Prairie Wife Goes to England: The Cotswolds

Posted June 4, 2019 by Prairie Wife - 2 comments

After 5 days in the hustle and bustle of London, The Cowboy was ready for some peace and quiet.

The Cotswolds

As our driver/guide Ian took us out of London and into The Cotswolds we couldn’t believe how beautifully green it was. It was exactly like what we had seen in all the movies and how Trisha Ashley’s books described it! I was so thankful for Ian who knew his way around the numerous little villages we came across and answered our hundreds of questions about the area and the people.

The Cotswolds

Our first stop was Oxford where we wandered around and found this tiny little cemetery right in the middle of town.

Cemetery in Oxford

We then went on to Blenheim Palace. It was absolutely stunning. From the gorgeous inside to the vast gardens and estate, it was a regency romance novel come to life. I could easily imagine The Cowkids running away from nannies and hanging from trees and The Cowboy would have spent hours hunting and riding his horse while I whiled away the hours reading and walking the grounds. Trust me, I dare you to spend more than 15 minutes in an actual palace and NOT go into daydream mode!

Blenheim Palace dining room

Blenheim Palace

We then meandered through the countryside and saw a few filming spots from one of my favorite shows, Downton Abbey.

Church where Mary was married and Edith was jilted in Downtown Abbey

We even saw a crew preparing to film the new Emma movie. It turns out they had been in town several weeks before, painted everything to look historical and even wired flowers onto buildings and fences. They then filmed the segments they needed. Before they left, they put everything back to the way it was…only to learn that they had to reshoot some of the scenes. This meant they had to repeat the entire process again! No wonder all those movie budgets are so massive.

Setting up for filming of Emma

The next day we went to Sudeley castle and I think it was one of my favorite places in all of England.

The ruins of the tithe barn at Sudeley Castle

From the ruins to the gorgeous gardens it was a real-life fairy tale.

Sudeley Castle and Garden

On our free day (we made sure to always schedule a few days where we had nothing to do) we hiked down to the town of Broadway and then through the nearby rolling hills and flower filled fields to Broadway Tower. It was 6 miles of pure bliss.

Cotswold Flowers

I couldn’t get over how all the towns were full of quaint cottages. They were covered in flowering vines, with brightly painted doors and windows with lace curtains. I’ve already told The Cowboy that if I ever go missing this is where he will find me…

Quaint Cottage

Our Guide Ian explained that it’s actually the law that the homeowners maintain the historical look to their homes. The problem is, it’s very expensive and the craftsmen/women that know how to create the stone fences and cottages are fewer and fewer as time goes on.

Ending our trip with a relaxing three days in the countryside was perfect. We were rested, rejuvenated, and ready to get home and snuggle The Cowkids!

I have nothing negative to say about our trip. Even the 9 hour flight was completely fine, not a single complaint!

It was wonderful to slip away from the must do’s and have to’s of regular life and simply make memories with The Cowboy.

Prairie Wife and The Cowboy in the Cotswolds

On the way home, we began plotting planning our next trip away, which I think will be to Italy…time to start saving lol!

NOTES

The pace in the country is much slower than in London. Rather than becoming frustrated with it, enjoy it and relax!

There are Public Paths that criss-cross all over the countryside and take you everywhere in England. Much like the public hiking trails in America, as long as you are respectful, you can use them. Unlike the mountain trails here, they are REALLY HARD to spot lol. Look for a gap in the walls or hedges that have a fence and a palm-sized yellow arrow telling you where to go.

Public Paths

Bring sunscreen, if you’re hiking about for more than 30 minutes you’ll need it!

There are some darling stores and antique shops in these little towns, make sure you set aside some time to stop in and browse.

Feel free to take pictures of the charming cottages, but remember they are still people’s homes and keep a respectful distance.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions, I’m also wondering if it would be helpful to create a what to pack for international travel post?!

If you’re interested in your own trip to The Cotswolds feel free to contact our travel agent Patti Peddem pattip@travelsociety.com (303)503-7034

Categories: Life As It Happens, Prairie Life

Tags: , blenheim palace, England, english cottages, english countryside, public footpaths, sudeley castle, The Cotswolds