If You Go: Cotswolds

We loved our time in the Cotswolds....I wish we had a week instead of 3 days!  So much to see and do.  But...below are the deets:

Air BnB 

Air BnB - Northleach: We stayed at a lovely two bedroom cottage in the adorable village of Northleach.  It was next door to a lovely Michelin guide listed restaurant and a short walk from a grocery store and wine bar.  Great spot for exploring the Cotswolds.

Restaurants 

Wheatsheaf Inn: Right in Northleach, down from the cottage we stayed in was the amazing Wheatsheaf Inn.  P maintains that it was the best lamb he has had in his life and I loved my cauliflower steak.  Fancy and a bit pricey, but well worth it!

Red Lion - Chipping Norton: A decent pub that was a great stopping point before we hiked around Chipping Norton fields

Things To Do 

Roman Baths: Seeing the Roman Baths in the city of Bath was truly amazing.  It was a reminder of how advanced the Romans were and how far their empire reached!

Bleinheim Palace: The birthplace of Winston Churchill and the home of the Duke of Marlborough this is one of the fanciest homes in England.  Just gorgeous inside and out!

Village Hopping: The thing to do in the Cotswolds...hopping from village to village seeing the beautiful stone homes, ancient thatched roofs, and green rolling hills.  We didn't have nearly enough time...but it was a lovely day!

Picturesque + Quaint Cotswolds

I am so behind in blog posting.  We're trying to make the most of these last weeks here in England and between friends, family, and personal travel, there has not been as much time for blogging as I would have liked! 

...but we did make it to the Cotswolds and it was just as beautiful as we expected it to be! We were blessed with some beautiful weather as we toured the famed Blenheim Place (where Churchill was born and many Dukes of Marlborough have lived), hiked through some of the most beautiful countryside, and visited the roman baths in Bath.  We had a couple of friends in town who are embarking on a round-the-world tour, so it was wonderful to welcome them to the island and show them why we have loved living here.

So without further comment...the picturesque Cotswolds:

First, a stop at Blenheim Palace.  It housed one of the most magnificent libraries I have visited and the manicured gardens provided a perfect spot to pose:

Speaking on manicured gardens...their hedge maze was really incredible.  Like Hampton Court, but with better spots to capture the experience:

The front gate with our friends Karen and David...we lucked out and had very few other tourists there:

How cute is this village pub with ivy covered walls and a small trout farm:

We stayed in the small village of Northleach and happened upon this incredible church in a town of ~200. Amazing

We lucked out with Daffodil season, they were everywhere!

No surprise, but P took out his drone and captured an aerial view of one of the beautiful villages in the Cotwolds:

On our hike, we loved seeing the adorable lambs of the season:

Our final stop was the city of Bath where there are some incredibly well-preserved Roman Baths.  The size and detail of the Baths impressed us: