Bibury Village in the Cotswolds, England

The Cotswolds is full of beautifully idyllic places, and Bibury perfectly encapsulates all the typical imagery of an old English village.

Old cottages, stables and farm buildings glow in the typical warm hues of Cotswold limestone, with climbing roses clinging to the weathered stone walls. Allotments are layered with endless rows of neat vegetables, and front gardens are bursting with delphiniums, lavender and hollyhocks. The River Coln flows alongside the Main Street, shallow and clear, and full of healthy river plants and a collection of swans, geese and ducks.

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With the rise of modernism and the dawn of the convenience era. People were drawn out of country living, and into cities and suburbs. Now, many crave that idea of simple living, of being surrounded by trees and nature, using natural and local materials to build, and a style of living more focussed on community.

Bibury has a high tourist footfall, even on a rainy day (just to warn you!). So if you’re staying locally and not catching a tour from London etc, try and visit in the early morning or early evening when there are less people around. The glow of the setting or rising sun makes the Cotswold stone look even more golden.

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There is a beautiful, short walk that takes you around the famous terraced houses on Arlington Row, and along a treelined pathway that follows a small stream. You’ll arrive at the Bibury Trout Farm (depending on which end you started at). For a small entrance fee you can can enter this working farm and purchase a small bag of pellets to feed the fish, or just enjoy walking between the ponds and manicured gardens. They sell local produce like butter, honey, eggs and logs, so if you’re staying in an Airbnb you can stock up on breakfast essentials here!

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If you’re feeling peckish whilst walking around though, look out for the friendly ice-cream man parked up opposite the trout farm, or wander into the local William Morris tea room, The Catherine Wheel pub or Swan Hotel.

There are so many beautiful villages in this part of the UK. Each surrounding by endless rolling hills, woodlands, wildflower meadows, farmers fields and dry stone walls. If you have the time, you’ll have to check out Winchcombe, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Lower and Upper Slaughter and Painswick too (pretty hard core names for such quaint little villages!).