Posts Tagged With: Hammond Adventures

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

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Greg
Broadway Tower

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.

Tower with bride and groom

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.

Dover’s Hill Land Trust Monument
Dover’s Hill Milestone

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.

Eight Bells Inn

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!

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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.

Cromwell’s Seat

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.

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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.

Coffee Shop in Guiting Power

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.

Queen Katherine Parr’s Tomb
St. Mary’s Church
Sudeley Castle
Sudeley Castle, Grounds &  St. Mary’s Church

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.

The Lion Inn in Winchcombe

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.

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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
Walking across a rapeseed field

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.

New defibrillator booth

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.

The Black Horse Inn

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.

Doves enter from roof
The Dovecote
Dove nesting area inside
Paddle showing layout

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.

The Model Village

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.

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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.

Hi Cow!

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.

The Old Mill in Lower Slaughter

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.

Karen recommends the Rhubastard cider.
Hawkstone Arms

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.

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Day 4 in England – From Hampstead Heath to Diddly Squat

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Greg
Exploring Hampstead

DAY 4 – THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2026

We decided to spend the final morning of our first stay in London exploring a different side of the city. We left our hotel and hopped on the Tube for a 45-minute journey north to Hampstead, an area that feels worlds away from the bustle of Central London.

After grabbing coffee and croissants, we began exploring this lovely neighborhood using another walking tour from @ALadyinLondon, the same guide whose Soho tour we really enjoyed earlier in the week. Once again, she did not disappoint.

Hampstead immediately felt quieter and more relaxed than the areas we had visited earlier in the trip. We wandered through beautiful residential streets lined with charming homes that probably cost somewhere between “a lot” and “we shouldn’t even look.” The commercial areas were filled with cozy cafes, bookstores, bakeries, and independent shops that made us wish we had a little more time to linger.

Along the way, we also passed homes connected to a couple of famous residents from the past. One was the former home of Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, and another belonged to Robert Louis Stevenson, author of classics such as Treasure Island and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s always fun in London to turn a corner and suddenly realize that history, literature, or pop culture somehow happened right there.


One of the highlights was walking through Hampstead Heath, a massive green space that seemed to be equal parts park, nature preserve, and unofficial London dog convention. Everywhere we looked there were happy dogs sprinting across fields while their owners somehow managed to remain perfectly calm and sophisticated despite the chaos around them. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to stop at the Affordable Art Show, which had just opened for the week.

Before heading back, we grabbed a quick lunch at a bookstore cafe, which feels like exactly the kind of place you should eat lunch in Hampstead. After a little more wandering past architecturally interesting homes and quiet side streets, we made our way back to the Tube station. It was a really enjoyable morning and gave us a chance to experience a very different side of London that felt far more suburban and local.


On our way back to the hotel, we squeezed in one final London essential: bubble tea for the road. Shortly afterward, our driver arrived right on time and we were officially off to the Cotswolds!

Along the way, we asked if he could make one very important detour that was only a few minutes out of the way: the famous Diddly Squat Farm Shop from the Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm.

If you haven’t watched the show, we highly recommend it.

The series follows Jeremy Clarkson, best known for car-related television shows, as he attempts to personally run his large farm in the Cotswolds starting in 2019. What follows is a mix of farming, weather disasters, livestock chaos, financial stress, questionable decisions, and genuinely hilarious moments. Over time, the show also gives you a real appreciation for how difficult farming life can be.

Our friends Bob and Stacy recommended the series as “research” before visiting the Cotswolds, and now we’re completely hooked. It was great fun seeing the actual farm shop in person after watching it come together on the show. Sadly, Jeremy and the rest of the cast were nowhere to be found, although we half expected Kaleb to come flying through the parking lot on a tractor at any moment.

Diddly Squat Farm Shop

Our final destination for the day was the White Hart Royal Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh, our first stop in the Cotswolds. The inn is located right in the middle of a charming little town filled with classic stone buildings and small local shops. Our room was located in what used to be the old stable building, which thankfully now includes modern plumbing and Wi-Fi.

White Hart Royal Hotel

After dropping off our bags, we spent some time wandering around town, including an obligatory pub stop, before returning to the inn for a very nice dinner.

The Redesdale Hall (Town Hall)
The Bell Inn
Pint at The Black Bear Inn

As our first evening in the Cotswolds came to an end, we looked over our itinerary and talked with anticipation about the next day’s adventure: a day trip to Oxford.

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