If you’ve never been to the Cotswolds I’d definitely recommend it. There’s so many beautiful small towns and villages, there’s always something to see. And pretty pictures if you like chocolate box style buildings.
When we went to the bluebell woods at Badbury Hill, we drove home via Burford and decided to stop there for lunch. Whenever we drive south west, I always say that we must go back soon for a morning explore and never get round to it, so it was nice to get the chance to have a quick wander round.
The only downside of course, is the tourist numbers. Even out of season, Burford is still busy, and traffic can be a bit of a nightmare. There’s free parking on the roads if you can get a space, but I tend to park round the back in a car park so we’ve got more time to relax…and have a loo break if necessary. You used to be able to sit down by the river, but this time there were barriers up preventing further damage to the river edge which was looking a little bit precarious. Hopefully by next time we go, they might have done the work to make it safe again.
We still watched the ducks for a bit which N enjoyed, asking lots of questions about what they were doing.
Then we ambled up the main shopping street for a bit.
I couldn’t miss going into Joules – the Cotswold towns have a lovely selection of more boutiquey shops which I don’t usually get to go in nearer home. N wasn’t that excited about shopping, although he kept telling me he needed a couple of the Joules t shirts with pockets on. Not that he wanted them, but he NEEDED them. This, despite having a whole drawer full of t shirts that he doesn’t get round to wearing all of. He also decided to ask me lots of awkward questions about the headless dummies ‘why are there people, mummy?’, ahhh, to the questions that keep being repeated. I do think the non-busy shop assistant could have helped me out with why they had them, so I could have relaxed while browsing.
Being a Sunday, not all of the shops were open in the little courtyards, but it was still lovely looking in the windows.
Explaining the Russian dolls in one window was harder than I imagine it should have been.
And while he wasn’t interested in this shop, the stone statue was perfect for hugging and climbing on.
For lunch we had to go to Huffkins. If you’re in the area, you have to go for the lovely bakery, which sells wonderful lardy cakes (so the OH says). We had to buy him one in the bakery, but we did stop in the café for lunch. They serve a reasonable choice of food – from breakfasts, through sandwiches and paninis, soup, salad and main meals. And of course, afternoon teas. We were eating a hot meal in the evening so N chose scrambled eggs on toast from the children’s menu which I was astounded that he demolished – even the whole stack of toasted soldiers.
He couldn’t eat the shortbread biscuit that was the pudding included in the children’s meal, so we had that as a takeaway. We did have to ask for his pudding because they seemed to have forgotten it until we were about to leave.
I opted for a panini which came with chips and salad.
The service is quite old school traditional (all they need is the old fashioned black and white aprons and hats, but you get a real mix of customers, locals and visitors, and the food was really good.
It was a fleeting visit, but was all that was needed as a stop off before heading home for the afternoon.
Have you visited the Cotswolds? Where would you recommend?
Oh you should. It’s lovely, and plenty to do – although somewhere like Bourton on the Water has more to do for children.