Our first stop was Castle Combe. It isn't a castle, but a lovely little town, although apparently there are some old castle ruins around somewhere. This is another town that has proven popular for movies and TV shows (including War Horse). It was really lovely with its tiny, very old houses and narrow streets. Talking of which, we drove through a beauty on the way there. A couple of miles before the the town the GPS and the street signs said turn left. There was a big sign - not suitable for buses or trucks. This was the tinniest laneway we had driven on, hedges on the side and trees across the top. It was like driving through a dark narrow tunnel. And of course, we had to meet cars coming the other way. Fortunately we were near one of the few spots we could pull off.
After we spent some time in the church that had some interesting displays, plus the oldest clock in England, we came outside to be surprised to find it pouring rain. So that cut short the rest or our exploration. On then to Malmesbury and a stop for lunch. We chose the bakery, which was a tiny little shop with a long line stretching along the footpath. The wait was worth it, and we were surprised how very cheap it was (not like most of England).
On then to our next historic town Bibury. This has been claimed to be one of the prettiest towns in England, and was good place for some Cream Tea (the areas version of a Devonshire). The stream that ran through the town was crystal clear and we were amazed by all the trout of varying sizes swimming around. Obviously a protected area.
From here it was an easy drive to our final destination for the night, the picture postcard perfect town of Bourton-on-the-Water. With daylight saving we had lots of time to walk around this beautiful place and explore the wonderful little shops. Lauren and Lee opted to visit a motor museum that was there because it had the original Brum (we no idea what she was talking about, but they enjoyed it). We then went to one of the delightful pubs for dinner. Talking of pubs, we can't believe the numbers there are, and so many quaint buildings.
Friday saw us exploring more of the Cotswolds. Our first stop only a couple of miles down the road was a walk between Lower and Upper Slaughter. We particularly enjoyed the Broadway Tower and the many little towns around the area. The Broadway Tower is a folly built in the late 1700's with various uses since. It has spectacular view of the countryside. Some of the quaint towns we went through were Stow on the Wold and Morton on the Marsh.
We arrived at Stratford Upon Avon for lunch, which we had in a very quaint tea room called the Four Teas, which was themed around the war years with the staff all dressed for that period. We all chose the afternoon tea which was like a high tea, but soon decided we should have shared!
By 4.00 pm we had arrived at Mel's house at Barton-Under-Needwood and were so excited to see her after all these years. She is still just the same, and it was great to meet her lovely husband, Rob, and the delightful Sam.
Saturday morning we took the car back to the hire company, and we all then ventured out in Mel and Rob's cars. First stop was Ashbourne, and then on to the climb up Thorpe's Cloud. A steep climb but worth the view at the top, where we sat and ate our lunch. An easy stroll after that along the river bank. Mel and Rob live opposite a canal and a lock, and we were delighted when we got back to find three boats waiting to go through. These narrow little boats are fascinating, and being a lovely sunny weekend were proving very popular on the canals. We all stood around watching as they opened and closed the loch to move the boats.
Sunday Mel and Rob took us to the National Memorial Aboretum. This place surprised us at how big it was. It is not just a war memorial, but seemed to be a memorial for many other things. The gardens and lawns were beautiful, and there were some very unique memorials erected.
After lunch it was time to drop Lauren and Lee at the train station. They were staying with a friend who lives out of London for the night. We left them at the Lichfield station then went in to look at this town, famous for its cathedral. We have seen lots of interesting churches and cathedrals, but this one was so different. The walls are covered in statues and engravings. There was a service on, so we didn't get to see what the inside held, but not much could beat the exterior.
This morning (Monday) we are heading in on the train to London to meet up with Lauren and Lee and make our way to the apartment we have booked for the next five nights while we explore what London has to offer.
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