Seasonal Recipes: Cream of Spring Vegetables

Recipe of the month.

#healthy #delicious #quick #seasonal

15 mins prep and 30 mins cooking time.

Why a cream of vegetables? With the abundance of luscious fresh vegetables available right now, it would be rude not to!

Sure, you can buy it ready-made or frozen, but it does not deliver a fraction of the flavour, nutrition and aroma that the fresh version offers.

Pick your favourite selection of seasonal vegetables – any variation of the following is good (serves 2): 3 courgettes, 2 leeks, 250 gr peas, 2 red peppers, 4 or 5 celery stalks, a bag of swiss chard (spinach is fine too), fresh herbs like basil or parsley and a clove of garlic. You will need a tin of chick peas or butter beans, a carton of passata or a tin of tomatoes, some good olive oil (extra virgin is best), salt and pepper. For the garnish I suggest crème fraiche and pesto.

Method: wash, chop and slice the vegetables (more fun if done to the tune of your favourite music; Beethoven’s pastoral symphony works for me!). Soften the chopped leeks and garlic in some olive oil. Add the veg selection and stir fry for a few minutes. Add a spoonful of tomato paste and a tin of tomatoes or a carton of passata, salt and pepper to taste and some fresh herbs – basil or parsley are perfect. Add hot water to cover the veg and lower the heat, simmer gently with a lid on for 20 minutes to half an hour, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon and adding a little water if the soup gets too dry.

Once cooked through, you can puree with an immersion mixer and serve with an elegant swirl of crème fraiche, a few drops of pesto/flavoured oil, a sprinkle of parmesan, a few basil leaves as a garnish, alongside some freshly toasted croutons or just a couple of slices of toasted and buttered sourdough. So nice it ought to be naughty – but it isn’t!! Easy.

Bon appetit!

PS See our Instagram video

The forgotten holiday: Epiphany

When Christmas and New Year’s Day are over, most of us contemplate with angst the long stretch of holiday-free months ahead of us, until Easter gives us something to celebrate again. And yet, there is one festivity worthwhile observing after New Year, one that is celebrated in countries like Italy, Russia and Spain. It has festive traditions associated with it and can be made into an enjoyable occasion in its own right. It is Epiphany.

Celebrated on 6^th January, Epiphany is a Christian festivity, commemorating the arrival of the Magi (aka the ‘wise men’ or ‘three kings’) at the stable where the infant Jesus was born. They brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the new-born king. The Epiphany quite literally celebrates the manifestation of the divinity to humankind, as this is when a human being first set eyes on the son of God.

In Italy, kids hang up their stockings by the fireplace, on the night between the 5^th and 6^th of January, with the expectation of receiving sweets – if they have been good. In old times, naughty kids were warned to expect coal rather than sweets. Over time, coal has turned into a confection that looks like coal but tastes delicious.

Who brings the sweets? A magical character known as La Befana, a good witch who travels across the night sky on a broomstick. The origins of La Befana are ancient and unsure. Some think she has pre-Christian roots, in local folklore – others claim she is part of the Christian tradition. The former hypothesis has La Befana as evolved from a pagan goddess. The latter theory has it that the Magi, on their way to see Jesus, asked for directions and a housewife who was busy cleaning (explaining the broom reference), accompanied them on their way. Others claim La Befana is a chagrined mother who was driven mad by the loss of her child and is therefore roaming the planet in an endless search for him.

Whatever the truth may be, La Befana continues to fascinate thousands of kids (and adults!) bringing magic to households across Italy well after Christmas.

The Epiphany of course, is celebrated in other ways too, with processions and parades across city centres in Spain, with the Magi as the focal point. In fact, many Spanish kids receive their presents on the 6^th January.

If you would like to introduce your kids to the magic of the Epiphany and fill their stockings with sweets and a cheeky portion of sweet coal, we have the below recipe for you! (In Italy you can purchase sweet coal in any supermarket but it is impossible to find outside of Italy).

 

Christmas Films Advent Calendar

One of the debates that comes around at this time of year, is that of top Christmas films, and it is a discussion of which I will probably never tire. There are plenty of discussions to be had around what is and is not – Die Hard, anyone – a Christmas film. Whether the aforementioned is better than The Muppets’ Christmas Carol, and of course which film should hold the coveted title of Best Christmas Film. The discussions will never be settled, and nor should they be; what matters is enjoying them all, or at least, as many as possible.  To that end we have decided to take the advent calendar approach, lining up 25 films to see us into Christmas Day. What follows is our order and though some date/film combinations are flexible for us, others e.g. The Polar Express, is immovable from its Christmas Eve slot.

Dec. 1^st – Christmas in Connecticut: new to some, perhaps, but a frothy, not to mention bonkers, start to December.
Dec 2^nd – Home Alone: enough said.
Dec 3^rd – The Bishop’s Wife: Cary Grant and David Niven: two classic gents of the silver screen for the price of one in a simply charming film.
Dec 4^th – The Man Who Invented Christmas: The story about most people’s favourite Christmas story.
Dec 5^th – How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Jim Carrey in green fur. Good fun, though perhaps more for the kids.
Dec 6^th – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: chaos descends, in the shape of Chevy Chase, on a family Christmas vacation.
Dec 7^th – Narnia: snowy, frozen landscapes, ice queens and talking wolves and lions. Proper fairytale charm.
Dec 8^th – Joyeux Noël: the story of the Christmas truce football match in 1914. Sombre, but worth it, and a reminder to be thankful for what you have.
Dec 9^th – Bridget Jones’ Diary: you know, Colin Firth in a Christmas jumper.
Dec 10^th – Die Hard: for some the best Christmas film ever, if indeed it is a Christmas film.
Dec 11^th – Scrooge: for my money the actual best Christmas film ever, with Alastair Sim – a much underrated actor – in a definitive portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Dec 12^th – Miracle on 34th Street: pick your version – the black and white one for me – and enjoy a fine example of the “child reminding the adults what Christmas is all about” trope.
Dec 13^th – The Nightmare before Christmas: the folks behind Halloween try to do Christmas for a change. Brilliant animated musical.
Dec 14^th – It’s a Wonderful Life: Jimmy Stewart nearly loses it all, before Clarence comes to his rescue and earns his wings. “Atta boy, Clarence!”

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Elf

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol

The Holiday

Home Alone

White Christmas

Dec 15^th – Home Alone 2: Lost in New York: a sequel that is nearly up to the standard of the original. Excellent fun.
Dec 16^th – The Santa Clause: Tim Allen reluctantly and haplessly becomes Santa Clause after doing in the old one.
Dec 17^th – Elf: sometimes cringeworthy, but sometimes utterly hilarious. Something for everyone.
Dec 18^th – Die Hard 2: the same stuff (well, not “stuff”, but you know what I mean) happening to the same guy twice – in an airport.
Dec 19^th – Love Actually: complete with dancing Hugh Grant and a nativity lobster.
Dec 20^th – Trading Places: riches-to-rags-to-riches/rags-to-riches classic. And of course, the Mozart overture is unmistakable.
Dec 21^st – The Snowman: only half an hour or so, but such a wonderful story, with Aled Jones doing his stuff.
Dec 22^nd – The Muppets’ Christmas Carol: Miss Piggy reins it in as Mrs Bob Cratchit, and the rest of the muppets cast are perfect too. Beautifully judged take on the Christmas story.
Dec 23^rd – The Holiday: unashamedly romantic with a nice side order of cinema nostalgia.
Dec 24^th – The Polar Express: get home from the carol service, get a cuppa, get cosy, and get ready for Christmas: that’s our routine.
Dec 25^th – White Christmas: (after a re-watch of Home Alone, if our household is anything to go by): a remake that is more famous than its original and contains a couple of Christmas classics.

A year of the Cirencester blog

One year Wold.

To say “it’s been an interesting 12 months” is almost banal nowadays. Pick any 12 month period in the last 50 or so and given the upheaval that is going on, well, almost anywhere you care to name, it will feel like a lot has happened within that time. There is plenty to give you cause for utter despair – clueless politicians pretending they understand the modern world, despots left right and centre, and a narcissistic nutter squatting in the White House. Even as I write this, the headlines are full of missile strikes against a despot who is alleged to have gassed his own people.

Even our lovely home town of Cirencester has not been immune to controversy. If you don’t believe me, say the word ‘Chesterton’ to any Cirencestrian and watch them roll their eyes or give a puff of the cheeks. So what, then, does a small blogging collective in the Cotswolds and its periodic output over the last 12 months matter when set against all of that?

On one level – on several levels, probably – not very much at all. We’d be the first to admit that our voice is no more worthy of being listened to than any of the hundreds or thousands of others that have something to say. But that helps us keep our feet on the ground, our focus close to home: the Cotswolds.

The reason we started writing about Cirencester and its environs was because there was so much we felt we wanted to tell other people about, even if all they gleaned from it was a different take on something they already know well. We also felt that there was a gap, that there was a lack of local bloggers and articles about the area. That, happily, turned out not to be true. In fact, we’ve come across so many people during the last year – here or on Instagram – who are clearly as passionate about our shared muse as we are, if not more so.

What comes across, as we read articles and look at the myriad photos, is the pervading sense of positivity. When reviewing places (eateries mainly, but only because there are so many on offer) it’s easy to slip in a couple of niggles, or even be openly critical, but I rarely see that. That’s just remarkable when set against the polarised, opinionated world we now seem to live in.

During the last year, we’ve have been reminded what a fantastic asset we have in Cirencester Hospital, we’ve eaten well (whether at breakfast, lunch or dinner) and of course we’ve enjoyed the seemingly limitless beauty and splendour of the Cotswolds. And while it’s not been all good news – remember when we lost the health shop in Castle Street and one of our two Whiddett’s? – even that gave us one of the best quotes ever given to a local paper.

I was chatting to a blogger friend of mine about writing about the town or city where you live. The emerging theme of that conversation was that it involves a certain degree of mythologising, accentuating the positives. He’s right. Not only is it just a better way of approaching things, but also that, among all the craziness out there, it feels more important than ever to pay attention to the good stuff around you and show it some appreciation. You end up showcasing the best of where you live, and I’d say that’s a good thing.

So yes, it’s been an interesting 12 months (whether you take the macro or micro view) and the same will probably true for the next 12. But while “interesting times” is often used as a curse wished on others, you can easily see it in the opposite light. What is clear is that among the many adjectives you could use to describe the Cirencester and the Cotswolds, ‘interesting’ is definitely high on that list. The sheer variety of places we’ve been to in order to write content has been a joy, and what’s even more exciting is that we have so much left to discover, enjoy and share.

And there’d be no sharing were it not for those of you who have kindly read our posts, digested our thoughts and even started following us, so for that, it seems best to end on a sincere and earnest “thank you”.

etc.

Spring Days Out in the Cotswolds

Five fabulous Cotswold gardens to visit this spring

The first sunshine of the year warming your skin, birdsong in the morning and at dusk, the smell of cut grass filling the air (if you could smell the colour green, that’s how it would smell) and colour lighting up the landscape. That is spring, a season you can enjoy in all its glory in the Cotswolds, where the landscape seems tailor-made to take the pastoral symphony to a virtuoso performance.

With the weather improving and the May bank holidays looming closer, the excitement is building; ahead of us are sunny days out in the countryside, to enjoy with our nearest and dearest. There are plenty of options, but if you are into nature and truly idyllic locations, the following destinations are not to be missed.

1. Highgrove Gardens.  The Garden tours at Highgrove, the official residence of HRH the Prince of Wales, just outside Tetbury, are a truly delightful way to spend a morning or an afternoon. They are informative and entertaining and they give you a real glimpse of the man and inspiration behind the gardens. The gardens are varied and full of surprising and charming elements and reflect a personal touch and love of nature. You need to book in advance and you can finish your visit with a lovely afternoon tea in the garden restaurant.
2. North Cerney House Gardens. A little hidden gem in North Cerney, between Cirencester and Cheltenham, North Cerney House Gardens are an enchanting example of a walled garden. Set on the hillside, the garden is eclectic in style, and reminiscent of a cottage garden. Ornamental plants and fruit trees, woodland and vegetable garden make for an eclectic and varied landscape and an interesting walk through the meandering paths. You can make a cup of tea and help yourself to biscuits for a small donation. It feels like visiting the home of a long-lost relative, it is homely and picturesque and entirely unique!
3. Sudely Castle Gardens.
   

   

   
   Sudeley castle is a major attraction in its own right, having played host to kings and queens, from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I, and most notably, having been the residence of Katherine Parr, the last of Henry VIII’s wives. A tip for those of you who want to capture the true spirit of this historic jewel: come on a weekday, outside of the school holidays. I did, and had the exclusive pleasure of wandering alone along the atmospheric corridors of the castle, hearing only the creaking of the floorboards under my footsteps. The gardens though, merit a special mention in their own right, delivering on a grand scale in spring when tulips and roses bring a vibrant burst of colour to the hedged lawns. The garden is as intriguing as the castle and steeped in its rich history. Queen Katherine used to cross it daily to the church, where she is now buried, accompanied by the ill-fated Lady Grey. Two topiary silhouettes have been erected in the garden to commemorate this. Take time to learn about the White Garden, the Secret Garden, the Queen’s Garden, the Tudor Physic Garden and many more.
   

   
4. Westonbirt Arboretum.
   

   

   
   Always a great destination to feast in the glory of nature, no matter what the season. We have written before about how amazing this venue is. I have been a member for almost 20 years and can’t imagine life without it. It is a proper haven for the soul. In spring, it is a feast of azaleas, magnolias, rhododendrons and tender green buds signalling the awakening of the great woodland collection. There is a bird observatory too for your little ones to enjoy watching some nest building in progress. Take a picnic or feast on the lovely food at the Restaurant if you build up an appetite!
5.  Painswick Rococo Gardens
   

   

   
   . Between Stroud and Cheltenham, Painswick is a small, sleepy village on the hillside, playing host to some rather spectacular gardens. The Rococo gardens, from the mid 1700s, are not about neat geometric patterns but about bucolic splendour, fairy-tale woodland with unexpected follies, chattering brooks amid valleys of wild garlic and meandering paths in dappled shade. At every turn, you are treated to another breath-taking, picturesque vista, punctuated by an Indian pavilion here, a Moorish temple there, a Bavarian castle over yonder. Quite extraordinary.
   

   
   . The valley must be echoing with oohs and aahs of past visitors. Imagine the fun this venue must have provided the illustrious guests of the lavish parties back in the 1700s. Apparently, they selected special plants with foliage that would help reflect the moonlight! Picture the ladies wearing flowing crinoline dresses, gently brushing against the ground, the sweet smelling evening breeze playing with their elegantly gathered locks.  It is a fantastic spot for a woodland walk and a period drama. And it has a maze where you can loose…I mean, keep your kids entertained for a while!
   

   

A day at the hospital

Yes, I know – it hardly sounds like a programme. A day at the hospital invokes images of drab, sterile interiors, grey, featureless buildings surrounded by large, monotonous car parks. Not in Cirencester. If you are unlucky enough to have twisted an ankle while dismounting from your horse at the Sunday polo or slipped outside Waitrose on a rainy day, you can count on a welcoming, comforting and yes, picturesque environment at the local hospital.

I became an assiduous visitor when my kids were little; as a new parent, I was a little over-anxious and needed regular reassuring from the medical experts that my kids were behaving normally, even when they exhibited what I interpreted as near-death symptoms. We took many a trip to Cirencester hospital and were met, every time, with helpful staff and delightful facilities. Now that they are teenagers, I am past seeking reassurance on their normality and keener on checking on my own remaining sanity.

And so for years, we never went, only ever driving past it, barely giving it a glance, much less any brain time.

And then, just the other day – and entirely out of the blue – I had cause to be reminded of what a gem our local hospital is. My teenage son contrived to acquire yet another sports injury (and they say sports are good for you), injuring his foot while playing football. (That’s what he told the school nurse, anyway.) So there we were, my daughter and I, maladroitly but enthusiastically carrying him through the doors to the minor injuries unit, where we were mercifully relieved of our porter duties thanks to the prompt delivery of a wheelchair. Cue the embarrassing display of wheelchair driving skills – seriously, it’s not as easy as it looks – as we negotiated the narrow, twisting corridor to the waiting area. Here we were finally able to relax and enjoy the views out of the large bay windows onto the beautiful landscaped gardens, and admire the other hospital wing facing us: a beautiful Victorian manor house.

Cirencester hospital is set on a hilltop, in a central position in the town. The manor house we spent those couple of hours admiring is actually Querns House, a grade II listed building, built in 1825 in the Tudor style. Being a converted manor house and a period building, it features the traditional mellow Cotswold stone (now pleasingly mottled with lichen), church-style windows,  and rolling landscaped gardens. There’s even an internal garden that you can enjoy through the glass panels lining the corridors around it.

Being a market town hospital, it exists on a smaller scale than other, more modern hospitals and as such appears less forbidding and more human in scale. It has little charming traits: take the tiny shop that sells refreshments (sandwiches, pens, toys and a therapeutic cup of tea), run by a sweet elderly lady, the sort who could easily feature in a children’s storybook as the archetypal spoiling grandmother. We have made several attempts to adopt her during our visits to the hospital – yes, she’s been there a while –  but  it turns out she has enough grandchildren already. Such a pity.

When I was pregnant with my first child, I enjoyed my ante-natal appointments there and was really saddened to learn the maternity ward had been just closed; what a serene place it would have been to enjoy the miracle of motherhood! (Although, with hindsight, the screams accompanying childbirth might have spoiled the relaxed atmosphere of the place.)

Fortunately, while the maternity unit is no more, other units remained – and remain – open, though the shadow of closure seems to have hung over the place for some time. Every few months, rumours seems to surface about a potential closure of this cherished establishment; happily, this has not happened yet, even if there has been some down-scaling of services. We need our hospital to survive; it serves a large network of surrounding villages as well as Cirencester itself, and offers prompt assistance for injuries that need attending to as a matter of urgency and would otherwise require a long trip to Gloucester on a busy dual carriageway.

So as a call to action, I urge you to support our local hospital, keep an eye on its status and voice your appreciation for it. Be more adventurous and incur the odd sprain, dislocation or break.  My son  – collar bone fracture and this latest sprain – should be an example to us all. His self-sacrifices on the playing fields of Deer Park have been our family’s contribution to keeping it in business! If there is to be a silver lining to the new, extensive housing construction planned for our town, it ought to be that it justifies better facilities for our community and more investment in this undervalued town institution. One can hope.

The Sign of the Angel, Lacock

The eagle-eyed among you, may instantly be wondering why a blog that concerns itself with Cirencester and the Cotswolds, is writing about a pub in Lacock. It is a fair question. Lacock itself is located in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside and while it is not far from Cirencester, it is still a stretch to think of it as near the Cotswolds, even if everything is relative.

The answer is twofold, really: firstly it is such a nice place that we can’t help but feel compelled to tell you about it; and second, believe it or not, The Sign of the Angel in Lacock, markets itself as “located in the National Trust village of Lacock, on the edge of the Cotswolds and only a short distance from Bath.” For those two reasons, I ask you to go with me on this.

This Easter weekend was not the friendliest, weatherwise, but there is something about the Brits that compels us to do something, come a bank holiday weekend. One of those days must be spent doing DIY/the garden/spring cleaning (delete as appropriate); there must be a big family meal; and there has to be an outing of some sort. This was our outing, and we could not have picked a worse day, but we were rewarded by our lunch destination.

To say we were all ready for food is a blithe understatement. I have no idea what it is about just sitting in a car that makes you ravenous but I can attest to the truth of this phenomenon. So it was, first with great interest, and then with great pleasure, that we read the menu. There are some menus, that when you read them, you just know (barring a major upset) are a sign of good things to come. I could have happily eaten everything on there. There is a set lunch menu from which you can choose your combination of courses, or there are some lighter lunch options.Between us we ordered a decent cross-section.

 

Low ceilings abound.

The sign of The Sign of the Angel

Cosy interiors are very welcoming.

It was only once we’d ordered that we took stock of our 14th century surroundings. They were quite something, and it is easy to see why Lacock is a perennial film or TV location both inside and out. There were nooks, there were crannies, beams that bowed so low they were a hazard to anyone over 4 feet 6. The garden looked a picture, even in the rain, and must surely be quite something when the weather lets it. There are fireplaces  – thankfully complete with fires when we were there, doors that looked older than the last two centuries combined and a maze of different spaces, all with tables full of expectant or satisfied-looking diners.

Which brings us back to the food which, when it all came, had the air of a banquet and was entirely in keeping with the renaissance-era surroundings. The prawn cocktail salad (a main course portion) was served on a long, rectangular slate set into a wooden base that looked for all the world like a sled. In terms of visual impact, it could not be faulted, and tasted every bit as good. The prawns, grilled and juicy, were lavishly dressed in a mildly spicy cocktail sauce with sun blush tomatoes, olives, a griddled baby gem lettuce and some melba toast. My blade of beef was meltingly tender and surrendered to the merest hint of pressure from my fork. Coupled with a pea risotto some steamed celeriac  – refreshingly not mashed, for once – and a smoked garlic jus that might possibly be the most intensely savoury flavour I taste all year. I am quite easily given to food hyperbole, but even allowing for that these two dishes were sensational.

And it did not end there.  To continue on the sublime meat theme, one of our junior number had a minute steak with chips – a pub classic, but in this instance taken to the next level. The thin slices of steak were beautifully presented with some mushrooms and some chips. While the steak was proclaimed delicious, it was the chips that drew what can only be described as rave reviews. They were a similar success when accompanying the pork chop with black pudding, Chantenay carrots and a port wine sauce. I think we all cleared our plates quite quickly, but that one was hoovered up with relish. Thankfully, it being Good Friday, one of us had the grace to have fish – a beautiful filet of salmon, served on some pearl couscous flavoured with lemon, samphire, and a yoghurt dressing.

The portions were not small by any means, but they did leave room for dessert, for those of us still needing a little finishing off. From first seeing eyes on the menu – I did this before even entering, getting soaked all the while but not minding in the slightest – I had had my eye on the apricot cheesecake. However, the blood orange steamed pudding with a citrus caramel, rhubarb sorbet, and vanilla custard was also too good to resist. We decided to share. The apricot cheesecake was a deconstructed affair that looked stunning, with both the creamy, almost-salty mascarpone and the sweetly tangy apricot sorbet providing a vivid contrast against the matt black glaze of the serving plate. The scattered oat crumb brought the ensemble together, providing texture and substance. The pudding, altogether more subtle in appearance on its pristine white oblong plate, was no less of a picture. The pudding was soft and light, a perfect foil for the blood orange on top and the zing of the rhubarb sorbet and the velvety smooth custard. And then that citrus caramel – such a beautiful way to complete the palette of flavours.

Being with children, we worried slightly that the food might be too sophisticated for the younger ones but we needn’t have. All plates were emptied, and the faces of both young and older at the table told a story of happy, sated appetites. After such a feast a walk around the village would have been ideal, but the Good Friday weather had other ideas. As it was, what we did see of Lacock – which was not a lot – was done mainly through the rain-splattered car windows. This is a shame, but really we had no alternative – the weather and an injury to one of our party put paid to any sightseeing “on the edge of the Cotswolds”. We will go back though.

Relax and recharge: spa days in the Cotswolds

Winter is made for resting. We may think it coincidental that the hours of darkness exceed daylight time in winter, that the temperature drops and that nature, plants and animals alike, go dormant for a few months, but could it be a gentle nudge to us humans too, to batten down the hatches, take cover and rest? It is so tempting to get over-excited about the Christmas festivities and get carried away in revelries, late nights and consumption of food and drink, but then just as easily feel exhausted rather than rested when the time comes for returning to work. We may have ticked all the boxes in terms of the social calendar, the parties and the exchanges of gifts but what about the box marked “make time for me”. Hands up if you feel you’ve started the new year with your energy stores depleted rather than replenished.

When it comes to new year resolutions, giving your body and mind some respect – in the shape of regular recuperation time, might not be such a bad idea. A weekly yoga session, 10 minutes of meditation each day or simply some alone time for a gentle stroll – away from your daily tick list – might be beneficial. Indeed, whatever helps recharge your batteries will improve your mood and ultimately your quality of life. I like writing, taking and editing photographs, baking, or losing myself in a good book. You may like running, knitting, woodwork or baking – it really is very subjective.

Because we are so used to operating at lightening-fast speed though, we need some help in slowing down, to properly engage in creative activities and enjoy the moment, rather than perennially racing to the finish line. What better way to draw a line below the routine than a Spa day? Or maybe just a half-day:enough time to stop and contemplate life, to just be, to consciously relax and offer your body the care and attention it deserves. A spot of reflexology, an Indian head massage or an aromatherapy oil massage can enhance your sense of well-being and help kick-start a healthier lifestyle.

In the Cotswolds we have a few gems, when it comes to spa venues, nestled in the dreamy rural landscape of Gloucestershire and all tantalizingly close to home if you’re based in the Cirencester area. Without wanting to draw an exhaustive list – we’re talking relaxing after all – here are some of our favourite temples of zen. They have in common a gorgeous setting, amenable interiors and of course delicious food treats.

CalcotManor

I received a couple Spa day vouchers as a Christmas present one year for this lovely establishment, which I shared with a friend. We started our visit with a very enjoyable and almost healthy fruit smoothie, (aside from the addition of some celebratory champagne), in the outdoor hot whirlpool (heated by a real wood fire that emanates a fantastic fragrant aroma). There followed an aromatherapy massage and a facial, a swift swim in the pool, rewarded by a spot of lunch in the bright and comfy bar area. In the afternoon, we moved to the relaxation zone where we read our books to the soothing sound of gently cascading water, stopping for a restorative cup of hot tea before selecting a couple of delicious items from the Aromatherapy Associates oils range and reluctantly changing from our fluffy dressing gowns back into our battle-gear

Whatley Manor

Ok, so this one is really in nearby Wiltshire but just a stone’s throw from Tetbury – and less than half an hour’s drive away (again, we’re talking from Ciren here). It has very high standards and impeccable ethos and I have it from reputable sources that it delivers a first class experience. The spa uses ethically sourced, organic, artisan ingredients, such as Moroccan Argan oil, Hymalaian salt crystals and Damascena rose oil. Get an oxygen boost with the Natura Bissé Bubble treatment, a kind of oxygen therapy cabin where you can breathe 99.995% pure air in isolated atmosphere; the latest detoxifying beauty trend, as read in the February 2018 issue of Vogue.

Cowley Manor

I love the interiors of Cowley Manor, with its warm parquet floors and its gracious undulating, landscaped gardens. It speaks of a bygone era of crinoline dresses, banquets and gentrified country folk. A beautiful Victorian manor house set in dreamy Cotswold countryside, Cowley Manor plays host to a very serene spa in a unique setting. Set apart from the manor house itself, featuring Cotswold stone and floor to ceiling glass walls that enable you to enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, it doesn’t take long to feel a sense of tranquility. You can relax in the sauna and steam room after your holistic, nature-inspired treatments, including the latest advances in skincare with peptides and stem cells treatments. There are rooms, too, in case you want to stay the whole weekend and really pamper yourself.

Barnsley House

In the genteel eponymous village, Barnsley House is your quintessential country house. On a smaller scale than the other establishments featured here, it possesses considerable charm and it is located just three miles from Cirencester, a very pleasant – if short – ride away. Set in lovely gardens, the spa is a secluded and peaceful hideaway, featuring a sauna, steam room and outdoor heated hydrotherapy pool. The aromatherapy treatments use essential oils and the excellent Elemis skincare range.

Bamford Haybarn Spa at Daylesford

The ultimate in refined rustic, the spa at Daylesford organic farm combines luxury and relaxation seamlessly and elegantly. The small spa is part of the larger complex at Daylesford, one that incorporates the excellent restaurant, the deli, kitchen, clothes shop and the florist’s. The common thread for all the components of the Daylesford complex is superlative quality, at a price. The spa is serene and tranquil, set aside from the rest of the buildings and looking out onto the surrounding fields. The relaxation area makes you want you curl up with a book and your favourite classical music compilation, looking up occasionally to enjoy the uninterrupted views from the glass frontage, the water fountain trickling gently in the background. That is restorative in itself, and there are the treatments still to enjoy; bliss, and then some.

The winter months, when the world is grey and cold, are made for a retreat or a spa break – after all, half of nature is doing it as we speak. So let this be a form of hibernation, putting the ‘treat’ in retreat and giving some time to restoring yourself a little, and then you can come back with a smile, refreshed, with a positive outlook, and with that season not so far away now, a spring in your step.

Bits and bites: Cirencester’s top 5 connected cafes

It was pretty chilly outside the other morning, and in our case, it was pretty cold inside too. The central heating had not come on because the boiler pressure was too low. Well, non-existent, actually. There then followed frantic Googling for the instruction manual: one of the few unheralded joys of the web is being able to find a manual online to replace the one you know you have somewhere but are unlikely to find. After some more faffing, um-ing and ah-ing, and an abortive attempt or two to fix things, we finally got it sorted. Problem solved, and the prospect of having to spend a day at home waiting for an engineer to come and fix it, was gone.

Sticky toffee pudding at Toro Lounge

Proper milkshake thanks to He Says She Waffles

The fabulous apple pie waffle

That prospect of having to stay home, or close to home, in order to accommodate an imprecisely-specified appointment with an engineer, had led me to wonder about where I might usefully base myself in order to remain local and get some work done. Home is the obvious option, but what if I wanted to be in town, and need to be connected? Where could I sit, order the occasional drink and perhaps my lunch, while all the time continuing my Canutian struggle against the inexorably rising tide of email in my inbox. If that doesn’t strike you as a pressing concern – and there is no reason why it should – then perhaps you just need to find some WiFi to keep those special teenagers from predicting the apocalypse if they can’t open their latest Snapchat. Either way, the idea of checking out the WiFi in the various hangouts around town took root and grew and has led to this.

In a lot of our posts we talk lovingly – with good reason – about the location, the food and drink, the atmosphere, etc., that we are really very fortunate to get to enjoy. But also being able to be connected while enjoying such places is important to many, so if it is something you care about, hopefully you’ll find it useful. We’ve already started with our research, with the first couple of results below.

NB: For upload and download higher is better; for the ping, lower is better. While they’re not super controlled and scientific – for example, one place might be more crowded than another, the grading system used by the app gives a good idea.

The WiFi List (with a little nod towards the food and drink!):

1. The Cafe at the New Brewery Arts: we’ve written about the Brewery Cafe before, and that we are big fans, not least of the salads and the cakes. Now it turns out that the WiFi is pretty good too, proving to be in the top quartile in the UK. As if there was not already plenty to like about the Brewery Cafe – did you try the mince pies over Christmas – it turns out it is a place you could happily stay all day and stay connected all day.
   
2. Caffe Nero: probably our favourite out of the three High Street coffee mainstays. It is also a popular hangout for those needing to crack on with some work while wanting to be in a social environment. The espresso is passable, the panettoncino always a nice accompaniment, and the WiFi courtesy of The Cloud is pretty good too.
   
3. Waterstones Cafe: somewhere we’ve been meaning to pay a visit, not least because of their focus on local suppliers. With suppliers like Whiddett’s and Lavender Bakehouse you know you’re going to eat well, and the comfy chairs do encourage you to linger. There is free WiFi, too, although according to the numbers, it does lag the Brewery Arts Cafe, being in the slowest 20% of hotspots in the UK.
   
4. He Says She Waffles: this has always been one of our favourite places to go for a treat – the apple pie waffle that drips with caramelised apples and sultanas while the whipped cream slowly melts over it all is a thing of beauty just to behold, let alone eat. The new additions to the savoury part of the menu mean we’ll be going back there for a full waffle-based meal. WiFi is essential here for me, as Blackjack Street contrives to cut me off, so the fact that they have it is a big plus. It’s not the speediest, but it’s more than functional – we worked there without issue and even posted content. Also worth a mention is that this is just a great place to hang out – there’s invariably a fun vibe that feels great to be a part of.
   
5. The Toro Lounge: we’ve always had an ambivalent relationship with the Toro Lounge; it’s not somewhere we make a bee line for, yet it is somewhere we keep returning to and thinking: “actually, this place does have a lot going for it.” While the decor – particularly the dim lighting – is not to my personal liking, I am compelled to admit that the places as a whole does have a rather nice “hangout” vibe that leaves you happy to linger for much longer than you might have planned. And they’ve plenty of space, so you never have to worry that you might be depriving others of a place to sit and eat. Add to this the all day menu, a decent standard of coffee and tea and of course the complementary WiFi and you have the makings of an excellent place to install yourself should the need (or the fancy) arise. The WiFi is not super-speedy (see below), connectivity is relatively simple, quick and stable.
   

Westonbirt Arboretum: New Year cleansing for body and soul

Whenever the mind feels fuzzy with too much screen exposure, late nights or just the hectic pace of life and the body heavier with too much indulgence and inactivity I find the perfect cure lies in a walk in the woods. It literally brings you back to earth and makes you appreciate the beauty of our natural world. The clear oxygenated air, the fragrance of the trees, the silence and the beauty of a forest is one of the great collective wonders of life – if only we stopped often enough to appreciate it. A walk in the one of the great cathedrals of nature always regales you with a sense of perspective and an appreciation for the bigger picture as well as gratitude for our wonderful environment.

We are particularly blessed in the Cotswolds for the sheer variety and beauty of our woodland: two of the Forestry Commission’s arboreta – Westonbirt and Batsford – and the wondrous Savernake forest are all on our doorstep. There are few worthier destinations for the woodland walker than Westonbirt Arboretum, just outside Tetbury. It is divided into two parts: the old arboretum, an amazing collection of international renown of trees and shrubs from all over the globe, and Silkwood, a lovely hillside covered by indigenous woodland.

The old arboretum is for those who appreciate the beauty and variety of the plant world  – who take pleasure in recognizing a sweet chestnut from a horse chestnut, an oak from an acer, a yew from a pine. You can walk along the seasonal paths of the arboretum, dazzled by the fiery reds, yellows and oranges of the acers in the autumn, by the floral explosion of the azaleas in the spring, enjoying the cool shade of the leafy London planes in the summer, but if you catch the arboretum in the winter snow you are in for a true fairytale experience. If you are a dog walker, Silkwood is the part of the arboretum where you can enjoy a great scenic walk while your canine companion can feel like he is really stretching his legs.

Whatever the season, I always feel like a kid discovering a magical place in the arboretum, a kind of Alice in wonderland. There is a special suspended atmosphere that puts us humans back where we truly belong, as part of nature’s rich tapestry. I have been a member of the arboretum for almost two decades, my kids have been going for walks there since they were babes in arms; it has helped them appreciate the value of nature and its soothing, uplifting effect.

Once you have paid your dues and reacquainted yourself with nature and topped yourself up on the ozone-enriched air, what a great treat to have that warming hot chocolate, coffee or tea in the lovely wooden cafe. In the summer you can sit out on the wooden deck and enjoy the warming sunshine too. And no visit is complete without a visit to the delightful gift shop, with a great selection of quality wooden ornaments, kids toys, stationery, sweets and biscuits, gifts and outdoor clothing.

If you find yourself thinking that the same collection of trees might get a bit samey after a few visits, the arboretum plays host to a variety of events that always have something to offer, from large-scale events like Enchanted Forest in winter, when the arboretum is lit up into a Christmas fairyland, to smaller activities such as workshops and guided walks.

If you can start a new healthy habit for the new year, there’s nothing I’d recommend more than becoming a member of this wonderful establishment. It is a modest investment (£38), for a year’s worth of blissful walks  – good for both the mind and the body. What’s more, this membership doesn’t only get you into Westonbirt, it gets you in to the smaller but no less enchanting Batsford Arboretum and many others besides. For more information, visit https://www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt