The Cotswolds

Everybody kept telling us how pretty the Cotswolds are. So, we decided it was time to break down and rent a car to check it out for ourselves. 

 

(This was our first, and so far, only, driving adventure in the UK. The roads are still safe and we are still car-less and loving it!)

The area consists of pretty rolling hills, limestone and grasslands. 

Because of the grasslands it has been perfect for raising sheep. This then led to a thriving wool industry. 

Starting in the middle ages, the wool trade made the area very prosperous.

Religion figured prominently back in the day, so there were a lot of beautiful medieval churches built with the money made off the backs of lambs.

Because of the limestone the homes are honey coloured stones. 

The Cotswolds are dotted with hundreds of quaint little villages. Many of the villages have interesting names, such as Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, Cirencester, The Slaughters, Broad Campden, Chalford and Bibury. Try saying some of them quickly after visiting the local pub for a pint or two.






Some of the villages date back to the Middle Ages. YIKES!

They have seen a lot of history and been home to a lot of people. If only the walls could speak.

Because it is so pretty, peaceful and quaint, there are wealthy people from London that have weekend retreats. We saw many people peacefully walking their horses on villages streets or in farmers fields. 

And then there are the poor plebeians like John and I that have to be content with just a weekend visit to the pretty, quaint and peaceful Cotswolds.