Hidden Cotswold Tour 30th July 2023

Sunday morning, the sun was shining and all looking good. I was there at 10 to start the day.  The forecast was good until the afternoon. So, off we set.

Upper Slaughter

One village that had been missed out of their tour was that of Upper Slaughter, so this had to be our first port of call.  We parked up and wandered up to the church and then took the little loop past the ford along the river and back to the car.
The sun continued to shine and Kay had more opportunities for photos including a flock of sheep disturbed by the farmer on his tractor.

St. Peter's Church in Upper Slaughter

Upper and Lower Slaughter – the slightly macabre name comes from the Anglo/Saxon word for marsh. Lower Slaughter Mill is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. Upper Slaughter is equally attractive – and one of only 14 Double-Thankful villages in England, villages that lost no men during either World War I or II. The villages are are linked by the gently flowing River Eye.

Journey to Sudeley Castle

John had pre-booked tickets for Sudeley Castle.  With a little time to spare, I wanted to take the scenic route with some wonderful views.
I was met by the ‘Road Closed’ sign and throwing caution to the wind I recklessly ignored the warning.  So many times a sign like this is not necessarily true.  But as luck would have it, this time it was closed 😣
On the plus side, Kay managed to get some good shots across the valley and some shots of obliging cows.

This is the picture you were desperately seeking. But we were too late in the year. I took this picture in June last year.

Sudeley Castle

We were not too late at Sudeley and there was no issue with the allotted time slot.
Kay and John followed the path to the castle whilst I took to the cafe and a cup of coffee and also a bit of time to write up yesterday’s blog.
By now the forecast rain had decided to come a little earlier than forecast and I took cover under my umbrella and waited.
When they came out and into the gift shop Kay said she had no words for the tour.  I took that as good sign!

With royal connections spanning a thousand years, Sudeley Castle has played an important role in the turbulent and changing times of England’s past.
Today Sudeley Castle remains the only private castle in England to have a queen buried within the grounds – Queen Katherine Parr, the last and surviving wife of King Henry VIII – who lived and died in the castle.

Pub just outside Winchcombe

While thay had been looking around the castle I was trying to sort out lunch.  This was more difficult than anticipated.  Firstly it was Sunday and secondly it was raining and all the local pubs were booked 😫
But, I persevered and found a pub “Ye Olde Hobnails Inn” in Little Washbourne and after a trip up and down the high street in Winchcombe we drove for lunch.

Ye Olde Inn

The name Winchcombe means ‘valley with a bend’, and today the town still retains street which curve gracefully along the ‘combe’. The inns, restaurants, tea rooms, and shops set among Winchcombe’s three main streets are full of the character of times past. In the early 1600’s the Winchcombe area was know for tobacco growing and was banned in 1619 due to the vested interest of the industry in America and other colonies.

Stow-on-the-Wold

Lunch for both John and Kay included a Yorkshire Pudding, which, looking at their finished plates, was given the thumbs up.
It was getting close to 3pm and we needed to be at Daylesford at 3.30 so we had to get a move on.  All doing well until we hit Stow, the usual bottleneck of the area.  But with some gentle coaxing we pushed our way through and got to Daylesford 5 minutes late.

Wonky House Stow-on-the-Wold

Stow-on the-Wold is the highest of the Cotswold towns standing exposed on 800 feet high Stow Hill at a junction of seven major roads, including the Roman Fosse Way. The vast Market Square testifies to the towns former importance. Around the square the visitor is faced with an elegant array of Cotswold town houses and shops.

Bamford Wellness centre

They had both booked full body massages and I left them to it.
About an hour and a half later they emerged looking good.  
My plans of having a relaxing cup of tea in the cafe were thwarted as it was now 5.30 and the cafe was closed at 5.30.  Despite the charm I tried to turn on the young waitress was not relenting and we had to leave 😪

Daylesford farm shop is a truly special shopping experience, with an abundance of fresh organic produce to tempt you.
Your senses will drift from the cheeses to the fresh meat to the wines. Don’t be put off by some of the eye-watering prices as it’s the perfect stop for a relaxing cup of tea and to lap up the luxury of this place.

Route

So it was back to Stow with a minor detour via the co-op for supplies for tonight and their onward journey tomorrow.
It was such a pleasure spending time with you both and getting to know you.  Some of your stories made my jaw drop whilst one brought tears to my eyes.
I wish you a safe and fabulous onward journey in the UK and also back home.
I look forward to updates and the photo video 🤩

Hidden Cotswold Tour 30th July 2023

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