Chasing Storybook England - Ken Follett was Right
Our first full day in the Cotswolds began at The Wild Rabbit with mushrooms on toast topped with perfectly poached eggs while blues music drifted through the dining room.
The restaurant itself is worth lingering over. The walls are lined with gleaming copper molds of every shape and size—a reminder that the British take their puddings very seriously. Beneath a glass panel in the dining room floor sits an ancient well, preserved so guests can literally peek back through history while enjoying breakfast. https://thewildrabbit.co.uk
We arrived the previous afternoon under a gentle drizzle that felt entirely appropriate. The region had just experienced an unusually warm spell, and in an area where historic preservation often prevents the installation of air conditioning, we were grateful for the cooler weather. That evening we wandered over to The Kingham Plough, a charming inn and pub where locals happily helped us plan the next day's adventures. https://thekinghamplough.co.uk
Our first stop was Lower Slaughter, a village so picturesque it almost feels staged for a movie set. We followed the stream past the old mill and ancient church. I'll admit, the churchyard gave me a bit of the willies. Moss-covered gravestones leaned at odd angles, and many inscriptions had long since surrendered to time. The scene was both haunting and beautiful, made even more striking by roses and peonies climbing walls, gates, and garden fences throughout the village.
From there we made our way to Stow-on-the-Wold, wandering its historic market square and browsing antique shops before stopping for a pint at The Hare in Milton-under-Wychwood, where we saw our bartender Nicole whom we had met the night before at The Kingham Plough. One of the joys of traveling through small villages is discovering how connected everything—and everyone—really is.
Next came Bourton-on-the-Water, often called the "Venice of the Cotswolds." Despite intermittent rain, it was every bit as charming as advertised. We stopped for tea and a giant scone with clotted cream, surrounded by bakeries, tea rooms, and ice cream shops. After passing what felt like the twentieth sweet shop of the afternoon, Scott declared that Bourton-on-the-Water should be called "the Gatlinburg of the Cotswolds."
Finally, we arrived in Bibury.
William Morris once described Bibury as "the most beautiful village in England," and it's difficult to argue with him. We strolled along Arlington Row, the famous collection of stone cottages that began life as a wool store in the 14th century and has become one of the most photographed scenes in England.
What made the visit especially fun was that we found it almost by accident. Earlier in the day, while browsing shops in Bourton-on-the-Water, we spotted a jigsaw puzzle featuring Arlington Row and decided we had to see it for ourselves.
The timing felt fitting because we had been re-listening to one of our favorite novels, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, during our drives through the countryside. Readers of the book will remember how the medieval wool trade shaped the fortunes of entire towns and families. Seeing the old wool houses and market towns brought parts of the story vividly to life.
By the end of the day we had wandered through storybook villages, exceeded our step goal again, enjoyed far too much clotted cream, and somehow fallen even more in love with the English countryside.
The Cotswolds have a way of making you slow down, look around, and appreciate the beauty in ordinary things. That's a lesson worth taking home. Of course no day is complete without the perfect cocktail followed by the perfect meal. I recommend The Fox at Oddington https://thefoxatoddington.com . They serve exceptional food and cocktails from British growers and producers and the service was amazing! Next on to Sussex!
