Cotswolds

Last weekend we explored the Cotswolds. The region is made up of small but BEAUTIFUL and picturesque villages. Historically this area centered around the wool trade (you can still see so many fields with sheep!) but importance diminished around the Industrial Revolution. Today it’s mostly a place for tourists (very cute B&Bs, THE place to have weddings) and for wealthy Brits who have retired or want a second home.

Each village is quaint but has it’s own character. There are quite a few villages in the region so best to start with a rough plan on which area you want to start with (we decided to do the Northern Cotswolds) and then follow signs that point you to other towns if you are feeling adventurous and want to explore without a plan. The towns are great for hiking/walking through but we drove to cover more ground. We only went to about 5 villages since we started from London (but you can also base yourself in one of the cities nearby like Cheltenham, Oxford or Bath. In terms of activities, it’s mostly exploring the countryside through walks and taking in the beautiful scenery, eating at local pubs, shopping at the local markets and stores and enjoying afternoon tea in the cute cafés. I highly highly recommend this, it’s such an ‘English’ experience and I can’t wait to go back to explore more villages!