Travel Guide

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Cotswolds Gorgeous Garden-Stowell Park- Opened For Colbalt Fundraiser

 

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Stowell Park Garden in SeptemberIMG_6486

For a wonderful afternoon visit magnificent Stowell Park, near Northleach, surely the best private garden in the country. Stowell House crowns a hill commanding matchless views across the unspoiled Gloucestershire countryside. Velvet lawns carpet one elegant terrace after another as they unfold down the hill below the house eventually merging seamlessly into the rolling hills of the Coln Valley.

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This open garden event was the Cobalt charity’s grand finale of their open garden programme for 2014 and they wisely appeared to have saved the best for last.

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This traditional garden covers eight acres with many charming features including: three peach houses two vineries, three pot-plant greenhouses and a half acre of cut flowers in addition to an acre of fruit and vegetable gardens laid out in two walled gardens. A perfect parade of pleached limes frame the approach to 14th Century Stowell House and give way to a long rose pergola and wide, plant filled borders containing a fine collection of old-fashioned roses.

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A woodland walk – a fountain garden with an almost two metre sturgeon swimming happily in the water feature also grace this beautiful garden.

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Tea and delicious home-made cakes were served in the ballroom and taken on one of the sunny terraces. The lovely weather showed off the garden at its best.

This open garden event provided a rare opportunity for a visit in September. Lady Vestey and her head gardener, Neil Hewertson have created a wonderful and surprisingly diverse show of colour for this time of the year.
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The tranquility created by Stowell Park Garden’s position and beautiful design make this a must-see garden.

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COBALT CHARITY
Support the Cobalt Charity (Diagnostic Imaging for Life) providing faster, safer and clearer medical scans by giving generously. This charity made the Stowell Park open garden event possible.
www.cobalt50.co.uk
fundraising@cobalthealth.co.uk

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Photographs by Randall Montgomery ©2014 Available for purchase at PublicityPromo@aol.com

Stowell Park Yanworth, Northleach, Cheltenham GL54 3LE

The Lord & Lady Vestey, http://www.stowellpark.co.uk 8m NE of Cirencester. Off Fosseyway A429 2m SW of Northleach.
Stowell Park is open under the National Garden Scheme usually for two afternoons in June.

Click here for NGS 2015 details
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Cotswolds Cane Maker’s Rural Skills

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Cotswold Hiking Sticks by Jim Ruck

on display at Church Westcote Fete

Strolling around the Church Westcote fete last week I was happy to see that Jim Ruck was still selling his wonderful hiking canes.
I had bought a hazelwood one from him a couple of years ago and it has saved me from many a tumble on long hikes around the Cotswolds.
I hope his method of making these walking canes will not be another rural skill that disappears. He described how he twists new young branches, as they grow, around the saplings that are the raw material for his canes. These make marvelously whimsical shapes that are really a piece of art in addition to being a very useful hiking stick. He shapes, smoothes and varnishes them into a variety of beautifully rustic shapes.
Jim makes sticks in Oak, Elm, Dogrose, Hawthorne and Black Thorne Ivy.

Link to Rural Skills: See ruralskills.org

Stick Comp

Photographs by Randall Montgomery ©2014 Available for purchase at PublicityPromo@aol.com

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Blackberry and Apple Delight with Cotswold Honey


The hedgerows are loaded down with wild blackberries right now and so are the apple trees. There is no better way to enjoy the Cotswold countryside than picking wild fruit. So pick as many blackberries as you can and if you can scrump some apples the only thing needed then is the Cotswold honey.

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My mother used to make this scrumptious recipe (below) all through blackberry season and my brother and I rushed back from school knowing it would be there for us to heartily enjoy, as soon as we got home. So eating this dish for me is like Proust’s Madelaine Cake and I am transported back to my childhood by its sweetly perfumed delicate
taste.

Honey

Honey is a very important ingredient of this dish. Use organic Acacia if possible. Cotswold Honey is the best choice and Andy Briggs of Fat Cat Antiques Fairs sells local Cotswold organic honey. Here is his link: http://bit.ly/1uoQJjz

Blackberry and Apple Delight with Cotswold Honey 

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 1lbs Blackberries or more. They cook down quite a bit.
1 8oz jar of Cotswold Honey
8 apples cored and finely sliced- any kind of apple works fine.
¼ cup of water
1 carton ice cream or whipped double cream to taste (optional)

Method

Carefully wash the blackberries making sure no stems or leaves remain
Wash, core and finely slice the apples leaving their skins on.Blackberry and Apples-2

In a large pot cook gently heat the blackberries until they are just soft
Drain off the excess liquid
In a separate saucepan gently cook the apples, after adding the water, until almost soft
Drain off the excess liquid
Combine the apples and blackberries in a large pot
Add the jar of Cotswold honey (or to taste)
Stir in gently
Cook for a few minutes until the apples have absorbed the colour of the blackberries and the honey is well distributed.
Allow to cool
If desired serve with Vanilla Ice cream or whipped double cream

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Scrumptious Seafood Sauté Recipe with Cotswold Butter

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I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside Seafood Sauté 

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This scrumptious Seafood Sauté is really enhanced by using locally churned Cotswold Butter which is available at many Cotswold farmer’s markets. Below is the link to farmer’s markets in the region. This link and other useful foodie information appear in the Travel Guide of my book COTSWOLDS MEMOIR: Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage. (Available on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle and Audio Book)

www.thecotswoldgateway.co.uk

I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside Seafood Sauté Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients 

1 fresh, live Lobster
10 fresh uncooked peeled Shrimp
10 fresh uncooked unpeeled Shrimp
1 cup Fresh peeled Crayfish Tails (where available)
8 fresh Mussels
8 fresh Clams
12 fresh Scallops

2 whole Lemons cut into segments
4 bulbs finely chopped Garlic
4 table spoons finely chopped Parsley
2 table spoons fresh Oregano
2 table spoons fresh Rosemary
2 tea spoons Tarragon
1 cup Butter (Cotswold butter if possible)
2 table spoons Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Requirements:

2 Iron skillets with handles that will go from
oven to table. One for each serving
(For the best results this dish should be prepared in 2 x 9” cast iron skillets
although a stainless steel skillet of this size will work almost as well.)

Plunge Lobster into boiling water, cover and cook for 20 minutes
After Lobster is done turn off heat and leave
in the pot while preparing the other ingredients:

Dry Scallops with paper towel
Make sure Butter is very hot but not burning
in a separate pan sauté Scallops in 2 table spoons of Butter
for three to four minutes or until not quite cooked through

Prepare the Clams and Mussels by steaming them until they pop open.
Remove immediately from the steamer, removing the top shell from the Mussels and set aside

Remove Lobster from pot and dry with paper towel
With a very sharp knife cut Lobster in half and crack the claws

Heat both skillets to medium heat
Divide 1 cup Butter between two skillets
Divide Garlic into two and add to both skillets.
Sauté Garlic for a minute or so being careful not to burn
Stir all herbs into the pan reserving 2 table spoons Parsley
Add Shrimp and Mussels (shell up) and cook until almost done
Turn up heat as much as possible without burning butter
Add half Lobster to each skillet with shell facing upwards
Ladle butter from skillet over Lobster
Add Crayfish Tails and Scallops
Stir, making sure all the ingredients are coated in butter and herbs
and cook until all the seafood is thoroughly cooked

Sprinkle with Parsley, add lemon wedges

Serve and eat immediately.

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COTSWOLDS DRY STONE WALLS Keeping Rural Skills Alive

Traditional country crafts keep the Cotswolds beautiful.
Fortunately, recently care is being taken to keep the disappearing art of
Dry Stone Walling and other rural skills alive. See ruralskills.org

Excerpt from Cotswolds Memoir:

Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage.
(Available on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle & Audio Book)

During the hike, we came across a farmer repairing a dry stone wall. These walls are characteristic of the Cotswold region and add enormously to the beauty of the landscape. Made from the local honey-coloured stone without any kind of mortar, they are assembled like giant jigsaw puzzles. We watched, fascinated, as the farmer took pieces of jagged, uneven stone and fitted them together perfectly as he talked. I asked how he did it so expertly.

‘Mainly by feel,’ he answered in his broad country accent. He was a great old character and he gave a terrific impromptu talk on dry stone walling.

‘Its limestone, see, and we gather the stones from all around when we rebuild like this. After you do it for a while, you even know where the stones come from by their colour. See this one in my hand? Now that’s from Guiting, and that one – that’s from Oddington. These walls don’t just divide the fields; they provide shelter for small birds, toads, frogs and insects. They have all sorts growing in between the stones too. Wild flowers, herbs, berries – you name it. Why, I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t a few Roman coins in there too.’

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Cotswolds Views 5 of the Best!

Gotta love those Cotswold Views!

Here (below) are my favourite five – all are included in the Travel Guide of my book
COTSWOLDS MEMOIR:
Discovering a Beautiful Region of Britain on a Quest to Buy a 17th Century Cottage.
Now available on Amazon in Paperback, Kindle and NEW! Audio Book. www.DizWhite.com

Best COTSWOLD VIEW from a MANOR HOUSE

SNOWSHILL MANOR, Broadway, Gloucestershire, WR12 7JU nationaltrust.org.uk

Gorgeous views across the Snowshill Lavender fields and surrounding rolling hills.
This National Trust property houses Charles Wade’s eclectic collection of craftsmanship from all over the world. Charming organic garden.

 

Best COTSWOLD VIEW from a COUNTRY INN

EDGEMOOR INN, Near Painswick, Gloucestershire, GL6 6ND edgemoor-inn.com

Breath-taking views from the terrace as inn overlooks entire Painswick valley and is situated on the Cotswold Way. Great food and beer. Close to Haresfield Beacon.

Best COTSWOLD VIEW from a CASTLE

WARWICK CASTLE, Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 4QU warwick-castle.com

Worth the climb up to the roof for unmatched views of  the River Avon, the Castle grounds, the Mill Garden and surrounding countryside.
1,000 years of history. Well constructed tableaux. Great Hall. State Rooms. Jousting. Trebuchet. Great day out with the kids. PeacockGarden. Gives Disney a run for its money.

 

Best COTSWOLD VIEW from a HISTORIC SITE

BROADWAY TOWER, Middle Hill, Broadway, Worcestershire, WR12 7LB broadwaytower.co.uk

View from Broadwat Tower

Completed in 1798 this folly was built for Lady Coventry on a beacon hill. Spectacular views of more than a dozen counties. Over 17 metres high. Open to the public.

 

Best COTSWOLD VIEW from a NATIONAL TRUST SITE

HARESFIELD BEACON, 3 miles north west of Stroud (see website for directions) gloucestershire.gov.uk

Haresfield Beacon 2

National Trust site on the Cotswold escarpment with amazing 360 degree views, some reaching as far as Wales. Site of a Roman-British hill fort.

 

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New! Cotswolds Memoir is now available as an AudioBook in addition to Paperback and Kindle

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A portion of the proceeds of every copy of  COTSWOLDS MEMOIR: is donated to Cotswold conservation institutions.
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Gorgeous Cotswolds Private Manor House Gardens – How to see them

Rockcliffe Dovecote

I am always trying to peek over the walls of lovely gardens in the Cotswolds, especially those belonging to the large estates. I have only recently realized that I can actually see these fabulous gardens of the Manor House Estates of the Cotswolds by tracking down their open days on the National Garden Scheme.

Click on photos to enlarge

Campden House

Now I am over the moon – it’s raining gorgeous gardens. In the last couple of weeks I have toured Rockcliffe House Garden near Lower Swell, Eyford Garden near Upper Slaughter and Campden House Garden near Chipping Campden.

Rockcliffe Montage

Rockcliffe House and Gardens

The gardens offered glorious treasures such as: a parade of pleached lime trees lining a lovely lily pond, a whimsical Dove topiary climbing a hill to meet the real thing at its summit – a dovecot filled with cooing birds, ancient statuary half hidden in shrubbery, climbing courgettes begun in an impeccably kept greenhouse, a tennis court-sized croquet lawn, a jasmine filled orangery, alliums as big as footballs, and stunningly perfect herbaceous borders  among many other delights.

Eyford Montage 2

Eyford House and Gardens

This is a wonderful way for visitors to explore the Cotswolds and often meet the owners of these estates as my husband and I did at Eyford House. The very charming Charlotte Heber-Percy was selling tickets at the entrance to her estate and we struck up a conversation with her. As we chatted she decided to leave her ticket-selling duties to a helper and proceeded to walk us around her gorgeous garden taking us on a personally conducted tour. We couldn’t believe our luck as we strolled past the fox and hounds topiary listening in delight as she pointed out one spectacular garden feature after another. She also told us the history of her family and the manor house and garden. By the end of the tour it felt like we were old friends.

Topiary HoundAll photographs are by Randall Montgomery and are available for purchase at Publicitypromo@aol.com

Many of these gardens on these private estates are open only one day a year so it is a good idea to do some advanced planning. We got hold of a National Garden Scheme book that tells of every open garden for the year. It is as thick as a novel but is invaluable to have in the car. But also the info on the gardens is all online too. A trek around a couple of gorgeous estate gardens followed by tea and a bun (sometimes in a room in one of these ancient manor houses) is my idea of a perfect Cotswold day.

National Garden Scheme Website
www.ngs.org.uk

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New! Cotswolds Memoir is now available as an AudioBook in addition to Paperback and Kindle

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A portion of the proceeds of every copy of  COTSWOLDS MEMOIR: is donated to Cotswold conservation institutions.