I took a tour from London to the Cotswolds to visit several locations. The Cotswolds are an area in England where the limestone is close to the surface and therefore changes land use. The land is good for grazing and not crop farming. This opened up the area for woolen markets. The stone was used to build houses in the iconic light brown color. Later, when markets changed and the area remained relatively unchanged, it became a tourist generation due to the quaint towns.
The first town was Bilbury.
Bourton on the Water
It is said that if you dip your toe in the river you will have a year of good luck. Of course I did.
I stopped to get ice cream from one shop. The flavor was cherry and clotted cream. Delicious.
Temple Guiting is a knights Templar church. Very different looking than the other churches and especially with a small door in the back that is permanently sealed. It is called the devil’s door and where he cannot enter as it is locked…
Snowshill is the location for shooting parts of the Bridget Jones diary films.
This is the Bridget Jones house.
On the way out we went by a lavender farm (not the right season) that was created when a woman learned her family would need to sell the failing farm. She now employs many local people and they bought land for planting for their international business. (Cotswold Lavender)
A little further away there was a gentleman who had a fair bit of land and wanted to marry the woman he loved. Her response was that he did not have a castle so instead he made a tower for her. On the grounds are red deer.
Chipping Campden. We stopped here for lunch and to view the only a stone houses in the area with peat roofs.
Stratford upon Avon. The statue and home of William Shakespeare. They also have a marker for Greenwich mean time.
A really long day with lots to see. Beautiful country worth seeing.