Strathspey

Spreading your wings

by iandsmith

There are other ways to travel than via public transport or private car. One of those is motorhome, a style very popular in Australia where the terrain is vast, the roads are wide and, despite what locals might indicate, petrol is relatively inexpensive.
Since it is my dream to do this one day I noted with a smile that some people choose exactle the same in England. I first noticed them in Cornwall where they were not uncommon but it the Cotswolds it was also apparent that some people utilize this mode as well.
This was shot in someone's backyard just across from our accommodation.

You must smell this attraction!

by Roeffie

Perfumery Exhibition

Don't miss my Bourton-on-the-Water travelogue

Address
Victoriastreet, Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire GL54 2BU

Directions:
Towncentre

The perfumes are actually manufactured on the premises, and the Perfumery Exhibition not only explores, the fascinating origins of perfume but also includes 'smelly-vision' in a specially constructed cinema, a Perfume Quiz to test your nose and a beautiful Perfume Garden where all the plants have been specially selected for their aroma. A sensory experience with a difference.

Opening Times:
All year, 9.30 - 17.30 hrs.

Admission:
£ 2.00 Adults
£ 1.75 Children

River Windrush walk/way

by Britannia2

If you walk down Sherbourne Street there is a tourist sign on the right of the street ( approximately 200 yards down the street) showing the start of the Windrush walk. There is a small gate and then its out from behind the village and in to open country.
Maps available from the tourist office.
The gate from the street is very small and pushchairs or wheelchairs would not fit through.

Flowing by the Water

by kenyneo

its so serene ,
water flowing by ,
taking away all the sad memories...
taking away all the impurities ...
but forgotten i have of
any bad memories...
for I only think of
those beautiful ones...
life is too short to think so much ...
why think ?

A very pretty place.......

by leics

Bourton-on-the-Water is indeed a very pretty Cotswolds village, and unsurprisingly popular not only with UK visitors but also with visitors from abroad......coach tours included.

They call it 'The Venice of the Cotswolds', indeed!

It was not quite so popular when I was a very small girl in the 1950s. I vaguely remember visiting my grandmother's cousins, who lived there (not a frequent visit, because actually getting there by car took several hours in those days).

It was not then a place which catered for thousands of visitors, nor was it a place in which buying a house required a very substantial income. It was just a small working Cotswolds village, rather damp (the river Windrush runs through it), full of old cottages and narrow winding streets. But even then there were attractions....the beautifully-crafted model village, created from the local honey-coloured limestone and opened in 1937, was a real 'draw' for visitors and in 1957 'Birdland' opened, full of birds from all countries......

...and so, gradually, Bourton's old houses, its winding streets and, above all, its lovely riverside setting became a 'must-visit' place. Little independent craft shops opened, and tea-rooms, and exclusive restaurants.....and so it has continued to develop.

But unlike many such places, Bourton still has a 'normal' everyday life as a bustling large village. People do live there, and shop there in ordinary shops.......it even has a small industrial estate nearby. So it is not a place preserved in aspic (like Laycock, for example). It is a real working community.

The river Windrush here is beautifully clear, and really quite shallow most of the year.....ideal for children to splash about in! And there are, of course, lots of ducks to feed. Five footbridges cross it in the village centre, the oldest dating from 1664, and you can still see (although not use) the proper ford.

And alongside the river are many lovely houses and buildings, dating mostly from the 1700s and the 1800s although some (like 'The Dial House', now a hotel) are earlier. Many are now shops of one sort or another (gifts, antiques, sheepskin, designer clothes.....) but even so you can still imagine a little of what life was like when Bourton was a typical (and rather wealthy) Cotswolds agricultural village.

So...what to do in Bourton?

Well, you must of course wander along the riverside and enjoy the beautifully clear water. Especially in autumn, when the glowing foliage of the many trees adds to the scene.

And you must just wander the streets enjoying the architecture. The local stone really is 'honey-coloured' when the sun shines on it.

The model village is worth seeing as a perfect example of superb craftsmanship. I've not been to Birdland since I was a very little girl, but if birds appeal then no doubt it is worth a visit. Or there's a rather good little Motor Museum.....and the equally good maze and rebus, designed by Kit Williams.

For me, this time, it was just interesting to look at the architecture and explore the ancient church of St Lawrence. But in the past I've been on some excellent walks from Bourton....the walk to 'The Slaughters' (Upper and Lower, tow tiny but very beautiful hamlets nearby) is especially lovely.

Tourist-oriented it may be, to some extent, but out of season Bourton is still a beautiful little village and an ideal base if you are exploring the Cotswolds on foot or by car.

So, as far as I'm concerned, it's well worth a visit.