Following on from where we left off, we drove to Bourton on the Water for breakfast at Croft, by the riverside. I had Belgian waffles with berry compote and dairy free yoghurt while K had some egg Florentine.
We have been to Bourton on the water few years ago with a friend and this is what I remembered of it – lovely walks by the river and endless coffees. It is such a different feeling going to the same place with two littles in tow. We absolutely soaked up the golden sun that morning and walked until we stumbled on a farmers’ market!
The streets were super colourful and cheerful, it felt like everyone was out celebrating the sun!
I am always blown away by how beautiful Cotswolds is. Quaint, charming, idyllic, oddly familiar from the books and movies you watched and imagined a place to be, and ofcourse, incredibly picturesque. I had read of Castle Combe’s charm a few times I looked up the villages to be at in North Cotswolds so we had to make a trip there and am so so happy we did. It is a tiny town, nestled most rightfully within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The chocolate box village is characterized by its honey-hued Cotswold stone cottages, some dating back to the 12th century. These quaint buildings line the narrow, winding streets and everything looks right out of a fairy tale. I later read that possibly, no new houses have been built in this historic centre of the village since about 1600.
We parked atop the hill in the visitor’s car park and it is such a lovely walk down to the village with the autumnal colours transforming the landscape into a tapestry of oranges and gold!
I always wonder how the people residing here must feel, having tourist stare admiringly at the streets, their houses, taking pictures and soaking what is often referred to as one of the prettiest villages in England. It must not be easy 🙂
Within a few steps, we were met by the beautiful Bybrook river flowing gracefully through the heart of the town and beautifully highlights the stunning Cotswold stone cottages against that rich backdrop that no phot can truly capture.
While Castle Combe gets its name from the castle, I am told that nothing much remains of it so we didn’t really explore anything beyond the heart of the town and its quaint streets which while not totally empty didn’t really have many tourists that day.
We were utterly famished when we stepped into the Castle Inn late that afternoon. It is at such a fantastic location for visitors to have a nice stroll and then step in for a meal or drink. I had a super delicious rosti with portobello mushroom, cavolo Nero (my first of the season), cheese topped with an egg – it was just so good! We shared a panna cotta served with a yummy Garibaldi biscuit.
We did another small walk near the square and headed back, happily full from this beautiful village, a feast for all senses.
Life and Times of Piyu 