Travel Diaries - Discovering the Cotswolds

When I first decided to study English Literature in Britain, my ambitions were not only to deepen my literary knowledge but also to experience it as much as possible. To discover the land that inspired some of the greatest books ever written seemed just as captivating as reading them. I came here intending to wander around the UK as much as possible during the three years I’d spend here. As you can imagine, the pandemic put the brakes on my exploration projects and instead I sat home for over a year, continually daydreaming about the places that inspired my favourite works.

As we gently stepped out of lockdown and the weather showed its first sunbeams, I knew that now would be the perfect time to go on a little adventure. Thus, my friends and I hit the road in the direction to Oxford for a two-day getaway. Instead of heading towards the City of Dreaming Spires directly, we decided to spend the day in the Cotswolds, in the county of Gloucestershire. The area is defined by its rural landscape and historical stone-built villages.

Our first stop was the picturesque Bibury, described by William Morris (1834-96) as “the most beautiful village in England.” The village is known for its Jurassic limestone cottages with steeply pitched roofs built around 1380. At the heart of the village, you’ll find the dreamy Arlington Row which is now a part of the National Trust Wildfowl Reserve will make you feel like you’re walking around a real-life fairytale. I was truly taken aback by this magical scenery and felt like a Jane Austen character the whole time.

We continued our journey in Burton-on-the-water, known as the Venice of The Cotswolds. The reason behind this nickname is because the village's high street is flanked by long wide greens and the River Windrush that runs through them. I enjoyed the fact that Bourton-on-the-water is slightly bigger than Bibury and counts more attractions. There, you can visit the Motoring Museum, walk around the Birdland Park and Garden or visit the model village. Because of our busy itinerary, we only walked around the village and peaked through some antique shops. We stopped by the Cotswold Perfumery famous for being commissioned by the Queen in 1999 to produce perfumes for Herself and other members of the Royal family.

For lunch, we grabbed a baguette at Fresh 4 Lunch without thinking much about it but honestly, my mouth waters to the thought of their brie, bacon and chilli jam sandwich. We devoured our lunch by the river, absorbing the peace and quiet of this dreamland.

Our third and last stop before Oxford was Stow-on-the-Wold, a historic Cotswold wool town. More than anything, the point of this last visit was to satisfy our nerdy selves by visiting St Edwards Church which is thought to have inspired J.R.R Tolkien when imagining the Doors of Durin that guard the western entrance to the Mines of Moria. If you’re a fan of the legendary Lord of The Rings, you’ll love the Cotswolds as it was a great source of inspiration for Tolkien. We also had a look at The Porch House, established as England’s oldest Inn dating back to the 10th Century.

I absolutely adored my day in the Cotswold and I truly felt that after the anxious and chaotic year everyone went through, being surrounded by nature was the perfect way to revitalise. Obviously, as a History enthusiast, I thoroughly enjoyed visiting these -very- old places, charged with culture and a fascinating past. Finally, the relaxing sound of chirping birds and running water through the meadows was exactly what I needed. The whole day felt like a dream and, I would definitely return to see what else the Cotswolds has in stock for me.