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Cotswolds

Discover what to see and do in the Cotswolds

The Howard Arms in Ilmington

The Howard Arms

Rescued by two local families, who took the decision to give a fading pub a new lease of life, The Howard Arms in Ilmington has only recently reopened after an extensive refurbishment. I was lucky to be given the opportunity for a Saturday-night stay.

Dating back to the 16th century, this pub with rooms overlooks the village green in the peaceful south Warwickshire village of Ilmington. I’d never heard of this village before, but quickly discovered it’s a great location for exploring the north Cotswolds. The quintessentially beautiful villages of Broadway and Chipping Campden, and historic Stratford-upon-Avon, are all within 10 miles.

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Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle

The Queens' Garden at Sudeley

I was lucky to be invited to the launch night of the Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle this week. Despite the freezing conditions, the sub-zero December temperatures only added to the festive atmosphere.

Sudeley Castle is near Winchcombe, in the heart of the Cotswolds. It is the only private castle to have a queen buried within its grounds. The 15th century chapel is the final resting place of Katherine Parr, the last wife of King Henry VIII. Now a private home, opening to the public, the castle has a royal history dating back 1,000 years.

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Visiting Westonbirt Arboretum

Following the seasonal trail through the Silk Wood

This year I managed to make my autumn colours pilgrimage a little earlier than usual. I did this by visiting Westonbirt Arboretum at the end of October, rather than chancing it to the middle of November. I’m glad I did, as, according to our guide at the arboretum, this particular weekend was deemed to be one of the best.

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Indian Cookery Course in the Cotswolds

Making sag aloo on the Indian Cookery Course

I’ve enjoyed a couple of cookery courses this year, and when I saw the range of classes on offer at The Foodworks Cookery School, it was an Indian cookery course that caught my eye. The cookery school is located on the edge of the Colesbourne Park Estate, between Cheltenham and Cirencester, in the Cotswolds.

It’s the first time I’ve been to The Foodworks and it was fairly easy to find. The converted barn was brightly lit and welcoming on a dark October evening. I was warmly greeted at the reception desk with a glass of wine and a Foodworks apron, then ushered through to the kitchen.

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Visit to Cotswold Lavender

Cotswold Lavender Farm

Seeing Carol Kirkwood, from BBC Breakfast, giving her weather forecast under grey skies at Cotswold Lavender this morning, I realised how lucky I was to visit the lavender farm last week on the hottest day of the year.

I made my journey that day as I knew it was close to harvest time and didn’t want to miss the lavender at its peak.

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Indian Cookery Masterclass: Street Food

Amritsari Fish at East India Cafe

When I was invited along to East India Café’s Indian cookery masterclass afternoon, I couldn’t believe my luck. It sounded to me like a perfect Sunday afternoon – eating, chatting and learning new recipes.

East India Café sits on The Promenade in Cheltenham. It’s not your usual Indian curry house; it serves Anglo-Indian food with cuisine harking back to the days of the Raj. Being an Indian Summers fan, and having enjoyed the trials and tribulations of Ralphie, Cynthia, Afrin et al, I was keen to understand more about the food of the times.

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Cheltenham Festival in Windows

Cheltenham Festival Montpellier

The four day Cheltenham Festival is the biggest jump racing festival in the UK, where top horses, jockeys, trainers and owners battle it out on the track at Prestbury Park to win over £4.1 million in prize money.

This particular week in March is the most exciting of the year to be in Cheltenham, when the town dresses up to look just as good as the best dressed race-goers. Recent figures suggest the Festival brings in £100 million to the Cheltenham economy (University of Gloucestershire). This is not surprising when hotels, restaurants and bars are bursting at the seams.

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Laurie Lee Wildlife Way

Laurie Lee Wildlife Way

“Snow-clouds of elder-blossom banked in the sky, showering upon me the fumes and flakes of their sweet and giddy suffocation. High overhead ran frenzied larks, screaming, as though the sky were tearing apart.”

From Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust designed the Laurie Lee Wildlife Way to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Gloucestershire’s most famous 20th century author. Their 5-mile trail takes a circular route around the beautiful Slad Valley, which has become immortalised in the words of Laurie Lee. It links four nature reserves and is dotted with ten poetry posts, each featuring one of Lee’s poems.

In advance of the official opening, I pulled on my walking boots, grabbed my waterproofs and made some cheese and pickle sandwiches to join the Trust’s celebration walk. Our 6-mile circular walk was a variation on the official walk and began at Hawkwood College, perched on a ridge above Stroud.

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