One Day in the Cotswolds

Have you been to the Cotswolds?

We finally managed to go on a mini staycation after postponing it due to illnesses galore. This trip was originally planned for July to celebrate my cousin’s 21st birthday. 

I wanted to surprise him with two days in Oxford, as a fellow Potterhead. I knew planning a trip that focussed on the locations where many of the scenes from Harry Potter were filmed would be a hit. However, due to Miss A being graced with chicken pox then me falling ill meant we ended up postponing this trip twice.

Luckily, we managed to get away towards the end of the summer holidays.  

Just a few days before the trip, I decided since we were going Oxford it’d be a mistake not to visit the Cotswolds closest to Oxford. So, we added an extra day in.

The Cotswolds District is huge covering four counties which cannot be seen in one day of course. We stuck to the popular villages nearby and spent our first day of the staycation exploring it’s undeniable beauty.

We left home at 7:30AM which was a mission in itself due to our trip coinciding with the railway and underground strike! Queue being stuck in stand still traffic on the motorway with a child moaning they need the toilet!

But we made it with just one service stop to tend to Miss A’s needs.

BROADWAY TOWER

Our first stop was the ever so stunning Broadway Tower. Once we reached we decided to have lunch first. You can either get a meal from the cafe or make use of the picnic benches. Miss A had a wonderful time running around in the open spaces after the drive.

We said hello to the deers as the ticket we bought gave access to the grounds as well. Broadway Tower was completed in 1798 and was a holiday home to many influential people. With one of them being William Morris. Since Miss A had been learning about him at school this made it all the more exciting for her.

The tower is set up across three floors and a mesmerising rooftop with stunning views.

See video here.

CHIPPING CAMPDEN

Our next stop was the village of Chipping Campden, which is famously known as the Jewel of the Cotswolds. There is a lot to see in the village. But seeing the time constraints we were under I wanted to focus on the main high street.

We checked out the Market Hall which was built in the 17th Century. This was used as a market trading place where traders sold poultry, cheese and butter. It is still used today and luckily on the day we visited there was a market running from where we bought lovely trinket items from.

MORETON IN MARSH

We had a little pit stop in Moreton, had a snoop around and did a little shopping. Miss A bought herself and her friends bracelets. It was just nice to be able to walk around and take in everything. If we did have a little more time it would’ve been nice but it was still great to stop by.

STOW IN THE WOLD

One thing I was really looking forward to was Stow in the Wold. Being heavily influenced by Instagram I really wanted to check out the magical door in St Edward’s Churchyard. Which is also nicknamed the Lord of the Rings door. And it did not disappoint! 

It wasn’t far from the main high st parking lot but we did have to ask someone for directions. It was so lovely and peaceful! And of course beautiful!

BOURTON ON THE WATER

One of the most popular places of the Cotswold – how could we leave this out? Known as the Venice of the Cotswolds and you can clearly tell why it is called that. We spent quite some time here exploring the shops and having the most delicious ice cream! 

We checked out the Model Village! 

The Model Village is 1/9th scale of Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds. And quite frankly one of the most fascinating places we’ve visited. 

It opened 85 years ago and whenever there is a change in the village it is reflected in the model village so it’s exactly the same. How amazing is that?

I spent my time following Miss A around who was amazed from the point she entered and couldn’t stop pointing and exclaiming ‘wow’. 

After exploring the Model Village we went out to see the same life size buildings. Which was a lovely adventure in itself.

It truly isn’t something to be missed whenever you visit the Cotswolds.

See video here.

BIBURY

Undoubtedly, Bibury is one of the most popular and picturesque villages in England. I had heard so much about this that because of its popularity you will find crowds of people. We had wanted to avoid this and ended up going there after 6pm. It was very quiet and peaceful with only a handful of tourists. 

You have to remember to be mindful. As people live in these houses so make sure to be respectful and not cause chaos. 

See video here

BURFORD

I wasn’t sure whether or not to include this. As we ended up coming here so late that nearly the entire main  street was shut so we couldn’t really explore. But we were able to grab our dinner from there.

That’s it for our first day of adventures. Despite having a beautiful day, it ended up on a really bad note. We had booked hotel Ramada after hearing ‘good reviews’ about it but it turned out to be the opposite.

I didn’t expect to end up crying on what was meant to be a good break. If you ever end up in Oxfordshire please do not stay at the Ramada. I have never been to a hotel that’s so filthy and unhygienic. I honestly feel traumatised and now whenever we go on holiday I feel so much anxiety. Luckily, we checked out the next day and got our money back but it really did overshadow our experience.

Stay tuned for the next instalment where I’ll share how you can make the most of Oxford in 2 days.