Author Archives: Greg

Day 14 in England – A Perfectly British Day: Stonehenge, Scones, and Rain

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Greg

DAY 14 – SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2026

We enjoyed a slower start to the day with breakfast at our hotel before packing up and getting ready for our 10:30 AM taxi pickup. After several days of hiking, sightseeing, and constantly repacking our bags, a relaxed morning felt nice.

Our driver first brought us to Stonehenge, about an hour from Bath. Before arriving, we had downloaded the audio tour provided by English Heritage Society, which added a lot to the experience. Standing in front of Stonehenge in person is one of those moments where you suddenly realize just how ancient human history really is.

The monument dates back roughly 4,500 years ago, with the earliest construction believed to have begun around 3,000 BC and the larger standing stones added later around 2,500 BC. Historians and archaeologists still debate exactly how the stones were transported and assembled, especially considering some of the smaller “bluestones” were brought from Wales, over 150 miles away. It is incredible to think about the planning, engineering, and sheer effort required to create something so massive without modern tools or machinery.

While many details remain unknown, Stonehenge is widely believed to have served ceremonial and burial purposes, with strong connections to the summer and winter solstices. The stones are carefully aligned with the movement of the sun, particularly sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice. Even thousands of years later, the precision of the layout is remarkable.

We spent quite a while walking the path around the monument, listening to the stories and theories through the audio guide, and simply taking it all in. It really is one of those places that feels both mysterious and awe-inspiring at the same time.

After our visit, and a quick lunch in the café, we climbed back into the taxi for the just-over-two-hour drive to London. We arrived at our hotel shortly before 4:00 PM and decided we should get out and explore our new neighborhood for this part of the trip: Marylebone.

We wandered along Marylebone High Street, which was lined with cafés, bakeries, bookstores, and stylish shops. Along the way we passed Marylebone Town Hall and counted four different wedding parties coming and going. Apparently Sunday is a very popular wedding day in London!

A little farther down the street we found ourselves outside the elegant Landmark London hotel. We stepped inside “just to look around” and immediately found ourselves admiring the hotel’s stunning glass-covered atrium filled with towering palm trees and natural light. Since it was well past our normal tea time, we decided it only made sense to stay for tea and scones. Sometimes you simply have to make sacrifices for the sake of the travel experience.

After our snack break we attempted to continue toward Regent’s Park, but the weather had other ideas. Rain arrived unexpectedly and, unfortunately, neither of us had packed raincoats for the evening stroll. With our plans officially dampened, we headed back toward the hotel.

A cocktail and dinner at the restaurant connected to our hotel, followed by a quiet evening to relax, turned out to be the perfect ending to another wonderful day in England.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: afternoon tea in London, Bath to London, England itinerary, England travel blog, English Heritage, Landmark London hotel, London travel, Marylebone, Regent's Park, Stonehenge | Leave a comment

Day 13 in England – From Roman Baths to Rooftop Views: Exploring Bath

Posted on May 20, 2026 by Greg

DAY 13 – SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2026

After a week of packing our bags every morning in the Cotswolds, it felt wonderful to wake up knowing we were staying put for two nights. We happily slept in a bit, still catching up on rest after our hiking adventure.

Our first stop of the day was one final Bridgerton filming location. The beautiful Holburne Museum is just a block from our hotel and serves as the exterior of Lady Danbury’s house in the series. While we did not tour the museum itself, we did enjoy breakfast in the lovely café.

After breakfast we wandered through Sydney Gardens, the historic park located just behind the museum. Dating back to the late 1700s, it is one of England’s few surviving Georgian pleasure gardens and was a favorite walking spot of Jane Austen during the years she lived in Bath. With tree-lined paths, flowers blooming, and the Kennet & Avon Canal passing nearby, it was easy to see why she enjoyed spending time there.

From the gardens we walked down the grand Great Pulteney Street, lined with long rows of elegant Georgian townhouses. Designed in the late 1700s to rival the grand boulevards of Paris, the street feels incredibly wide and stately compared to many of Bath’s smaller lanes. We crossed the iconic Pulteney Bridge, one of only a handful of bridges in the world built with shops lining both sides.

Our next destination was Bath Abbey. For a small admission fee, valid all day, we were able to explore the inside of this stunning church at our own pace. The soaring fan-vaulted ceiling immediately caught our attention. The stonework creates an intricate web overhead that somehow looks both impossibly delicate and incredibly massive at the same time. If you look closely at the ceiling, there really are no corners, which gives the entire space a unique appearance.

The Abbey itself has stood on this site in some form for over 1,200 years, though most of the current structure dates to the late 1400s. It is also the site where the first King of England, King Edgar, was crowned in 973 AD.

After spending some time admiring the architecture and memorials, we purchased additional tickets to return later in the afternoon for the tower tour.

Leaving the Abbey, we had just enough time to grab a pasty, a warm savory pastry filled with meat, potatoes, and vegetables, and enjoy some people watching in the main square. Bath was bustling on this Saturday afternoon. Between tourists, street musicians, and multiple hen parties roaming through town in coordinated outfits, there was never a dull moment.

At 1:00 PM we entered the fascinating Roman Baths. The excellent audio guide walked us through three underground levels that were part museum and part ancient ruins. It is remarkable to think about the engineering required to build and maintain this enormous bathing complex nearly 2,000 years ago.

The “King’s Spring” still produces roughly 257,000 gallons of mineral-rich hot water every day. When the water emerges from underground, it is naturally heated to about 115°F (46°C). Today, the spring water helps supply modern spas and even geothermally heats local buildings, including Bath Abbey, which now has radiant heating beneath its floor.

As we toured the baths, we learned that the Romans strongly believed in the health benefits of alternating hot and cold temperatures. The complex included not only the main hot bath, but also cold plunge pools, steam rooms, heated chambers with fires beneath raised floors, and even exercise areas. Apparently wellness trends, recovery routines, and hot-cold therapy are not nearly as modern as we sometimes think.

We ended our visit by tasting the mineral water ourselves. While the Romans bathed in it, many visitors in the 1700s and 1800s believed drinking the water promoted good health. We hope they are right.

After a couple of hours exploring the Baths, we were more than ready for afternoon tea, which has quickly become one of our favorite daily routines. We found a small Georgian tea room where Karen enjoyed a traditional cream tea while Greg opted for lemon lime cake alongside his tea. Absolutely delicious.

Refreshed and renergized, we returned to Bath Abbey for our “tower tour.” Calling it a tower tour turned out to be slightly misleading because the tower itself is currently under renovation and visitors cannot actually go into it. Still, the tour ended up being one of the most unique experiences of the day.

We climbed a narrow circular staircase to the Bishop’s Gallery, where visiting bishops historically could wave to crowds gathered below. From there we continued up another spiral staircase and carefully crossed a narrow rooftop walkway with wonderful views across Bath.

Eventually we reached the bell room. While we could not see the bells themselves because they are housed higher in the tower, our guides provided information about English change ringing, where teams of people pull ropes in precise mathematical patterns to create constantly changing bell sequences, and the various other ringing mechanisms in the tower.

We also squeezed into tiny spaces to see the Abbey’s clock mechanism and even viewed a ventilation hole cut into the ceiling centuries ago because conditions inside the church had become, well… unpleasant. With people buried beneath the Abbey floor, warmer weather apparently created some challenges.

And there are a lot of people buried there. In total, more than 6,000 bodies lie beneath the Abbey floor, with over 1,500 memorials throughout the church. You could spend hours simply reading the plaques, inscriptions, and engraved floor tiles imagining the stories behind them.

Once back on the street, we wandered through a few shops before the light rain gradually became a steadier drizzle. That seemed like the perfect excuse to stop at Bath Brew House, where Greg sampled a couple of local beers while Karen tried a berry cider from Sweden.

After dinner on the way back to the hotel, we settled into our room for a relaxing evening and, naturally, watched a little more Bridgerton before bed.

Tomorrow begins Part 4 of our trip!

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: afternoon tea in Bath, Bath Abbey, Bath England, Bridgerton filming locations, England travel blog, Holburne Museum, Jane Austen Bath, Pulteney Bridge, Roman Baths, Sydney Gardens | Leave a comment

Day 12 in England – Exploring Bath: Roman History, Bridgerton, and Bath Buns

Posted on May 19, 2026 by Greg

Photo in front of the Royal Crescent in Bath

DAY 12 – FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026

Today marked the beginning of Part 3 of our trip. With a different pace ahead of us, the morning felt much more relaxed. After breakfast at our hotel, we packed our suitcases, loaded them into a taxi, and were on our way.

As we drove along, we said goodbye to the Cotswolds. We absolutely loved spending time in this beautiful part of England, though we were surprised at how quickly the towns passed by when driving. Places that had taken us hours of walking, climbing hills, and crossing fields suddenly seemed only minutes apart by car!

About 90 minutes later we arrived in Bath. After quickly dropping our luggage at the hotel, we headed out to explore. Within a 10-minute walk we found ourselves right in the city center. It took a moment to adjust to the hustle and bustle after a week in the quiet countryside. We probably saw more people standing in the square near Bath Abbey than we had seen on our walk in the Cotswolds over the previous week!

Our first priority was lunch. We ducked into a coffee shop right on Pulteney Bridge so we could enjoy a pasty, a handheld meat pie, while overlooking the River Avon.

Later in the day we learned from our tour guide that “Avon” comes from an ancient Brittonic word simply meaning “river.” That explains why there are several different rivers throughout England all named River Avon. Apparently centuries ago, distinguishing one river from another was not considered especially important.

After lunch we headed to the square in front of Bath Abbey, where we found one of the city’s famous free walking tours. Bath has approximately 100 volunteers known as the Mayor’s Honorary Guides who lead free two-hour tours throughout the week. No tips are accepted. As our guide Martin explained, “We’re just a group of people who love our city.”

The tour was excellent and gave us both a great overview of Bath and plenty of historical context. Because of the area’s geothermal hot springs, Bath has been a destination since the Romans settled here around 60 AD. Much of the city we see today, however, dates to the Georgian and Regency periods of the 1700s, when Bath became a fashionable resort town designed to attract wealthy visitors seeking the therapeutic benefits of the baths.

One amusing detail we learned on our walking tour involved one of the statues to the left of the front entrance of Bath Abbey. According to our guide, the statue’s head was shot off during the civil war centuries ago. When stone carvers later restored it, they supposedly carved the replacement head out of the remaining beard, giving the figure some very unusual proportions. Whether entirely true or slightly embellished over the years, the result definitely looks a bit funny once you notice it, which naturally made it the perfect spot for a photo.

Beautiful Georgian architecture is everywhere in Bath. In addition to Bath Abbey, we visited landmarks including the Royal Crescent and The Circus. Both were revolutionary architectural concepts for their time, using sweeping curved rows of homes to create elegant communal living spaces centered around open green areas. Even today they feel remarkably modern and visually striking.

Unfortunately, about an hour into the tour, the skies opened up and the rain arrived. The tour ended about 25 minutes early, which naturally meant it was the perfect excuse for a tea break.

We headed to Sally Lunn’s, one of the oldest tea rooms in Bath. Sally Lunn is credited with creating the famous Bath Bun, which we quickly discovered is less “bun” and more “giant toasted hamburger roll.” Due to its enormous size, each order comes with only half a bun. Greg ordered the traditional version with clotted cream and strawberry jam, while Karen chose one topped with cinnamon butter. Both were delicious, though we agreed that traditional scones still hold the top spot in our rankings.

By the time we finished tea, the rain had stopped. We had planned to tour Bath Abbey, but learned it had closed early because the city was preparing for Party in the City, a huge annual music festival featuring dozens of performers scattered throughout Bath.

So we pivoted to Plan B: a self-guided Bridgerton tour.

It turns out much of the popular Netflix series was filmed in Bath, and we had a great time walking through locations we immediately recognized from the show. Even though we had already covered many of the same streets during our walking tour, seeing them through the lens of Bridgerton gave us a completely different perspective. Plus, the sunshine had returned, making it a perfect time for photos.

As we wrapped up the tour, we happened to pass the oldest pub in Bath, the Saracen’s Head. Since we were fully committed to absorbing as much Bath history as possible, stopping in felt like the responsible thing to do.

We found a quiet table tucked away from the live music that was starting. Apparently Charles Dickens appreciated this quieter corner as well. He was known to frequent the pub and reportedly worked on portions of The Pickwick Papers while sitting at a table directly across from where we were sitting.

For dinner, Karen’s research led us to a fun cocktail bar and restaurant called The Botanist. From the street, you enter through a narrow hallway that gives little hint of what is inside. Suddenly the space opens into a huge atrium with a massive tree rising through the center. The bar occupies the ground floor while the restaurant wraps around the second-floor balcony overlooking the lively scene below. We enjoyed both our meal and the entertainment of simply watching the crowd and activity around the bar.

Earlier in the day we had received a brochure listing all the Party in the City performances happening throughout Bath. Since we were already out exploring, we decided to check out some of the free music.

We eventually settled into a pub with seating downstairs and the band performing on an upper level. We grabbed drinks and found a table downstairs, which was still more than close enough to fully experience the volume of the music. While the band’s style was not exactly what we expected, we did recognize a few songs and enjoyed soaking in the festive atmosphere before finally calling it a night.

Back at the hotel, we ended the day by rewatching a couple episodes of Bridgerton. It was surprisingly fun recognizing many of the locations we had walked through earlier that day and seeing how Bath had been transformed into Regency London on screen.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Bath Abbey, Bath England, Bridgerton filming locations, England travel blog, Mayor's Honorary Guides Bath, Party in the City Bath, Pulteney Bridge, Royal Crescent Bath, Sally Lunn's Bath, The Circus Bath | Leave a comment

Day 11 in England – From Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh: Full Circle in the Cotswolds

Posted on May 18, 2026 by Greg

Photo on our way out of Chipping Campden

DAY 11 – THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026

Today was our final day of hiking! While we absolutely loved exploring this stunning part of England, we were also looking forward to being done with the daily routine of “bags fully packed and out the door by 8:30 AM.”

Since today’s walk was only a little over seven miles, which now somehow felt “short” to us, we enjoyed a more leisurely breakfast and spent some extra time exploring Chipping Campden before heading out on the trail.

Chipping Campden turned out to be one of our favorite towns in the Cotswolds. The town became wealthy during the Middle Ages because of the wool trade, and many of the beautiful honey-colored limestone buildings still standing today were built with wool money hundreds of years ago. The broad High Street is lined with historic homes, inns, and shops, and it honestly felt like walking through a movie set.

We had read about free walking tours led by the village wardens, so we headed to the old Market Hall to meet the guide. The Market Hall, built in 1627, sits right in the center of town and once served as a covered marketplace where traders sold butter, poultry, cheese, and wool beneath its stone arches while staying dry from the English weather above. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Chipping Campden.

After waiting there for a while with no guide in sight, we eventually learned that the tours do not begin until late May. Fortunately, the tourist information center was directly across the street and provided a self-guided walking tour booklet instead.

We spent the next hour wandering through town learning about the history behind many of the buildings. One interesting thing we saw was a cartwash, one of only a few remaining in England. This stone-lined trench was filled with water so wagon wheels could roll through it. The water helped keep wooden wheels from drying out and shrinking, while also washing off mud during wet seasons. It was basically the medieval version of a car wash.

As we explored the town we also noticed several homes with sundials mounted high on the front walls. Before modern clocks became common, sundials were an important way for people to track the time using the position of the sun. Many homes in the Cotswolds still proudly display them, often with decorative inscriptions or family mottos. The one we photographed looked especially striking against the golden stone of the building, and it was another reminder of just how old many of these homes really are. It is funny to think that a house can casually have a centuries-old timepiece built into the front wall.

We also learned that William Oughtred, the inventor of the slide rule, was born in Chipping Campden. Long before calculators and smartphones, slide rules were used for complex calculations by engineers, scientists, and students. It is funny to think that something once considered cutting-edge technology is now mostly a museum piece.

Nearby we also saw the historic silk mill, a reminder that Chipping Campden became an important center for arts and crafts during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Even today the town still has a strong artisan culture with galleries, studios, and craft shops throughout the village.

After our tour around town, it was finally time to hit the trail again. Today’s route immediately began with a long uphill climb across open fields. It was a solid workout with very few sheep or gates available to distract us from the incline.

About three miles into the walk we arrived in the tiny village of Blockley. Almost immediately we noticed a lot of activity around the church. It looked like something was being filmed. We stopped into Blockley Café for lunch and learned that Blockley is one of the primary filming locations for the BBC series Father Brown.

For those unfamiliar with the show, Father Brown is a long-running British mystery series based loosely on stories by G.K. Chesterton. The main character is a Catholic priest with an uncanny ability to solve crimes in small English villages during the 1950s. Blockley serves as the fictional village of Kembleford in the series, and the church is regularly featured as “St. Mary’s.” The production team has even changed some of the signage around the church to match the fictional setting. Apparently filming in the village is common enough that locals are fairly unfazed by camera crews showing up.

Now, of course, we have another British series to add to our watch list.

While in the café we stopped for lunch, which was also our only real food option along today’s route. Thankfully, this was not just a fine lunch. It was an absolutely delicious lunch and exactly what we needed before the second half of the hike.

Back on the trail we were immediately greeted by another steep uphill climb through a pasture. We were so focused on leaning forward into the incline and trying not to step in the seemingly endless sheep poop that we almost forgot to turn around and enjoy the view behind us. Thankfully we did, because looking back revealed beautiful panoramic views over Blockley and the surrounding countryside.

From there we pressed onward as the trail gradually descended and flattened out. After woods, farmland, sheep, rolling fields, and a grand total of 22 gates, we suddenly found ourselves back in Moreton-in-Marsh, the same town where our walking tour had begun a week earlier. Our journey had officially come full circle.

Our first stop back in town was, naturally, a tea room. We had fully embraced the tradition of a cream tea each afternoon and saw no reason to stop now. After tea we spent a little more time walking through town since we had not explored much during our first stay there, and then we headed to our hotel.

As it turned out, we were assigned the exact same room we had stayed in a week earlier, although it somehow felt like we had been gone much longer than that. The moment we opened the door, Karen immediately stretched out on the bed for a very well-earned 45-minute nap.

After showers, stretching, and a little recovery time, we walked down the street to the Black Bear Inn for dinner. One thing we have really enjoyed throughout this trip is the atmosphere at the local inns and pubs. Every evening they seem to fill up with locals and travelers alike gathering for a pint before dinner. There is just something cozy and welcoming about it.

Tonight, though, a quiet evening sounded perfect. So after dinner we headed back to our room to relax and enjoy the fact that tomorrow’s travel adventure would involve something very different from hiking boots.

Tomorrow: onward by taxi!

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Blockley England, British village travel, Chipping Campden, Cotswold Way walk, Cotswolds hiking, Cotswolds travel blog, England walking holiday, Father Brown filming locations, Moreton-in-Marsh, self-guided Cotswolds tour | Leave a comment

Day 10 in England – Hail, Hills, and Cream Tea: A Wild Day in the Cotswolds

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Greg

DAY 10 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026

We woke up a little stiff, but reasonably rested after yesterday’s long hike. Our bags had to be out by 8:30 AM, but knowing today’s walk was a bit shorter, we did not feel quite as rushed getting out the door.

After breakfast at our inn, we packed up our backpacks and headed out into the very cute village of Broadway. It really is a delightful little place. Some tour books even call it the “Jewel of the Cotswolds,” and honestly, that feels pretty accurate. We poked into a couple of shops, mailed some postcards, and then officially started the day’s hike.

Almost immediately after leaving town, we began a steady uphill climb with plenty of sheep along the way to wish us a good morning.

We also noticed far more hikers than we had seen on previous days, although most seemed to be heading downhill while we climbed upward. Our guess was that many were simply making the trek out to Broadway Tower, our first major stop of the day.

As we climbed, the wind picked up and a light rain started to fall, though it was nothing dramatic. We easily pulled our raincoats out of our backpacks and kept going.

After about 1.5 miles of fairly continuous uphill climbing, we reached Broadway Tower. We decided to pay the admission fee to tour it, and we are glad we did. The tower is what is known as a “folly,” meaning it was originally built purely as an ornamental structure with no real practical purpose. According to the story, the owner built it because his wife wondered whether something on top of this hill could be seen from their home. Apparently, it could.

The tower itself is wonderfully quirky with three turrets, each with a spiral staircase. It has rounded sides, three floors, and a rooftop terrace. Early owners simply admired it from afar, though later it was actually lived in by a writer, his wife, a painter friend, and a caretaker couple. That must have made for some very close quarters.

We enjoyed climbing through the tower and listening to the audio tour. By the time we reached the rooftop terrace, the sun had returned, though the wind was still fierce. We even got to watch a couple taking wedding photos with the tower as their backdrop, which felt appropriately dramatic given the weather.

As we descended from the tower, we decided to stop at the café for a quick lunch since there were no other food stops along today’s route. When we came back outside, we noticed dark clouds and falling rain in the distance. A few minutes later we heard thunder and decided it was probably wise to prepare for whatever might be coming our way.

We put on raincoats, rain pants, and backpack covers and headed out. Five minutes later, while walking across a wide open ridge, it started hailing. Not tiny little hailstones either. This was pea-sized hail that quickly upgraded itself to garbanzo bean status.

Walking through the hail storm

We turned our bodies sideways to protect our faces, but it turns out that hail mixed with strong wind really stings when it smacks into you repeatedly. We half laughed in disbelief and half questioned our choice to continue, but with no trees or shelter nearby, the only real option was to keep walking.

Then, almost as quickly as it started, the hail stopped. Fifteen minutes later the sun was shining brightly again as though none of it had happened.

Nearby, we noticed a herd of sheep sheltering under a tree during the storm. Once it cleared, they began crossing our path toward a wooded area, perhaps wisely deciding they were done trusting the weather forecast for the day. Our pace slowed behind them as we carefully picked our way across a layer of hail covering the trail. The last thing we wanted at that point was to slip and fall into something unpleasant.

The rest of the afternoon took us through more fields of bright yellow rapeseed and barley, wooded stretches, and open pastures. We passed through 19 gates, saw countless sheep, and spotted several pheasants along the way. Although the sun appeared fairly often, we kept our rain gear on because brief showers continued to pop up throughout the afternoon.

Near the end of the hike, our route detoured slightly so we could walk across the ridge at Dover’s Hill for more panoramic views. Sure enough, just as we stepped out into the wide open space, we heard an eerily familiar tap tap tap against our raincoats.

Hail. Again.

Apparently lightning may not strike twice, but hail certainly can.

Thankfully, this second round was much shorter and less aggressive than the first. Soon enough, the skies cleared and we finished our walk in sunshine as we arrived in the lovely village of Chipping Campden. Fun fact: the prefix “Chipping” indicates that it was historically a market town.

We found our hotel, though it was still too early to check in and our luggage had not yet arrived. Naturally, with time to spare, we found a local café and ordered a cream tea. This turned out to be an excellent decision, partly because we have grown very fond of scones, and partly because it started raining again while we sat inside enjoying them.

Once the rain eased up, we made our way to the spa at our hotel. Thinking ahead, we had booked treatments to help with recovery after several long hiking days. It was the perfect place to relax sore muscles, rest, and wait out the off-and-on rain showers.

Eventually we checked into our hotel, showered, changed clothes, and headed out to dinner at the Eight Bells Inn. It is the oldest public house in Chipping Campden and appears on many lists of the “Best Pubs in the Cotswolds.” It absolutely lived up to the reputation as we had a truly delicious dinner.

One especially interesting feature of the pub is a priest hole located right in the middle of the dining room floor, covered with plexiglass and softly illuminated below. During the reign of Henry VIII and the dissolution of the Catholic Church, priests often feared for their lives. Hidden spaces like these were built into homes and buildings so clergy could hide during searches.

After dinner, we made the short five-minute walk back to our hotel and settled into our now traditional evening routine of stretching and a hot bath.

Only one more day of hiking to go!

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Broadway England, Broadway Tower, Chipping Campden, Cotswold Way walk, Cotswolds hiking, Cotswolds weather hiking, Dover’s Hill, Eight Bells Pub, England travel blog, Hammond Adventures, hiking in the Cotswolds | Leave a comment

Day 9 in England – 12 Miles, 49 Gates, and One Missed Lunch in the Cotswolds

Posted on May 16, 2026 by Greg

DAY 9 – TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2026

Today was another early start. Continuing with our now well-established routine, our luggage was out by 8:30 AM, followed by a big breakfast at our inn while we made the major decision of the day. Our tour company offered two options for today’s walk, both ending in the same destination:

Choice 1: a challenging 12-mile route along The Cotswold Way with two major climbs and sweeping ridge-top views.
Choice 2: an easier 9-mile walk through the valley with far less climbing, but without the scenic overlooks.

If you know us, or have been following this trip, you already know which route we chose.

We headed out feeling energized and ready for the challenge. We also left promptly after breakfast because the route notes warned us there was exactly one lunch option along the way and they only served food from 12:00 to 2:00 PM. Based on our pace, we estimated it would take us four to five hours to get there, so there was definitely some extra motivation in our step.

As we left the town of Winchcombe, we passed the ruins of Hailes Abbey, a once-prominent monastery that was largely destroyed during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries in the 1500s. A short while later we climbed up to Cromwell’s Seat, a plateau where Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s infamous right-hand man, is said to have watched the abbey’s destruction. History in England really has a way of casually appearing along a walking trail.

The pep in our steps started to fade as we reached the first major incline, a climb of roughly 900 feet. Still, we steadily pushed upward through beautiful rolling fields, quiet pastures, and plenty of sheep for company.

With lunch still firmly on our minds, we continued on as the trail gently descended into the hamlet of Stanway, home to a remarkable Jacobean manor house that has reportedly only changed family ownership once in more than 1,300 years. About a mile farther down the trail we reached Stanton, our planned lunch stop.

Unfortunately, there was one final obstacle: the restaurant sat at the top of yet another hill.

We arrived at 1:10 PM feeling triumphant, hungry, and very ready to sit down. But when we stepped inside, the lone and very overwhelmed waiter informed us they could not accommodate any more lunch guests.

Not exactly the ending we had envisioned.

So, slightly defeated, we pulled out the protein bars we had thankfully packed and headed back to the trail. It was at about this moment we discovered we were beginning climb ascent number two and this one was steeper than the first.

Somewhere in the middle of that rocky, wooded ascent, surrounded by trees and heavy breathing, we started to question our choice. But after shedding a couple of layers and a large amount of effort, we reached the high point of the day at 973 feet and were rewarded with beautiful panoramic views across the countryside.

Thankfully, the remaining miles were mostly downhill as we wandered through more fields and pastures filled with cows, sheep, and horses. And after passing through our 49th gate of the day, yes, we counted, we finally arrived in the village of Broadway.

With the sun shining on the picturesque town center, we immediately agreed that Broadway was probably our favorite Cotswolds village so far. Since lunch had never materialized, our first priority was finding a tea room where we could gratefully sit down and enjoy an afternoon cream tea. We did manage to stop for a couple of postcards on the way to the hotel, but by that point our enthusiasm for additional sightseeing had faded right along with our leg strength.

Back at the hotel, we peeled off our hiking boots, stretched, showered, and enjoyed a few precious minutes of doing absolutely nothing.

Then it was time for dinner.

We’ve been especially grateful that our friend Bob, who had originally planned to join us on this trip, made dinner reservations for us throughout the Cotswolds. Most of them have been right at the hotels where we are staying, which after days like this has felt like a brilliant strategy.

Tonight’s dinner did not disappoint. A gin and tonic and a delicious meal felt very well earned after twelve miles and two major climbs. We were seated next to a friendly older couple who struck up a conversation after hearing our American accents. They shared that they had both held prominent federal government positions in Washington, DC, before retiring to Palm Beach, Florida. For the past 25 years they’ve spent two to three months every summer in the Cotswolds and prefer crossing the Atlantic by ship rather than flying. It was fascinating hearing their stories and honestly, a welcome distraction from our increasingly sore muscles.

The night ended with a hot bath for Karen and absolutely no trouble falling asleep.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Broadway England, Cotswold Way, Cotswolds, Cotswolds villages, England walking tour, English countryside, Hammond Adventures, hiking in England, self guided walking tour, Winchcombe | Leave a comment

Day 8 in England – Walking Through Sheep Fields and Castles in the Cotswolds

Posted on May 15, 2026 by Greg

DAY 8 – MONDAY, MAY 11, 2026

We were up bright and early and had our bags out by 8:15 AM. After another big breakfast at our hotel (one of the many things we are appreciating about these inns is that breakfast is always included), we packed up and got ready for the day ahead.

The tour company provided a van transfer from Lower Slaughter to Guiting Power, a tiny village about 15 minutes away. We are assuming this section was either not especially scenic, not walker-friendly, or would have turned the day into a marathon rather than a pleasant hike.

During our walks so far, we really have not encountered anyone else clearly doing the same tour as us. There was one other couple in the van this morning who we suspect are following the same route, but for reasons unknown they did not seem especially interested in making new American friends before 10:00 AM.

The driver dropped us off in a small village square with the very detailed instruction: “Go that way.”

Guiting Power itself was tiny but charming. We poked our heads into a small farm shop and a cozy coffee shop that appeared to be the village’s entire commercial district. One interesting feature at the coffee shop was a raised side door for customers arriving on horseback. Sure enough, while we were there, two riders actually showed up and ordered drinks. Apparently “grabbing coffee on the way” means something a little different in the Cotswolds.

After our quick survey of the village square, we headed off on today’s 6.1-mile walk along the Wardens’ Way.

Not long into the walk we found ourselves crossing through a sheep farm filled with adorable lambs. The mothers each had large numbers spray-painted on their sides, and the lambs had matching numbers so they could easily stay paired together. It was surprisingly entertaining to watch the little lambs follow their mothers everywhere while a shepherd cruised around the fields on an ATV keeping an eye on the flock.

One of the things that continues to amaze us is how many public walking paths run directly through active farmland and livestock fields. We regularly find ourselves just a few feet away from sheep, cows, horses, and other animals. Signs frequently remind walkers that these are working farms and the animals are not pets, which is probably wise advice considering how tempting it is to stop and interact with every animal we see. The bigger challenge, however, is balancing the urge to admire the scenery and livestock while also paying close attention to where you are stepping.

We passed bright yellow rapeseed fields, several barley fields, and eventually entered a wooded area just as rain began to fall. For the first time on the trip we had to break out our raincoats and backpack covers. Thankfully the rain stayed fairly light and only lasted about an hour, so it really did not slow us down much.

The walk then continued through two large estates, much of it beneath a canopy of deciduous forest. At times it honestly felt very similar to hiking back home in New England. We finally remembered to count the gates we passed through during the day. Since today involved fewer open farm fields, our official gate count for the day was only 11.

Toward the end of our walk we arrived at Sudeley Castle. We stopped first for a quick lunch at the café before deciding to tour the castle itself.

Originally established as a manor in the 11th century, the castle evolved over hundreds of years into an important Tudor estate. It hosted several English monarchs over the centuries and was heavily damaged during the English Civil War before sitting abandoned for roughly 200 years. In the 1800s it was purchased and gradually restored by a wealthy family, descendants of whom still own and occasionally live at the estate today. Opening the property to visitors, we learned, helps offset the rather significant expense of maintaining a castle. Apparently castle ownership comes with slightly higher upkeep costs than your average suburban home.

We especially enjoyed learning about the castle’s royal history and exploring the ruins of the massive Tithe Barn, where a portion of crops and estate income would historically have been stored for the church. On the grounds is St. Mary’s Chapel, the burial place of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII. After Henry VIII’s death, Katherine lived at Sudeley Castle with her new husband. Her tomb there is believed to be the only resting place of an English queen located on private property.

After spending about 90 minutes exploring the castle and grounds, we walked the final half mile into the village of Winchcombe, our home for the night. We stopped at a pub for an afternoon cream tea before heading to our inn to check in. Winchcombe is small enough that our short walk between the pub and hotel essentially covered the entire downtown area.

Once settled in, we stretched, showered, and headed downstairs for dinner at the inn restaurant. Over dinner we debated tomorrow’s choices: an “easy” 9-mile walk or a “moderate” 12-mile walk.

By now you can probably guess which option we were leaning toward. Stay tuned.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Cotswolds travel blog, Cotswolds villages, Cotswolds walking tour, England countryside hiking, Guiting Power, Hammond Adventures, Katherine Parr tomb, self guided walking tour England, Sudeley Castle, Wardens Way hike, Winchcombe England | Leave a comment

Day 7 in England – Gates, Sheep, and Cream Tea: A Day on the Warden’s Way in the Cotswolds

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Greg

DAY 7 – SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2026

For this part of the trip we were staying at the same hotel for a second night, which felt like a luxury. Since we did not need to have our bags packed and ready for transport, we took advantage of the opportunity to sleep in a little later. After another big breakfast at the hotel, we reviewed the options for the day in our trip app: spend the day exploring a new village about 30 minutes away or tackle a 10-mile circular walk. You can probably guess which option we chose.

Our route out of Lower Slaughter first brought us to Upper Slaughter, a village only about a 15-minute walk away. It was every bit as charming as Lower Slaughter, though even smaller. Essentially one beautiful inn with a Michelin-rated restaurant, a handful of stone cottages.

One interesting thing we noticed while leaving Lower Slaughter was how many of the iconic red British telephone booths had been repurposed. Rather than removing them, several villages have converted them into emergency defibrillator stations. With a quick call to 999, you can receive a code to unlock the machine. It was a clever and practical way to preserve a bit of British history.

For most of the day we followed the Warden’s Way trail. Along the route we again encountered plenty of sheep, cows, and horses, along with a swan, a pheasant, and lots of doves (which sounds better than pigeons). We also passed through what felt like an endless number of gates, each apparently designed by a different engineer with a completely different philosophy on latches and steps.

The scenery changed constantly throughout the day. We crossed farms and open fields bordered by hedges, rows of bridal wreath, and fences ranging from neat wooden rails to ancient stone walls and basic wire barriers. At one point we walked through a wooded area that felt surprisingly similar to hiking in New England back home. Some of the highlights included a narrow path lined with Queen Anne’s Lace and a massive field of bright yellow rapeseed flowers stretching across the landscape. We were proud that we recognized the crop thanks to watching Clarkson’s Farm.

A little less than five miles into the walk, we reached the village of Naunton and stopped at the Black Horse Inn for lunch. It was exactly what you hope to find on a long countryside walk: a cozy pub serving sandwiches and chips (fries), with tired hikers gratefully resting their feet.

Just outside Naunton we came across a restored medieval dovecote. The structure was built centuries ago to house doves, which were once used as a supplemental food source. The dovecote is open to visitors, so we stepped inside and immediately noticed a couple of doves staring at us suspiciously, as though we were interrupting an important meeting. The design was fascinating. Openings at the top allowed the birds to enter while helping keep predators, such as hawks, out.

Several miles later, nearing the end of the route, we arrived in Bourton-on-the-Water, often called the “Venice of the Cotswolds.” Personally, we thought this title might be one of the greatest marketing achievements in tourism history. The Windrush River, while pretty, is really more of a shallow stream winding through the center of town, crossed by five small stone bridges. Not exactly Venice, but definitely picturesque. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, however, it was absolutely packed with tourists and tour buses.

As we entered town, we stopped at Bakery on the Water for afternoon tea, which is rapidly becoming part of our daily routine. Karen enjoyed a traditional cream tea with a scone, clotted cream, and jam, while Greg opted for a Bakewell slice, an almond cake with raspberry filling, along with an iced tea.

Nearby is the famous Model Village. In 1936, the owner of the Old New Inn commissioned the construction of a detailed scale model of Bourton-on-the-Water at one-ninth the size of the actual town. Completed in 1940, it remains one of the area’s most popular attractions. Despite the crowds, we enjoyed wandering through it. One of the funniest moments was watching a cat stroll through the tiny streets looking like a giant movie monster towering over the buildings. The creators also included an even smaller version of the model village within the model itself, which gave the whole thing a fun sense of humor. While Bourton-on-the-Water felt a little touristy for our taste, the Model Village was an interesting stop.

By this point we were ready for the final mile back to our hotel. Conveniently, our route passed directly by Hawkstone Arms and Brewery, Jeremy Clarkson’s pub and brewery. Since we had enjoyed it the night before, we decided an 11-mile walk had earned us another visit. Greg ordered a beer flight to sample more of the Hawkstone offerings, while Karen happily tried the berry cider. It is safe to say she has become a fan of Hawkstone ciders.

With only a short 15-minute walk remaining, we made it back to the hotel with just enough time to shower before our dinner reservation at The Slaughters Country Inn. After a great meal, we returned to our room for some stretching, a hot bath, and an early collapse into bed. Another long walking day awaits tomorrow.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswolds hiking, Cotswolds travel blog, Cotswolds walking tour, England countryside travel, Hammond Adventures, Hawkstone Brewery, Lower Slaughter England, Model Village Bourton-on-the-Water, Upper Slaughter village, Warden’s Way trail | Leave a comment

Day 6 in England – From Moreton-in-Marsh to Lower Slaughter: A Cotswolds Adventure

Posted on May 13, 2026 by Greg

DAY 6 – SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2026

Today was the first official day of our walking adventure through the Cotswolds. We were up early to get organized, eat breakfast, and have our luggage packed and ready for pickup by 8:30 AM. Since we’re combining time in London with a multi-day walking trip, fitting everything into one suitcase each was a challenge. Anything that didn’t fit would have to be carried on our backs for the day, so we packed very carefully.

After another hearty breakfast at the hotel, we grabbed our backpacks and headed out. The tour we booked is “self-guided,” meaning there’s no group and no tour guide. Instead, the tour company provides a smartphone app with the daily itinerary, route descriptions, historical highlights, and an interactive GPS map that shows exactly where you are on the trail. Thankfully, it also alerts you if you wander off course (yes, we did test this feature on our first day).

We started our walk from Moreton-in-Marsh and spent the day crossing fields, farmland, wooded trails, and quiet country lanes. Along the way we passed countless sheep, a few cows and horses, two deer, and more birds than we could possibly identify. What we really should have counted, though, was the number of gates we opened and closed throughout the day. There were a lot.

Two of the many gates we passed through.

Most of today’s route followed part of The Monarch’s Way, a 625-mile footpath that traces the escape route of King Charles II after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Fortunately for us, we could take our time to take in the scenic countryside.

One of the things that surprised us most was the variety of landscapes we traveled through.

England has long-standing public footpath laws that allow walking routes to cross private land, so throughout the day we found ourselves hiking through open meadows, narrow hedge-lined paths, farmland, churchyards, wooded areas, driveways, and even directly through active cow pastures. There were a couple of moments where the cows seemed just as curious about us as we were cautious of them.

We passed through two tiny villages that seemed to consist of a handful of stone cottages and a church before eventually arriving at Stow-on-the-Wold about three hours into the walk. This was by far the busiest place we had seen all day. The town center was packed with visitors enjoying the gorgeous sunny Saturday weather, and the streets were lined with small shops, pubs, tea rooms, and restaurants.

We picked up sandwiches from a small shop and enjoyed lunch outside on a bench while doing some excellent people watching and appreciating the chance to rest our legs for a bit. After lunch we wandered through a few shops and stopped by The Porch House, which claims to be the oldest inn in England, dating back to the 10th century. It only seemed appropriate to honor that history with a beer for Greg and a cider for Karen.

After our break it was time to get moving again. We continued following The Monarch’s Way for the next couple of hours as we made our way toward Lower Slaughter, where we’ll be staying for the next two nights.

As we entered Lower Slaughter we passed the village’s famous old mill along the River Eye, one of the most photographed spots in the Cotswolds and easy to see why. We also wandered through a small arts and crafts show taking place at the village hall before finally arriving at our hotel, relieved to see that our luggage had successfully beaten us there.

After checking in, we explored the hotel grounds, which included a food truck that seemed like the perfect place for a snack after a long day of walking. Unfortunately, we quickly learned that everyone else had the exact same idea. The food truck had already sold out and closed early. Apparently a warm, sunny Saturday in England is treated as a major public event.

A quick Google search revealed that we were only about a 15-minute walk from the Hawkstone Arms, a large covered tent pub next to the Hawkstone Brewery. Both are owned by Jeremy Clarkson, whose farm shop we had visited earlier in the week. It seemed wrong not to go, so we headed over for another well-earned beer for Greg and a delicious rhubarb cider for Karen.

We made it back to the hotel with just enough time to shower and change before dinner across the street. Lower Slaughter is beautiful, but tiny. There are essentially two inns with restaurants, and that’s your dining scene. We enjoyed a very nice, somewhat fancy dinner at The Slaughters Manor House before returning to our hotel for a glass of wine and a smartphone card game (Play Nine) to end the evening.

Before bed, we wisely took time to stretch out sore muscles, while Karen opted for the even wiser strategy of a hot bath. After nearly 12 miles of walking, sleep came pretty easily.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: Cotswolds hiking, Cotswolds villages, Cotswolds walking tour, England countryside travel, Hammond Adventures, Lower Slaughter, Monarch's Way, Moreton-in-Marsh, self-guided hiking tour, Stow-on-the-Wold | 1 Comment

Day 5 in England – From Einstein to Scones: Exploring Oxford in a Day

Posted on May 12, 2026 by Greg

DAY 5 – FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2026

We learned an important lesson during our first night in the “stable room” at the inn: old stone buildings may look charming in photos, but with windows that don’t easily open, they can also double as a medieval sauna. After a somewhat restless night of tossing, turning, we headed to the dining room for breakfast.

Neither of us was quite brave enough to tackle the full English breakfast complete with eggs, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, black pudding, and toast. We did, however, enjoy a hearty meal that gave us plenty of fuel for the day ahead.

After breakfast, we walked about 10 minutes to the train station and boarded an easy 30-minute ride to Oxford. From there, it was about a 15-minute walk into the city center where we joined a free walking tour that turned out to be one of the highlights of the day.

Over the next two hours, we learned how Oxford University is actually made up of 39 individual colleges, each with its own traditions, rivalries, dining halls, and personalities. Our guide shared stories of legendary student pranks between the colleges, many of which sounded exactly like what would happen if brilliant academics had too much free time.

If you are not familiar with free walking tours, we highly recommend them. We have used them in several cities during our travels. The tours are led by knowledgeable local guides who work for tips, so you simply pay what you think the tour was worth or what fits your budget. We’ve found they are one of the best ways to get oriented in a city and figure out where you want to spend more time exploring later.

After the tour, we stopped for lunch before revisiting some of the sites that had caught our attention. One of the highlights was the Divinity School at University of Oxford. Despite the name, it is not a modern classroom building but a spectacular medieval hall completed in 1483 with an intricately carved stone ceiling that somehow looks both impossibly delicate and incredibly heavy at the same time. Originally used for oral examinations and lectures, it is now perhaps best known to many visitors as the filming location for Hogwarts’ infirmary in several Harry Potter movies.

We also spent time wandering through Blackwell’s Bookshop, which first opened in 1879. Beneath the bookstore is the famous Norrington Room, a massive underground space containing more than three miles of shelving. It once held the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest single room devoted to selling books. For people who love bookstores, this place feels a little dangerous. You walk in thinking, “We’ll browse for a few minutes,” and suddenly you’re contemplating how many books can fit in a suitcase.

Sir Christopher Wren, whose work we had already admired throughout London, also left his mark on Oxford by designing the Sheldonian Theatre. Completed in 1669, it was one of Wren’s earliest major projects. The theater’s unusual roof design allowed for a large open interior without support pillars blocking the audience’s view, an impressive engineering achievement for the time. As a small signature detail, a tiny carved wren bird can still be spotted hidden on one of the decorative heads near the entrance.

We also made a quick stop at the History of Science Museum to see one of its most famous artifacts: the blackboard used by Albert Einstein during a 1931 lecture at Oxford. Amazingly, the equations he wrote remain preserved exactly as he left them. While we could not begin to understand the mathematics, it was still fascinating to stand in front of something personally used by one of history’s greatest scientific minds. We stared at the equations just long enough to confirm that we were definitely not theoretical physicists.

When we emerged from the museum, the sun had finally decided to make an appearance, so we revisited a few spots for better photos before stopping for one of Britain’s finest traditions: afternoon cream tea. We enjoyed tea, warm scones with jam and clotted cream, and a slice of Victoria sponge cake. Honestly, the British may be onto something with this daily pause for tea and cake. Productivity might actually improve if every afternoon included baked goods.

Reenergized, we continued exploring Oxford, including the historic Oxford Covered Market. Established in 1774, the market was originally created to move messy butcher stalls and street vendors off the city’s main roads. Today, it houses everything from bakeries and coffee shops to florists, butchers, and specialty stores. Walking through it, it was hard to believe this bustling space has been serving shoppers continuously for more than 250 years.

By late afternoon, our feet informed us that it was time for a break. We found a riverside bar and enjoyed a drink in the sunshine. Eventually, we wandered back into town for dinner at the famous Turf Tavern, a hidden pub tucked down a narrow alleyway that has been serving students, professors, locals, and tourists for centuries. Its secluded location makes it feel like you have stumbled upon a secret gathering place that somehow everyone already knows about.

After dinner, we made the quick walk back to the train station and caught the 7:45 train to Moreton-in-Marsh. Once back at the hotel, we got organized for the next day and headed to bed early to rest up for our first 10-mile walk through the Cotswolds.

Categories: 2026 England Adventure | Tags: afternoon tea England, Blackwell's Bookshop, England travel blog, family travel blog, Harry Potter filming locations Oxford, Oxford Covered Market, Oxford England, Oxford travel, Oxford University, Turf Tavern Oxford | Leave a comment