02 May England Trip- The Cotswolds- Part II

If you have been reading the blog for a bit, you know I am a fan of English mystery programs. I used to watch shows on Acorn, but now subscribe to Britbox. When I was very sick with my condition, Midsommer Murders was the show I was addicted to! I had an image now of the English Countryside, and the Cotswolds did not disappoint!

The Cotswolds

Before we go on, if you missed Part I, London, do have a READ.

Quaint villages. Lovely stone houses. Cottages and small businesses. However, Tom Barnaby was no where to be seen! Looking back, I would have spent a bit more time exploring other villages. The bus ran on each day except Sunday, and car rentals have to be obtained in London. Since we did not have a car, we spent most of our time in Stow on the Wold, and visited another. One could easily spend a week or 2 just in the Cotswolds area.

And no, I did not see Elen Desgeneris! LOL.

Stow on the Wold

We stayed at a village named “Stow on the Wold“, a central location and bus ride away to other villages, Rick Steves, our textbook guide, recommended.

I already had in my mind what the village would be like, and as we walked to our hotel, “Sheep on Sheep’s Street”, I almost thought I was back in time, in a quieter place. The hotel was beautiful, inside and out and  the service was just as lovely. Of course, with my moniker of the “woman who talks to much” by my sister in law, I had to live up to my name! I met a lovely lady at the front desk, and of course, I had to pet her 5 year old yellow lab, Betsy. Funny, I remembered the pups name, but not the woman. Such is my life!

The rooms were cozy and had modern touches, with a picturesque outdoor area with individual rooms outside that were offered on a first come, first serve basis.

The history is rich, and the hotel itself was built in the 1600s. We were told there is various colors of stone representing the time period. You can see cottages with a grey/blue stone , others with a yellow tint, and still others a yellow orange. All stone, and just out of a story one would imagine. Most of the buildings are of the 16th century.

According to Wikipedia,

“October on the feast of Edward the Confessor (the saint associated with the town). The aim of the annual charter fairs was to establish Stow as a place to trade and alleviate the unpredictability of the passing trade. These fairs were located in the square, which is still the town centre.

Our hotel was named Sheep on Sheep Street, and although I did not see any sheep in town when we were there, we were told it was back in early days, a market for selling sheep throughout the streets.

Beetroot Sustainable Fashion

We had a few rainy days, but my husband and I love to explore a new town, spending one of the days just getting the lay of the land, and popping into some shops.

I actually found a secondhand designer clothing shop on the street, called Beetroot, and had to visit. As I flipped through the clothing and came across YSL and MaxMara, I was a bit disapointed as they were no my size. Then, as if I need more jeans, I just leafed through a stack, findng a pair of Mother Patch Pocket very wide leg denim, in a length perfect for this 5 ft 9 ” lady! Stretchy, soft with a lighter wash, I spent all of 54 pounds ( $70) on these $285 jeans! A bargain. They were weighty, so they could be worn in the Spring, but not summer.

The owner, a lady around my age, was more than delightful to talk to, so of course, we were happy as hubby found a corner chair to wait while I perused.

Morton in Marsh

My husband and I read about a 4 mile hike from Stow to Morton, in the Rick Steve’s guide book. It was a cool and sunny day, and we decided to take the hike from our place to the nearer village of Morton in Marsh. We would hike there the 4 miles and then get a bus back.

This hike really was a highlight of the trip. I love walking through fields, admiring the farmlands and animals along the way. We saw chickens, hens, and horses. We did see sheep in many of the field on our way to the Cotswolds. Opening and closing gates and walking through the well marked and worn field, felt both invigorating and relaxing. When we arrived at Morton in Marsh, we observed a very busy little village. Lots of dogs and people alike on this sunny day were having lunch, eating picnics and shopping. There was a lake where a dog was excitingly bounding after the ball his owner had tossed. We had lunch at a small pub, and enjoyed my second round of “chunky chips” with my chicken sandwich. I’ve decided I need to by chunky chips here more often . ( Also known as Steak fries).

We made our way to the Cotswalds Distillery shop, and tried some very young stages of whiskey. ( I had to breathe out of my nostrils). I’ll tell you in part III of Ediburg the Scotch Whiskey distillery tour that was fabulous. We took the bus back and decided to go to The Porch House in Stow for dinner.

STOW

The Porch House is rich in history and is said to have been built around 69 AD. Yes, you read that correctly!

The dining room reminded me of an old medieval lodge with a huge fireplace and leather bound padded chairs. A bit darker for ambiance, I was looking forward to trying the pie. I do not eat red meat or pork, so I was happy that they had a chicken and vegetable pie. The crust looked delectable and it was flaky and buttery. We did not leave hungry! It was great to try a traditional English meal as well.

We had such a lovely stay, it is a place I would go back again. I could spend a month just exploring the little villages.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE COTSWOLDS? IF SO, WHERE?