The Cotswolds

For my wedding anniversary (mid-May) I usually plan a weekend away with my husband and daughter. One thing we can’t guarantee though, is the weather! So, this year, we decided against a trip to the seaside and spent a weekend in the Cotswolds instead. We stopped at the lovely Eynsham Hall, in Witney. It’s a stunning country house, with beautiful gardens. A perfect base for exploring the Cotswolds.

Eynsham Hall

During the weekend we went out and about, exploring some of what the Cotswolds has to offer. We visited Witney, Bourton-on-the-Water and the Cotswolds Wildlife Park and Gardens.

Witney is a market town in Oxfordshire. It’s a nice place to while away a few hours. There are plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you busy. Witney Lake and Meadows is just a short walk from the town centre, and Blenheim Palace is only a few miles away. Plus, the town centre offers free parking. For more information on Witney, like what to do and where to stay, visit the Witney website: http://www.witney.net/

I loved Bourton-on-the-Water. It’s such a lovely village. The river Windrush runs through the village and there are benches and grassy areas where you can sit and enjoy the river. Plus, there are bars, restaurants and tea rooms dotted along the riverbank, making good use of the lovely views. Two attractions to visit in Bourton are: the Model Village (which I visited as a child) and Birdland (which I plan to visit with my family later in the year). However, these are just a couple of ideas, there’s a lot more to see and do there. For more information, visit https://www.bourtoninfo.com/

Our visit to the Cotswolds Wildlife Park and Gardens was probably my favourite part of the weekend. It was recommended to me by a friend, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The park is so well laid out and the gardens are stunning. The park is home to over 250 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates. The park is involved in numerous captive breeding programmes (to help threatened and endangered animals), and it helps fund conservation work in the wild (in countries such as – Madagascar, Uganda, Mongolia and Thailand). A highlight of the visit, for me, was that you can get really close to a number of the animals. The walk-through lemur enclosure was great. We were there for the lemur feeding and talk. To get that close to the lemurs was just wonderful. Also, there is a viewing platform to see the giraffes, making you pretty much at eye-level with them. I thought that was such a good idea. There is a train that takes you around the park, you can watch the penguins being fed, there’s a children’s playground and farmyard area, and a nice restaurant for when you fancy a bite to eat (and plenty of picnic areas, if you prefer to bring a packed lunch). There is loads to see and do there. It certainly makes for a great day out. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Plus, it offers student discount, which is even more of a bonus! For more information, visit https://www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk/

Penguin feeding

There is so much more to see and do in the Cotswolds. A weekend break only really gives you a taste of what’s on offer. With the Cotswolds only being about an hour drive from Coventry, I definitely recommend it for a visit. We’ll certainly go back.