To get things started on the right note, we got ourselves up and out early (donโt ask, just believe it was early) and headed off to Carterton for the regular Thursday market, which apparently gets into swing from 7:30am.
We got there at 9am, but managed to find parking okay, and it wasnโt too crowded. In fact, it was the lamest market Iโve ever seen. Four vendors (fruit seller, baked goods, plants and stationery). Five counting the stuffed spud and coffee van. Maybe it gets swinging a bit later?
Anyway, we headed off to Stow-on-the-Wold earlier than expected and probably just as well. We were told that itโs popular and gets busy. Too true. By midday there were cars lined up for a mile down the road trying to get into the town centre for one of the non-existent parking spaces. Fortunately we were there at 10am and drove straight into one.
The Cotswolds refers to the range of hills that stretches along this part of England. All of the villages in and around the Cotswolds have a particular charm. They seem to be wall to wall pubs and cafes these days, to cater for the tourists. Plus antique shops.
Still they are good to wander through and marvel at the architecture. The area did very well from wool at some stage and the money was ploughed into a lot of nice buildings, of a small to medium scale.
After Stow-on-the-Wold we went through (was way too busy to stop) Morton-in-Marsh and on to Chipping Camden. This was very similar to Stow-on-the-Wold and we spent a couple of hours wandering, marvelling at the buildings and buying knick knacks.
Then back to Morton-in-Marsh, which was accessible by 3pm, then on to Chipping Norton and home. Dinner tonight is a loaf of walnut bread from Chipping Camden, plus cheese from Morton-in-Marsh. Breakfast will be more bread, plus Cotswolds honey from Chipping Camden.
Bye for now, Steve and Michelle.