Inside the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, a short distance from London
Taylor Swift retreated here after her Wembley shows, and Ellen Degeneres is the latest A-Lister to flee Trump by moving to the Cotswolds, already home to the Beckhams, Kate Moss, Damien Hirst and Jeremy Clarkson. In short, the Cotswolds is popping off, and has been for a number of years, thanks to its easy commute to the capital, cutesy villages and quintessential English charm.
It’s fairly common to be in New York or California and hear well-heeled Americans fantasising about spending a week in the ‘Caatssswolds’, imagining that it’s something like Cameron Diaz in The Holiday. And they’d be exactly right.
One of the cutest villages, Bourton-on-the-Water, which has earned the nickname the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, has become a slight victim of its own success: overtourism means that parking coaches has become a problem for visiting day-trippers. But go for the weekend, stay in a gorgeous cottage and you’ll have time to get properly under the skin of this stunning countryside locale.
THE HOME
I stayed at Millstone Cottage with a group of old university friends. A Cotswold Hideaways property, it was perfect for what we wanted, with a vast garden, living area and dining space and six generously portioned bedrooms. Old, thick walls meant solo guests like me slept soundly despite screaming babies in other rooms.
There was a log burning open fire, a lovely bath and Netflix on the TV. I liked how the Cotswolds Hideaways website feels intuitive, with clear, easily digestible information and thoughtful summaries of things to do in the local area. Dogs are welcome too for a small extra cost, so long as they’re “well behaved.”
Millstone Cottage is a few minutes’ walk from the centre of Bourton-on-the-Water, where we ventured during the day times after cosy evenings holed up in the cottage.
THINGS TO DO
It’s the Cotswolds, baby! Ten years ago it would have been all about country walks past cute little streams, disused mills and quaint bridges. Now, thanks to the A-List pile-on and Instagrammers, it is all of those things, but with an unnerving amount of selfie sticks and influencers to muscle past. That’s why I went out of season, in the winter, when Bourton-on-the-Water was fairly quiet, and the shops easy to browse. September onwards should guarantee a brilliant experience, and staying overnight means you can sneak back into the prettiest parts of the village once other tourists have bolted.
Go to the model village, mooch the shops selling delightful homewear and clothing, then end up in one of the pubs by the water. But first, we went for a two-hour ramble; follow the Windrush Way or the Warden’s Way for easy ambles, but both connect with the Cotswold Way and The Oxfordshire Way for a more ambitious day out.
Back in the village centre, don’t miss a visit to The Motoring Museum where the original Brum car from the ‘90s TV show resides. If you’re of Millennial age or older, prepare to be overwhelmed with nostalgia when you see his little bulb eyes light up. Charming stuff. We finished up with great pub food spun in a refined style (I doubt Ellen appreciates her Yorkshire puddings soggy nor her pork overcooked). The Old New Inn (confusing name but with great TripAdvisor ratings), The Old Manse and The Duke of Wellington are some of your options for a decent pub lunch.
VISIT YOURSELF
From £1,223 for the whole property for a short break; go to cotswoldshideaways.co.uk or call 01451 887766 to book.
Read more: Why the Cotswolds is perfect for an October holiday