*This trip was booked in collaboration with Kip Hideaways (I received press discount on this occasion) but all imagery and thoughts are my own as always!
Last week I was lucky enough to get away for a few days and the change of scenery has done me the world of good! Being cooped up in our little Manchester abode for so long has really made me appreciate the travel aspect of my job in a whole new way. I’ve realised how integral it is to the creativity part of my brain and just how much it influences my motivation and productivity levels. Waking up somewhere different has really been the reset that I needed – a mere two and a half hour drive away to the beautiful Cotswolds…
This location is perfect for anyone who wants to explore The Cotswolds because it’s central and about a twenty minute drive to each of the surrounding towns/villages. It has three bedrooms (all with double beds) so ideal for families or groups of friends that want to escape the city for a few days. The kitchen/dining room area is huge and opens up onto a generous garden area with outside seating – it’s such a dreamy property for entertaining in! You really wouldn’t have to leave the cottage at all to have a good time. Dinners and game nights here would the best! There’s even a little cinema room that doubles up as an office during the daytime and a roll top bath if you fancy hibernating with a glass of wine and a good book. All bases are truly covered…
It’s called Traders Cottage over on the Kip Hideaways website & you can check it out here!
We spent most of our time in the kitchen/dining room because it was such a lovely social area to prepare food in whilst also getting some work done from the kitchen table. There’s a few surrounding fields that you can walk through if you fancy a little stroll at an point but most of the sites worth seeing are a short drive away…
We visited Stow-on-the-Wold which was beautiful and full of lots of interesting little shops and boutiques. You can park in the main square and everything is within a very short walking distance so it’s the perfect afternoon even if it’s raining! We also visited Bibury which was once described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in England’. It’s certainly picturesque and feels like something from a fairytale when you’re walking around the rows of little cottages with their tiny painted doors. It’s the perfect place to wander on a sunny afternoon and soak up all the honey coloured architecture that The Cotswolds is known for…
Moreton-in-Marsh also comes highly recommended in terms of places to visit as does Chipping Campden but we didn’t want to spend too much time in the car as the cottage was just so lovely. Broadway isn’t far away either but I’ve been there a few times now so it wasn’t top of the list. I’ve previously stayed at both The Fish Hotel & Foxhill Manor if you’re looking for an incredible place to stay in Broadway!)
Another thing I’d really recommend for a rainy afternoon is heading to the Daylesford Organic Farm shop – they have everything there from a butchers, a homeware section, and all the best organic produce you could imagine. It’s also just a beautiful location with a little garden centre so there’s lots to take in whilst you pick up some treats to take back to the cottage! I got lots of DM’s about this place when I tagged my location so it’s obviously very popular for a reason. It’s quite expensive (as with most places like this) but well worth it if you want to prepare something fancy back at the cottage rather than dine out…
(It’s also close to Stow-on-the-Wold – something to bear in mind so you don’t end up going back on yourself!)
My absolute favourite thing we did whilst in The Cotswolds?
We visited Bourton-on-the-Water which is known for it’s low bridges and traditional stone houses – it’s also referred to as ‘The Venice of the Cotswolds’ and you can really see why if you visit on a sunny day. I really didn’t expect to love it so much here but it has everything you need for the perfect day out in the sunshine. There’s lots of cute cafes and pubs to choose from – The Kingsbridge Inn is great for fish and chips and there’s also a beautiful restaurant called The Rose Tree that I really recommend booking in advance if you plan on visiting anytime soon. If you don’t fancy a meal then there’s homemade fudge shops and ice cream stalls aplenty! There’s also a few great bakeries and places to pick up fresh cakes & pastries that you can eat by the river (bring a blanket to sit on).
All in all, a wonderful few days away with a nice mixture of work and leisure time that’s really helped me reset a little bit and find my feet when it comes to exploring new parts of the world again. I hope you enjoyed this blog post and found it helpful if you’ve been thinking about planning a trip to The Cotswolds – we had such a lovely time and any kind of travel feels so much more special after the past year. I will cherish these last minute little getaways the most…
Photographs taken on film
You can find more info about Traders Cottage over on the Kip Hideaways website!
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