pacific Northwest is very similar.
The Cotswolds area is one of England's favorite destinations. I was fortunate that one of its most famous little villages Chipping Camden was less than an hour away from my brother's house. These towns are famous for their honey-colored limestone homes with thatched roofs in a beautiful rural setting. I was not disappointed! We meandered through narrow lanes and rolling hills. At every turn there was something that caught my eye. I loved every minute of it.
I took thousands of pictures that day. The first picture shows the first of the many limestone colored homes we encountered. I wish I could have looked inside :)
Driving through the tiny villages, there were numerous inns and pubs waiting for the weary traveler!
This is a picture I took of the 17th-century Market Hall in Chipping Camden. "Chipping" means market or market place from the old English "Ceping". Chipping Camden was one of the most important medieval wool towns and was famous throughout Europe. I fell in love with the town's High Street which curved like an arc. The street had a series of charming old homes.
There were so many quaint and charming tea rooms and I had a hard time picking one. Luckily, my kids behaved and we enjoyed drinking tea the British way :) I loved the variety of scones and the clotted cream that was served with the tea. My husband loved the assortment of jams. Sitting in a tea room is such a lovely way to spend an afternoon in England. The quaint village setting completes the experience. I could get used to it :)
We drove through to Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Camden, Broadway, and Stow-on-the-Wold. All the towns had picturesque streets lined with interesting shops like the one below. Unfortunately, the airline baggage limitations have made "vacation shopping" a wee bit problematic :) I could have bought tons of stuff but I was a good girl. I admired all the lovely stuff from afar:)
I loved the buildings and the striking architecture!
Oh dear! These were very very tempting :) It was all I could do restrain myself.
Last, but certainly not the least, was this very mysterious building we stumbled upon during the drive. This turned out to be Snowshill Manor. The manor is a dark and mysterious old palace filled with the lifetime collection of Charles Paget Wade. I quickly tried to read more about this home in my guide book as I sat in the car while hubby tried to see if we could get in. Alas, the manor was closed to visitors at the time. We met up with a few people outside who were part of a film crew. They were shooting a movie right outside the manor. It was all very exciting :) I came away wondering what it would be like inside. The manor is definitely on my list of places to visit when I am back in England.
I hope you have enjoyed my journey through the Cotswolds :) I shall miss the lovely homes, the picturesque lanes, the winding roads and the sheep :)
Images : Anu@MyDreamCanvas and subject to copyright.
