Today's guests were from Sydney, Australia and staying at Bull in Burford. We had discussed our day and a half together over the previous couple of months by email. So was looking forward to meeting Debrah and David.
The forecast was for a lovey day. We first passed through the tranquil village of Swinbrook before reaching Bourton-on-the-Water, which at this time of year was relatively quiet. I left Debrah and David to explore and enjoy the town with time for a stop for coffee and scones.
We carried on and stopped just to have alook at the old mill in lower Slaughter. Driving through Upper Slaughter we carried on and it was approaching 1:00pm and I was thnking of somewhere to go for lunch.
Around 1pm, we arrived at the Plough at Ford, one of my favourite pubs. I left Debrah and David to enjoy a hearty lunch. When I picked them up they were buzzing about the delicious food and an intriguing conversation they couldn’t help but overhear.
We got out to look at Stanway House from the churchyard. Then on the road to Stanton we stopped to chat to the gamekeeper, who I knew. After chatting away he took us through the field to get a closer look at the guns in time to watch the pheasants being driven over them
We made a brief stop at Chipping Campden, taking time to have a look at the historic Market Hall and William Greville’s house, a remarkable structure dating back to the mid-14th century. We drove past the ruins of Baptist Hicks’ manor and slowly past the picturesque thatched cottages.
As dusk settled, we arrived at our final stop, Stow-on-the-Wold. With just enough time for some last-minute shopping, I paused outside the Porch House, proudly showcasing England’s oldest hotel, steeped in history and dating back to 947 AD. Its charm added a perfect ending to our day.
It was a fantastic day, with highlights including lunch at the Plough and our time with the gamekeeper on the Stanway Estate—two unique glimpses into English rural life. Wishing you an incredible river cruise. It was a pleasure meeting you both.
