Ever wondered where fairy tale illustrators get their inspiration? One visit to the Cotswolds and you’ll be convinced you’ve stumbled into the pages of a storybook – complete with honey-coloured cottages that look good enough to eat and villages with names so quaint they sound made up. (Castle Combe? Bourton-on-the-Water? Who’s making these up?)
This slice of English countryside is where sheep have been keeping the grass trimmed since medieval times, resulting in rolling hills that look like they’ve been styled by an overzealous Instagram influencer. The stone walls crisscrossing these hills weren’t built by giants playing with blocks – though that would explain a lot – but by farmers several centuries ago.
Village hopping is the national sport here. Start on Broadway (not that Broadway – there are significantly fewer jazz hands), where the high street looks like it’s been frozen in time since the 1600s. Wander to Stow-on-the-Wold, where ancient doors framed by trees allegedly inspired Tolkien’s Doors of Durin. Coincidence? I think not!
Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a cream tea in a centuries-old tearoom, where you’ll quickly learn the controversial scone protocol: jam first or cream first? For information on Cotswolds Private Tours, visit https://cotswoldtour.co.uk/cotswolds-private-tours/
The Cotswolds’ pubs deserve special mention – these aren’t just places to drink, but living museums where locals have been solving the world’s problems over pints for hundreds of years. Join them, and you might just solve yours too!
Just remember to bring your camera and your sense of wonder – fairy tale settings like this don’t come along every day!
