English Breakfast

Upon checking in yesterday morning the lady advised that that breakfast was served in the dining area from 8 am – 10 am.  Not having yet had an English breakfast, we made our way down the steps at about 9:00 am to be greeted at sat in the dining room and told that we could order whatever we wanted.  I did not necessarily need or want a full English breakfast, but soon found myself with a lovely plate of food in front of me, along with a delicious latte.  The dining room was pretty quiet, a much different site than we had witnessed last night.  I made my way over to the bar area to cash out to be informed that breakfast was included in our room.  What a wonderful surprise.  The Hilton franchise could take a few notes from the New Inn at Coln, spacious rooms, cozy bar and restaurant downstairs, and breakfast included, we are in heaven.   I never want to leave.  Today was designated for all things The Cotswolds.

Burton on the Water

The first stop of our adventure began in Bourton-on-the-Water, often dubbed the “Venice of the Cotswolds.” Just a short drive from our starting point in Coln St Aldwyns, Bourton welcomed us with its serene river, arched stone bridges, and charming cafes. We spent the morning wandering along the water’s edge, dipping into a shop or two, marveling at the perfectly preserved cottages, and indulging in the peaceful ambiance, with the small exception of all the tourists.  

We grabbed a tea for two at the local bakery, called Bakery on the Water, as well as a raspberry donut.  It was a nice welcomed break, but soon became overrun with tourists, so we made our way out.  Little did we know that there was the main creek ran right behind where we were.  I had now wished we had spent our time out on the patio listening to the rushing waters.

Snowshill

Snowhill was the quintessential Cotswolds village.  It had a tourist attraction, the “Manor” which we chose to forego as it seemed that was where everyone was and chose to have a pint at The Snowshill Arms.  It has been run since 1826, and if I had to guess the carpet is the same since its inception. I enjoyed watching a threesome sitting at the bar stealing the newspaper’s crossword puzzle from each other while enjoying their pints.  We had a nice little walk around the village admiring the small stone homes, many of which seemed to be holiday rentals, and the town’s church before heading back to the car park to head to our next destination.  

Stowe-On-The-Wold

Stow On The Wold was so fascinating that it warranted zero photo opportunities of the town.  It was more of a tourist trap with lots of tea shops and places to stay with a few shops.  We did grab a bit to eat at The Talbot’s. Although Nick is doing a fantastic job of navigating driving on the opposite side of the car, on the opposite side of the road, my stomach is not feeling it.  Needless to say, not being able to see what he sees on the curvy, one-lane roads not only is testing my tummy but also my nerves.  We shared a bite of Rarebit and tomato and red pepper soup and finished with a Sticky Toffee with custard.  We then wandered through the little alleyway behind the pub and through the town’s church, but then back to our car to make a quick drive through our next destination Buford, which did not seem to be much than a bunch of shops.  

The Stump

Back to the hotel for a quick, much-needed nap on my part, we headed back out for Cisterine.  Only to sadly find that we arrived way too late as all of the adorable-looking shops were closed for the day.  Even the church had a sign that said, no sightseeing.  We had planned to spend some time here before making our way to the sister restaurant where we were currently staying, The Stump.  I had thought that it was in a little village, but we found it to be out in the countryside.  Similar to our Inn, it was a bunch of rooms with a restaurant, mostly focused on pizzas, and the “locals bar”.  We tried several different doors before being successful in finding one that opened and then navigating through to find the hostess stand.  We arrived to find that their tables were all spoken for, but were able to sit at the bar and order drinks and pizza.  After divulging our drinks and food we decided that with the sun shining we would head back to our inn to enjoy some more beverages and snacks in the bar downstairs while also enjoying a quick FaceTime with mom and Rosemary (who is home at sick with an 82 degree temp, I need someone to check this poor girls thermometer :)!  

We finished out our evening savoring the last evening hours of this lovely place, which deserves its own blog post.  It has been quite the treat on this trip, such a slowdown from the business that was London.  The team here has all been wonderful, making me delicious gin drinks, big fan of their rhubarb and ginger gin mixed with ginger ale.  We shared some rosemary salt fries and finished with the best sticky toffee and ice cream.  Last night at dinner our waitress told me that was her favorite, but she’d suggest the Guinness cake as you can get sticky toffee anywhere.  I agree, you can’t get it anywhere, as I did get some at lunch today, but this was wonderful.  I’ll see if I can get some at breakfast tomorrow.