FROM A WEEK IN THE COTSWOLDS.

from a week in the

the cotswolds.

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Over the last few years, travelling to different places around England, I’ve driven through the Cotswolds and each time I’ve promised myself I’ll stay longer than a couple of hours. Finally, back at the beginning of November, during the peak of autumn and the height of the beautiful colours of the season, I had the chance to stay in possibly the cosiest cottage, in the heart of a picturesque Cotswolds village hosted by Boutique Retreats.

Before I get into the details of our stay– a little about Boutique Retreats– they specialise in short breaks in a selection of homestays and luxury holiday cottages around the UK. They provide a personal service, offering the opportunity to arrange catering, food deliveries from local providers, booking restaurant reservations in the area and in general helping you to explore and discover more about where you’re staying.

After a few hours spent driving through the countryside we arrived at Shepherd’s Cottage in the beautiful small village of Broad Campden– before the sun went down and we settled in for the evening we headed out for a short walk to explore the village.

Broad Campden is just a mile away from the larger town of Chipping Campden, you can take a 20 minute walk straight from the door of the cottage across the fields to get to the nearest local shops, delis and cafes or it’s just a 5 minute drive if you prefer. We payed a visit to Chipping Campden the next day, after a very cosy nights sleep and slow morning in– there is plenty to explore and the walk across the fields from the cottage made it feel like we’d been transported back in time a couple of hundred years, it was all very idyllic.

Shepherd’s Cottage consists of a beautiful country kitchen with range cooker that kept every corner toasty warm, cosy living room complete the most amazing fireplace and wood burner, perfect for curling up in front of at the end of a day spent exploring (or at any time of day, to be honest). Upstairs are two perfectly appointed bedrooms– one with a dreamy window seat which I took full advantage of during a slow morning with a cup of coffee.

As is often the custom, the lovely owners of Shepherd’s Cottage left a welcome hamper, full of local produce and very welcome indeed, especially before we had the chance to visit the local shops. Our favourite was a deli called Fillet and Bone in Chipping Campden, a place with all the produce you might need for a few days, sourced as locally as possible.

As we were fortunate enough to spend a midweek in this beautiful corner of the Cotswolds there was plenty of time to explore. During our stay we wandered around the charming Bourton-on-the-Water– known for the river Windrush running through the village– we payed a visit to Bakery on the Water and took our coffee and pastries to sit by the river, it was a very peaceful spot.

Just a few minutes away lies the villages of Lower and Upper Slaughter– arguably the most picturesque in the Cotswolds. Lower Slaughter is well known as a popular period filming location (I was very excited to see the streets where Emma, one of my favourite films was filmed) and you can completely see why– it’s very much unspoilt and wandering around feel like you stepped right back in time.

Before we began the journey home, we were able to make to time to stop at Stow-on-the-Wold, another beautiful small town with more than enough shops and cosy cafes to keep you occupied for the afternoon. We particularly liked Coach House Coffee, Tara Antiques & The Borzoi Bookshop.

I can’t recommend Shepherd’s Cottage enough as a perfect place to spend a few days away in the Cotswolds– not only is it a great location for enjoying the surrounding area but you could easily spend your time making the most of the quiet in the cottage– making cinnamon pancakes for breakfast, keeping cosy by the fire and reading in the comfy armchairs all afternoon. We tried to do a little bit of everything and had the best week– we would definitely visit again, if we ever had the chance.

My stay at Shepherd’s Cottage was complimentary via Boutique Retreats— as always all content & opinions are my own.