Guidebook on Living like a Local
Restaurants
17th century inn. Gastro-pub. Stone's throw from house. Hidden gem; flag-stoned bar, inglenook fireplace with roaring fire. Modern British dishes and pub classics. Sunday lunch menu written each week, including traditional British puddings and local cheeses.
35 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
The Crown Inn
31 High St17th century inn. Gastro-pub. Stone's throw from house. Hidden gem; flag-stoned bar, inglenook fireplace with roaring fire. Modern British dishes and pub classics. Sunday lunch menu written each week, including traditional British puddings and local cheeses.
The Wild Rabbit is part of the Daylesford Estate – one of the most sustainable organic farms in the UK. Michelin starred.
Best book in advance for dinner in restaurant but if you want to be more spontaneous, you can usually get a table in the bar and eat more informally.
127 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
The Wild Rabbit
The Wild Rabbit is part of the Daylesford Estate – one of the most sustainable organic farms in the UK. Michelin starred.
Best book in advance for dinner in restaurant but if you want to be more spontaneous, you can usually get a table in the bar and eat more informally.
Walks
Walks starting from village
Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon) is a county in South East England bordering on Warwickshire to the north-north west, Northamptonshire to the north-north east, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, Wiltshire to the south west and Gloucestershire to the west. The highest point is White Horse Hill, in the Vale of White Horse, reaching 216 metres (856 feet). Its main city is Oxford the home of the University of Oxford. Other main towns are Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, Chipping Norton, Carterton, Witney, Thame, Chinnor, Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames. There is much to do in Oxfordshire with activities such as country walks, cycling, sailing and punting and also many places to visit such as churches, historical buildings and in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds some wonderful idyllic villages. There are many TV and film locations, you can follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter or visit the locations of Downton Abbey. Bampton doubles as the fictional village of Downton. The Swan Inn at Swinbrook, Cogges close to Witney and Shilton a picturesque village near Burford have also been used in the filming of Downton Abbey. There are a number of companies offering Downton Abbey themed tours.
The Cotswolds are a range of hills covering an area of 25 miles across and 90 miles long and lie mainly within the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire but extend into parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The spine of the Cotswolds runs southwest to northeast through the six counties particularly Gloucestershire, west Oxfordshire and south western Warwickshire. The Cotswolds have been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is the largest AONB in England and Wales. The northern and western edges of the Cotswolds are marked by steep escarpments down to the Severn Valley and the Warwickshire Avon and this escarpment is often called the Cotswolds Edge. On the eastern boundary lies the city of Oxford and on the west is Stroud. To the southeast the upper reaches of the Thames Valley and towns such as Lechlade, Tetbury and Fairford mark the limit of this region and to the south the boundary reaches beyond Bath and towns such as Chipping Sodbury and Marshfield. The Cotswolds are characterised by attractive small towns and villages built of the underlying Cotswold stone, a yellow limestone, and drystone walls many built in the 18th and 19th centuries can be seen everywhere in the fields. The most well known towns or villages are Bourton-on-the-Water, Broadway, Burford, Chipping Norton, Cirencester, Moreton-in-Marsh, Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, Stroud and Winchcombe. During the 13th – 15th centuries the native Cotswold sheep were famous throughout Europe for their heavy fleeces and high quality of wool. Cotswold wool came at a high price and the wealth generated by the wool trade enabled wealthy traders to leave their mark by building fine houses and beautiful churches, known as “wool churches”. Today the sight of the sheep on the hillside is still one of the most common features of the Cotswolds. Worcestershire is a county steeped in history and boasts miles of The Great Outdoors across rolling countryside and winding waterways. It is a county of arts and culture as well as having many historic houses, museums, country house gardens, two arboreta and Britain’s premier steam railway.
The villages of Church Enstone and Neat Enstone face each other across the River Glyme and are collectively called Enstone. Enstone along with the hamlets of Chalford, Cleveley, Fulwell, Gagingwell, Lidstone and Radford is the largest civil parish in Oxfordshire. Church Enstone houses a 17th century pub, the Crown Inn and a church St Kenelm’s. The earliest parts of the church are Norman but the building has been rebuilt in stages since the 12th century. St Kenelm’s is a Grade II listed building. The Prime Minister, Mrs Theresa May, spent her childhood in Church Enstone where her father Hubert Brasier was the Reverend at St Kenelm’s Church for twelve years.
There are some lovely walks along the River Glyme including the Glyme Valley Way which is a 16 mile walk from Chipping Norton, following the path of the River Glyme, to Woodstock. The walk showing the rich history and value of the county’s countryside is a joint project between our Countryside Service and BBC Oxford as part of the celebrations for Oxfordshire’s 1000th birthday. It can be broken into smaller sections using public transport.
Shakespeare’s Way which opened in 2006 is a long distance footpath that runs for 146 miles between Shakespeare’s birthplace at Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare’s Globe at London. From Stratford the path follows the valley of the little River Stour, crosses the Oxfordshire Cotswolds then goes through Blenheim Park and Woodstock before passing through the city of Oxford. It now heads over quiet country through which the River Thames flows before crossing the wooded Chiltern Hills and dropping down into the Thames Valley at Marlow. It then follows the Thames for a short while before going through wood heathland to Iver and West Drayton. It then follows a green corridor running parallel to his probable route in the shape of the towpath beside the Grand Union Canal then from Brentford it follows the Thames towpath to reach Shakespeare’s Globe.
Church Enstone
Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon) is a county in South East England bordering on Warwickshire to the north-north west, Northamptonshire to the north-north east, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, Wiltshire to the south west and Gloucestershire to the west. The highest point is White Horse Hill, in the Vale of White Horse, reaching 216 metres (856 feet). Its main city is Oxford the home of the University of Oxford. Other main towns are Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, Chipping Norton, Carterton, Witney, Thame, Chinnor, Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames. There is much to do in Oxfordshire with activities such as country walks, cycling, sailing and punting and also many places to visit such as churches, historical buildings and in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds some wonderful idyllic villages. There are many TV and film locations, you can follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter or visit the locations of Downton Abbey. Bampton doubles as the fictional village of Downton. The Swan Inn at Swinbrook, Cogges close to Witney and Shilton a picturesque village near Burford have also been used in the filming of Downton Abbey. There are a number of companies offering Downton Abbey themed tours.
The Cotswolds are a range of hills covering an area of 25 miles across and 90 miles long and lie mainly within the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire but extend into parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The spine of the Cotswolds runs southwest to northeast through the six counties particularly Gloucestershire, west Oxfordshire and south western Warwickshire. The Cotswolds have been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is the largest AONB in England and Wales. The northern and western edges of the Cotswolds are marked by steep escarpments down to the Severn Valley and the Warwickshire Avon and this escarpment is often called the Cotswolds Edge. On the eastern boundary lies the city of Oxford and on the west is Stroud. To the southeast the upper reaches of the Thames Valley and towns such as Lechlade, Tetbury and Fairford mark the limit of this region and to the south the boundary reaches beyond Bath and towns such as Chipping Sodbury and Marshfield. The Cotswolds are characterised by attractive small towns and villages built of the underlying Cotswold stone, a yellow limestone, and drystone walls many built in the 18th and 19th centuries can be seen everywhere in the fields. The most well known towns or villages are Bourton-on-the-Water, Broadway, Burford, Chipping Norton, Cirencester, Moreton-in-Marsh, Northleach, Stow-on-the-Wold, Stroud and Winchcombe. During the 13th – 15th centuries the native Cotswold sheep were famous throughout Europe for their heavy fleeces and high quality of wool. Cotswold wool came at a high price and the wealth generated by the wool trade enabled wealthy traders to leave their mark by building fine houses and beautiful churches, known as “wool churches”. Today the sight of the sheep on the hillside is still one of the most common features of the Cotswolds. Worcestershire is a county steeped in history and boasts miles of The Great Outdoors across rolling countryside and winding waterways. It is a county of arts and culture as well as having many historic houses, museums, country house gardens, two arboreta and Britain’s premier steam railway.
The villages of Church Enstone and Neat Enstone face each other across the River Glyme and are collectively called Enstone. Enstone along with the hamlets of Chalford, Cleveley, Fulwell, Gagingwell, Lidstone and Radford is the largest civil parish in Oxfordshire. Church Enstone houses a 17th century pub, the Crown Inn and a church St Kenelm’s. The earliest parts of the church are Norman but the building has been rebuilt in stages since the 12th century. St Kenelm’s is a Grade II listed building. The Prime Minister, Mrs Theresa May, spent her childhood in Church Enstone where her father Hubert Brasier was the Reverend at St Kenelm’s Church for twelve years.
There are some lovely walks along the River Glyme including the Glyme Valley Way which is a 16 mile walk from Chipping Norton, following the path of the River Glyme, to Woodstock. The walk showing the rich history and value of the county’s countryside is a joint project between our Countryside Service and BBC Oxford as part of the celebrations for Oxfordshire’s 1000th birthday. It can be broken into smaller sections using public transport.
Shakespeare’s Way which opened in 2006 is a long distance footpath that runs for 146 miles between Shakespeare’s birthplace at Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare’s Globe at London. From Stratford the path follows the valley of the little River Stour, crosses the Oxfordshire Cotswolds then goes through Blenheim Park and Woodstock before passing through the city of Oxford. It now heads over quiet country through which the River Thames flows before crossing the wooded Chiltern Hills and dropping down into the Thames Valley at Marlow. It then follows the Thames for a short while before going through wood heathland to Iver and West Drayton. It then follows a green corridor running parallel to his probable route in the shape of the towpath beside the Grand Union Canal then from Brentford it follows the Thames towpath to reach Shakespeare’s Globe.
Idyllic walk around Heythrop park
Take the existing public footpath, providing a pleasant circular walk around Kite Grove Wood, an area of ancient woodland dating back to the 17th century. The path is a flat or slightly sloping woodland track. It's a beautiful walk, encompassing a lake and a series of small waterfalls. Glorious views of the Cotswold countryside.
On your way round, look out for badger setts, ancient
trees such as oaks and limes, and of course the bluebells in the spring. If you take the footpath through the churchyard, then turn left after about 3/4 mile, you will reach the estate through the winter quarters of a circus - it is now home to camels, zebras, penguins, a massive giraffe, monkeys and many other exotic and domestic animals. Unexpected in the Cotswold countryside!
https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MjNfNTUx?locale=fr
Heythrop
Idyllic walk around Heythrop park
Take the existing public footpath, providing a pleasant circular walk around Kite Grove Wood, an area of ancient woodland dating back to the 17th century. The path is a flat or slightly sloping woodland track. It's a beautiful walk, encompassing a lake and a series of small waterfalls. Glorious views of the Cotswold countryside.
On your way round, look out for badger setts, ancient
trees such as oaks and limes, and of course the bluebells in the spring. If you take the footpath through the churchyard, then turn left after about 3/4 mile, you will reach the estate through the winter quarters of a circus - it is now home to camels, zebras, penguins, a massive giraffe, monkeys and many other exotic and domestic animals. Unexpected in the Cotswold countryside!
https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MjNfNTUx?locale=fr
The Enstones, Heythrop Park and Glyme Valley
7.6 miles,
There are some good moments on this walk, but there is quite a lot of walking on minor roads/farm tracks - either a positive or a negative depending on what you're looking for in a walk!
This walk starts at a layby by Enstone's playing fields, and starting by heading through Enstone towards Chapel Enstone, past the church, and then on a footpath which heads towards the grounds of Heythrop Park. You then follow a rather boring access road through Heythrop Park for a while, turning off to the left just before the main hotel, on a well waymarked route through the golf course section (and some interesting architectural details that were found while renovating the grounds when it was turned into a hotel). This bridleway becomes a farm track which gradually rises to give good views over to Heythrop itself, then turns to cross over the A44, onto another farm track which descends to another golf course, leading to the Salt Way, a medieval drover's route. We follow this briefly before turning left to follow the River Glyme, initially on the valley floor, then crossing and recrossing to follow a track higher up the right side of the valley. At Lidstone this becomes a country lane that we then follow all the way back to the start point (with good views leftwards over the valley to the busy A44).
https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTE5Njg4
Heythrop
The Enstones, Heythrop Park and Glyme Valley
7.6 miles,
There are some good moments on this walk, but there is quite a lot of walking on minor roads/farm tracks - either a positive or a negative depending on what you're looking for in a walk!
This walk starts at a layby by Enstone's playing fields, and starting by heading through Enstone towards Chapel Enstone, past the church, and then on a footpath which heads towards the grounds of Heythrop Park. You then follow a rather boring access road through Heythrop Park for a while, turning off to the left just before the main hotel, on a well waymarked route through the golf course section (and some interesting architectural details that were found while renovating the grounds when it was turned into a hotel). This bridleway becomes a farm track which gradually rises to give good views over to Heythrop itself, then turns to cross over the A44, onto another farm track which descends to another golf course, leading to the Salt Way, a medieval drover's route. We follow this briefly before turning left to follow the River Glyme, initially on the valley floor, then crossing and recrossing to follow a track higher up the right side of the valley. At Lidstone this becomes a country lane that we then follow all the way back to the start point (with good views leftwards over the valley to the busy A44).
https://my.viewranger.com/route/details/MTE5Njg4
Woodstock
Enstone to Woodstock following the River Glyme
11 miles
11 miles, 5.5 hours
Starting in Enstone, this route goes through three Oxfordshire estates: Ditchley Park (with a good view of the frontage of the main house, Ditchley, which was one of Churchill's main residences in WW2), Glympton Park (you walk through the grounds and past a tiny church), and Kiddington Park. From here you follow through route of the river Glyme back to Enstone and the start. Watch out for the field past Radfordbridge - if you are on the left side of the field at the start then you're going to have to hop over a stream to continue!
A good dog walk although if they have any inclination to chase ground-nesting birds they're going to have to be on a lead at times, as there are lots of them around!
Ditchley Park
11 miles, 5.5 hours
Starting in Enstone, this route goes through three Oxfordshire estates: Ditchley Park (with a good view of the frontage of the main house, Ditchley, which was one of Churchill's main residences in WW2), Glympton Park (you walk through the grounds and past a tiny church), and Kiddington Park. From here you follow through route of the river Glyme back to Enstone and the start. Watch out for the field past Radfordbridge - if you are on the left side of the field at the start then you're going to have to hop over a stream to continue!
A good dog walk although if they have any inclination to chase ground-nesting birds they're going to have to be on a lead at times, as there are lots of them around!
Local attractions
A few places worth a visit depending on your interests
Caters for all different abilities, from complete beginners to experienced shots. Friendly and flexible staff.
Great family fun.
2 minute drive or 10 minute walk from barn
The Oxfordshire Shooting School
Caters for all different abilities, from complete beginners to experienced shots. Friendly and flexible staff.
Great family fun.
2 minute drive or 10 minute walk from barn
Batsford, home to the country's largest private collection of trees and shrubs, is an intimate and romantic place to visit, with interest all year round from the first snowdrops of spring, right through to the outstanding autumn colour in October and November.
133 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Batsford Arboretum
Batsford, home to the country's largest private collection of trees and shrubs, is an intimate and romantic place to visit, with interest all year round from the first snowdrops of spring, right through to the outstanding autumn colour in October and November.
The Cotswold Falconry Centre is right next to Batsford Arboretum and home to around 150 Birds of Prey.
Open from mid-February to mid-November.
Free flying demonstrations take place daily from 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3pm and also at 4.30pm in the summer.
Unfortunately dogs are not permitted at Cotswold Falconry Centre
22 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Cotswold Falconry Centre
The Cotswold Falconry Centre is right next to Batsford Arboretum and home to around 150 Birds of Prey.
Open from mid-February to mid-November.
Free flying demonstrations take place daily from 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3pm and also at 4.30pm in the summer.
Unfortunately dogs are not permitted at Cotswold Falconry Centre
An ancient site located on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border in England. The Kings Men stone circle, King Stone, and Whispering Knights dolmen.
84 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Mga Bato ng Rollright
Rollright RoadAn ancient site located on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border in England. The Kings Men stone circle, King Stone, and Whispering Knights dolmen.
Well-stocked zoo and park, beautiful setting, good day out, located just outside Burford, an historic Cotswold town.
443 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Cotswold Wildlife Park at Mga Hardin
Well-stocked zoo and park, beautiful setting, good day out, located just outside Burford, an historic Cotswold town.
Blenheim Palace, a monumental, Baroque country house in Woodstock, is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Winston Churchill.
Blenheim sits in the centre of a majestic, large and undulating park, a classic example of the English landscape garden movement and style, the work of Capability Brown.
657 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace, a monumental, Baroque country house in Woodstock, is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Winston Churchill.
Blenheim sits in the centre of a majestic, large and undulating park, a classic example of the English landscape garden movement and style, the work of Capability Brown.
Shopping
Some great bargains at this local outlet for wide range of luxury brands.
413 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Bicester Village
Some great bargains at this local outlet for wide range of luxury brands.
Personal Wellbeing
Spa treatments or home visit
Open to non-residents, the Spa at Heythrop Park offers a great choice of packages to take you away from the stresses of everyday life. Relax, re-energise and restore your body’s equilibrium with their ESPA treatment range.
Facilities include a 20m heated indoor pool, mixed steam room and mixed sauna filled with eucalyptus oil to aid relaxation. Doted with three luxurious treatment rooms, offering a range of treatment using products from ESPA & OPI.
8 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Heythrop Park Resort
Open to non-residents, the Spa at Heythrop Park offers a great choice of packages to take you away from the stresses of everyday life. Relax, re-energise and restore your body’s equilibrium with their ESPA treatment range.
Facilities include a 20m heated indoor pool, mixed steam room and mixed sauna filled with eucalyptus oil to aid relaxation. Doted with three luxurious treatment rooms, offering a range of treatment using products from ESPA & OPI.
We are very lucky to have the local Soho Farmhouse Massage & Treatment Therapist willing to make house-visits (member of FHT - Federation of Holistic Therapists)
MASSAGES AND TREATMENTS:
Deep Tissue, De-Stress Massage, Reflexology, Thai Herbal Hot Compress Massage, and Reiki.
Whether you are new to massage or a long time wellness enthusiast, Irene believes in individual treatment(s) and will work with you to understand and meet your individual needs.
The treatments are crafted to relax your mind, enhance your senses, inner serenity and your over-all well being.
PRICES:
For 60 mins- £55.00 + £10 travel/set-up costs
AVAILABILITY:
Monday- Friday: 3pm-9pm
Sat-Sunday: 8:30pm-10:30pm
CONTACT:
Irene Waters on 07745928985 (please contact directly)
Marshalls Barn
We are very lucky to have the local Soho Farmhouse Massage & Treatment Therapist willing to make house-visits (member of FHT - Federation of Holistic Therapists)
MASSAGES AND TREATMENTS:
Deep Tissue, De-Stress Massage, Reflexology, Thai Herbal Hot Compress Massage, and Reiki.
Whether you are new to massage or a long time wellness enthusiast, Irene believes in individual treatment(s) and will work with you to understand and meet your individual needs.
The treatments are crafted to relax your mind, enhance your senses, inner serenity and your over-all well being.
PRICES:
For 60 mins- £55.00 + £10 travel/set-up costs
AVAILABILITY:
Monday- Friday: 3pm-9pm
Sat-Sunday: 8:30pm-10:30pm
CONTACT:
Irene Waters on 07745928985 (please contact directly)
Neighbourhoods
The Cotswolds provides an infinite variety of country scenes within a small compass: green and silent beechwoods, patchworked hills, manorial parklands, ancient and mysterious sheepwalks, tree-bordered lanes that have altered little through the centuries, the grassy ramparts of the western escarpment with views of half England and Wales from the high hills, hamlets like rosettes in the folds of the hills, shallow trout streams slipping through flowery meadows, churches with simple Norman doorways and elaborate Perpendicular towers, yew trees in church yards guarding table-tombs all scrolls and cherubs, the "wool" churches with glowing stained glass windows, and above all, the warm rich tones of Cotswold stone, almost incandescent in the sunshine of a late afternoon. For beauty of texture and hue Cotswold stone is unsurpassed anywhere in the country. It possesses the quality of ageing naturally, softening into muted shades of grey, cream and honey - buildings made of it look as though they have grown from the soil and have alwas been there, as natural a part of the scene as the trees, fields and rivers.
"The Observers book of the Cotswolds"
181 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds provides an infinite variety of country scenes within a small compass: green and silent beechwoods, patchworked hills, manorial parklands, ancient and mysterious sheepwalks, tree-bordered lanes that have altered little through the centuries, the grassy ramparts of the western escarpment with views of half England and Wales from the high hills, hamlets like rosettes in the folds of the hills, shallow trout streams slipping through flowery meadows, churches with simple Norman doorways and elaborate Perpendicular towers, yew trees in church yards guarding table-tombs all scrolls and cherubs, the "wool" churches with glowing stained glass windows, and above all, the warm rich tones of Cotswold stone, almost incandescent in the sunshine of a late afternoon. For beauty of texture and hue Cotswold stone is unsurpassed anywhere in the country. It possesses the quality of ageing naturally, softening into muted shades of grey, cream and honey - buildings made of it look as though they have grown from the soil and have alwas been there, as natural a part of the scene as the trees, fields and rivers.
"The Observers book of the Cotswolds"
Food scene
The Cotswold Guy is a bespoke food distribution service based in the heart of the Cotswolds. They provide fantastic locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, giving you the quality, consistency and choice to create the perfect dish!
They are also at your service to create a memorable meal at home, either for a special occasion, holiday treat or a meal kit for you to cook at home. We’re passionate of what we do and our love for fine food is testified in every bite.
The Cotswold Guy
The Cotswold Guy is a bespoke food distribution service based in the heart of the Cotswolds. They provide fantastic locally sourced and seasonal ingredients, giving you the quality, consistency and choice to create the perfect dish!
They are also at your service to create a memorable meal at home, either for a special occasion, holiday treat or a meal kit for you to cook at home. We’re passionate of what we do and our love for fine food is testified in every bite.
Daylesford's dedicated to growing, producing and cooking seasonal, organic food. Fresh, and full of flavour, packed with the many vitamins and minerals that come from natural food, picked and eaten at its peak.
As part of a mission to reverse the industrialisation of our food and the pollution of the land that nurtures it, Daylesford practises organic, sustainable farming with far fewer pesticides and herbicides on our crops. No use of artificial growth promoters and hormones on their animals, maintaining the highest welfare standards
273 lokal ang nagrerekomenda
Daylesford Kingham, Gloucestershire
Daylesford's dedicated to growing, producing and cooking seasonal, organic food. Fresh, and full of flavour, packed with the many vitamins and minerals that come from natural food, picked and eaten at its peak.
As part of a mission to reverse the industrialisation of our food and the pollution of the land that nurtures it, Daylesford practises organic, sustainable farming with far fewer pesticides and herbicides on our crops. No use of artificial growth promoters and hormones on their animals, maintaining the highest welfare standards