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!
   

   

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.

Kemble Station: railway Arcadia

 

Picture this: you are sitting at a station waiting for a train.

What can you see? I’d guess –  shades of grey, a mundane image of utilitarian travel, heavy with cement, metal, and perpendicular lines. Not so in Kemble. Kemble station is the antithesis of your average, functional, uninspiring railway station. It is tranquil, quaint, and fragrant – a place you can enjoy. From its beautiful landscaped garden to the brightly painted wooden trimmings edging the station building, to the delightful ‘Off the Rails’ café – I have never found a station so beguiling to the senses.

And customers seem to respond to the environment and mirror its quiet and kindly, relaxed mood. Set in deep Gloucestershire, Kemble is a busy little station – as busy as the bees that populate its garden – frequented as it is by the daily London commuters that live in the surrounding villages.

Travelling from Kemble takes the edge off commuting, with its comforting, human-size experience. It’s a station with personality, one that acknowledges its heritage and people’s need for amenable surroundings.

The station garden – created and maintained by the students at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, with donations from Dobbies Garden Centre, is a fantastic local initiative. It offers a little quiet haven where to gather yourself ahead of a busy commute – all lavender and lilies and buzzing with bumblebees. Starting your journey here, puts you in a positive frame of mind to face the day ahead.

Kemble keeps its charm all year round: in the summer, you can sit in the RAU garden and watch the trees gently sway in the breeze and in winter, the waiting room has a cosy, welcoming feel with its little heater you can turn on and people smiling and saying hello as you enter. You can take a seat on one of the two wooden benches and help yourself to one of the free papers. Makes you feel like you are waiting in someone’s front room!

The ‘Off the Rails’ café, a quaint, little Aladdin’s cave emanating tempting aromas of coffee and grilled bacon, oozes character and charm and despite its diminutive size, offers a great section of freshly prepared snacks and coffees, not to mention other items like newspapers, magazines, greetings cards and even features a book exchange! Delicious, the freshly grilled bacon baps and the Danish pastries! How refreshing to have a privately-run, local café rather than another faceless chain outlet!

As with all ointments though, the proverbial fly applies. Beware of parking your car in the station approach road. There have been several reports of damage to cars there, mine included, alas. Parking here, although perfectly legal, is not advisable. Car number-plates have gone missing and cars have been bashed. So, use the car park, at least it has CCTV cameras!

The magnificent seven – for location

 

The Black Horse, Amberley. Luscious views over the Stroud valley.

The Lock Cafe in Stroud. A canal-side haven.

The Crown at Frampton Mansell. Cotswold bucolic splendour

So you are not content with good food, quality coffee and luscious cakes. You want somewhere that will feed your eyes and soul too. Green pastures, shimmering water and verdant valleys dotted with cute stone cottages, plumes of blue smoke rising from their chimneys…Not a problem, in our picturesque region – all you need to do is know where to go – and we are glad to point you in the direction of a few beauty spots we treasure…

1. The Crown at Frampton Mansell. A delightful traditional pub with excellent food and a lively atmosphere, perched on a beauty spot with remarkable views and a sunny terrace. True bucolic splendour.
2. The Black Horse in Amberley. A pub full of character, just off the spectacular Minchinghampton common, set in the enchanting village of Amberley. the terraced garden has amazing views over the Stroud Valley. Well frequented by the local rural elite!
3. The Upper Lock Cafe in Stroud. A charming, cosy hideaway cafe with personality, an organic vibe and a canal-side setting. Lovely cakes and healthy salads!
4. The Campden Coffee Co in Chipping Campden. Set in lovely Chipping Campden, one of the jewels of the Cotswolds, Campden Coffee Co is light and bright – a lovely relaxed environment where you can relax over a decent coffee and some delicious cakes and snacks.
5. The Bell at Sapperton. A refined pub and restaurant serving excellent food in a  charming village location with a delightful garden area. A top choice with the Cotswold elite!
6. Gusto in Cheltenham. In fashionable Montpellier, the Italian inspired cafe serves tasty food in the leafy part of town, overlooking the park and next to some of the best boutiques for some choice shopping!
7. The rooftop restaurant at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon. Fancy some refreshments before or after your Shakespeare fix in Stratford? The rooftop restaurant at the Royal Shakespeare Company affords great views over the river Avon and is perfect for your pre-theatre dining or indeed for a post-shopping treat! Elegant surroundings and food alike.

The Crown, Frampton Mansell

Picture-perfect pub and food.

The window of decent weather was merely a stroke of luck. We’d booked to have Sunday lunch at The Crown in Frampton Mansell back in March some time, so the sun that bathed the recently showered the May countryside in a fabulous apple-green glow could not have worked out better. The Crown is perched precipitously on the side of the Stroud Valley and no matter where your gaze happens to land, it will be a sight not easily forgotten.

The beer garden, in this case out the front, is one of these welcome sights, defined by low stone walls, manicured flower beds, and your classic beer garden table, each marked out with proud red sun umbrellas. And when filled with people enjoying a drink in the sun, convivial does not come close. The building itself is solid stone and has no trouble making you think that it will be around a lot longer than you will. It is in no way forbidding, though, and as you stoop through the front door – there is no other way if you are my height – the bar is right in front of you, so you can order a drink even before you have any notion of where you plan to sit.

A proper and picturesque beer garden

Inside and outside, The Crown is welcoming.

Perfect views – The Crown at Frampton Mansell

We had booked, though, and we went on down to what is becoming our usual – if accidentally so – table. The specials menu had a couple of excellent sounding fish dishes and the sausage-and-mash of the day option. Let me repeat that: a sausage-and-mash of the day. It might just be me, but I happen to think that is little short of genius. Forget soup, let’s have more sausages of the day! The menus here at The Crown are very good indeed, subject tor regular and refreshing change, though never losing their pub menu feel. This is hugely to be admired: there is no attempt at restaurant finery, and the foreign influences are largely kept at arms length and only deployed when suitable accents are needed. This food is pub food and also – largely – British food.

Of all the mains we ordered, it was the sea bass that either gave us food envy or had a couple of us looking very satisfied with their choice. It was pan fried, with garlic prawns, served with white asparagus, and some beautifully roasted silverskin onions and potatoes. The fish was perfectly cooked – crispy skin with firm and juicy flesh, and what really stood out – in a good way – was that there was no sauce to mess with the flavours; a brave choice but fully and triumphantly justified. Sometimes, you just need to let your ingredients do the talking. The burger was all you’d want: juicy and fully stacked with cheese, bacon and a full complement of salad. The stuffed roast chicken breast was equally well executed – succulent and served with a tomato sauce rather than gravy – a fresh change.

Dessert is hard to resist, whether you are full or not. Part of the reason for this is that the menu sits on your table on a blackboard daring you not to order. I capitulated instantly. It has pub classics such as sticky toffee pudding, crumble – currently apple and blackcurrant, but I have had pear and raisin and apple and raspberry on previous visits – as well as knickerbocker glory and a lemon meringue pie. This latter dish was delicious and served with apricot sorbet and fresh apricots. While the fresh apricots were a trifle firm, the sorbet was an inspired accompaniment to the dish and I could happily have devoured a large bowlful and been very happy indeed. All dishes are served with cream, custard or ice cream. And not a brownie in sight; this is a dessert menu particularly after my own heart – can you tell?

There is very little not to love about The Crown. One might be tempted to call it a gastropub, but I’ll refrain, not just because it’s a term that personally I think should be outlawed, but because it makes it sound like the food is all it has to offer. This is a proper pub, used and loved by the locals, and by the not-so-locals, and all in a beautiful setting. For that alone The Crown deserves the praise and support it earns. The food is just a (huge) bonus.

The Cirencester Blog

Welcome to Cirencetera, The Cirencester Blog.

If you care about drinking good coffee in interesting surroundings, you are passionate about quality food and enjoy exploring the idyllic Cotswold countryside, this blog might well be for you.

Being residents here, we regularly embark on weekend expeditions to explore our beautiful countryside and seek out little gems – coffee shops with character in dreamy historical settings; eateries serving fresh, local delicacies; tiny churches that dot the area providing calm and charm. We’ve visited many already and we’ll share them with you.

So, if you find yourself  in need of an artisan coffee, or fancy a slab of delicious home-made cake after a long (or short, short works well) walk through enchanting hillside villages, we may have something to offer. If you’re constantly asking yourself where can I taste the best vegetarian cuisine while watching the world go by in a little market town full of bustle, or where is the best place to enjoy a hearty, wholesome brunch in front of an open fire, scanning the Sunday papers you may find some agreeable answers to these questions and more.

We’d like to share our experience of what life in the Cotswolds is really like, through little snippets of everyday life – overheard conversations and witnessed cameos of family life  and anecdotes that go beyond the glossy exterior.

We welcome all your feedback so we can improve our content and we look forward to sharing our love of beautiful places, food and coffee with like-minded people. So here goes.