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Cotswolds

Castle Combe

Cotswolds (Cotswolds) is located in south-central to south-western England and is one of the “Outstanding Natural Scenic Areas” (AONB) in the UK. It is the third largest protected scenic area in the UK after the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Kosowo is famous all over the world for its villages and idyllic scenery. Today, we're driving from London to Cotswow to explore this poetic region!

Overview of the one-day self-driving tour itinerary in Kotzebo

Overview of the one-day self-driving tour itinerary in Kotzebo

We are using Enterprise Car Club With the membership plan, you can rent a car for only £30 a day, including 60 km, followed by an additional charge per kilometer (fuel costs covered by Enterprise).Use [CHEUKYINLAI] to apply for Enterprise Car Club and get £20 off now!

London → Bibury Bibury This Street Parking (2 hours) → Lacock (55 minutes) → Fort Combe Castle Combe (20 minutes) → Malmesbury (20 minutes) → Jolly Nice Farmshop (20 minutes) → London (2 hours)

Bibury Arlington Row Houses Bibury Arlington Row

Bibury

Since This Street Parking in Bibury (Bibury) has only a few parking spaces, we left London early in the morning and arrived at Bibury in about 2 hours. Bibury was once hailed by the famous British artist William Morris (William Morris) as “the most beautiful village in England”. These Arlington townhouses were built in 1380 and became woven cottages in the 17th century. It later became a filming location for many movies and TV shows, such as “The Legend of Stardust” and “BJ's Single Diary”.

Bibury souvenir and coffee shop

Afterwards, we went to the coffee shop next to the Bibury souvenir shop for breakfast. Surprisingly, the coffee here was not bad! The souvenir shop also displays agricultural works and souvenirs made by many small local businesses.

Bibury Trout Trio (£15)

We ordered a Bibury fish and trout trio, which included fresh trout mayonnaise, dark smoked trout, light smoked trout, and garden salad. All trout fish are delivered fresh from the trout fish farm at the back of the souvenir shop! We think mayonnaise is the best. Light smoked trout fish is sweeter than dark smoked trout fish.

Baiberi Trout Fish Farm and Flower Garden

Bibury Trout Farm (Bibury Trout Farm) behind the souvenir shop is the oldest trout farm in England, established in 1902. Those interested can visit for a fee (£7.5 for adults).

signboard

I saw two Bibury signs on the riverside, and it was so cute that they used a lamb as a “lion bus” sign! After a leisurely stroll, we drove 55 minutes to Lacock (Lacock).

Lacock

Lacock

Lacock (Lacock) is a village that has preserved its appearance from the 18th century or earlier, and most of the village is owned by the National Trust (National Trust). The unique style here also attracted filming from the Harry Potter series, including “Harry Potter 1: The Mysterious Philosopher's Stone,” “Harry Potter 2: The Disappearing Chamber of Secrets,” “Harry Potter 6: The Betrayal of the Half-Blood Prince,” and “Monsters and the Crime of Glenn Howard.” Lacock is also a filming location for TV shows such as “Pride and Prejudice,” “Wolf Hall,” “Cranford,” and “Downton Abbey.”

Lacock Used Bookstore

There is a small second-hand bookstore in Lacock. The paperback (soft cover) only costs £1; the hardcover (hard cover) only costs £3; other special books are priced according to the price listed (the bird pictured is also only £5). All donations will go towards Lacock. The main types here are novels, nature, and English history. We didn't find anything suitable, so we left for the abbey.

Lacock Abbey Lacock Abbey

Lacock Abbey Lacock Abbey

Lacock Abbey (Lacock Abbey) was founded by Ella, Countess of Salisbury in 1232. It is an Austinian convent that follows the St. Augustine Code and has always been used by nuns as a place of quiet contemplation. The older cloisters adopted an early Gothic or early English style. The walkway of the cloister is a later decorative gothic style, and only the north side retains the original Tudor (Tudor) architectural style.

ceilings

Look out for the celestial flowers on the abbey, and you can see the emblems of some of the local families who donated money to the monastery. There are also some that may have been designed using famous images and symbols from the Middle Ages, and have moral educational significance. We were not allowed to visit half of the area when we visited, because we soon visited the entire monastery. Afterwards, we drove 20 minutes to Castle Combe (Castle Combe).

Castle Combe

Castle Combe

Castle Combe (Castle Combe) is a typical example of a Saxon Street village, and it is believed that Neolithic humans, Celtic tribes, and later Romans also lived here. “Combe” is an old Saxon word meaning valley. It was an important wool spinning center in the 14th century, producing many red and white “Castelcombe” cloths. According to the story, Baron John Fastolf (John Fastolf) here was the inspiration for Shakespeare's “Henry IV” by Shakespeare!

Crucifix Market

The Cross Market was built in the 14th century and is located in the center of the village. It is a weekly market approved by Henry VI in 1440 AD and specializes in selling agricultural products and cloth. However, in the 18th century, the wool trade had to stop and agriculture gradually took over due to falling water levels in the river and not being able to drive the wheels of the mills.

St Andrew's Church

St Andrew's Church

St Andrew's Church in Fort Colm was built in the 13th century and is a first-class British protected building. It reflects the state of wealth in Fort Colm at the time. The construction costs of the church were covered by the wealth of the rich merchants and the estate of Fastov. Since the church has been expanded over hundreds of years, traces of different eras can be seen inside the church.

Unicorn Lodge

Fort Colm is small; there are only two roads. We took a walk around the area, passing a cottage with a unicorn statue, a historic mailbox, and a quiet flowing creek. Afterwards, we drove to Malmesbury (Malmesbury), which was only a 20 minute drive.

Malmesbury

Malmesbury Bookstore

Malmesbury (Malmesbury) was once the site of an Iron Age fortress. In the early Middle Ages, Malmesbury became the site of Malmesbury Abbey (Malmesbury Abbey). Later, Alfred the Great (Alfred the Great) built a defensive structure here to defend against the Vikings (Vikings).

Malmesbury Bookstore

We later visited a small bookstore. There were many exquisite graffiti on the walls, which made people feel like they had entered a comfortable space. The upper window sill has been added to a comfortable sofa, so that readers can spend a relaxing time reading here.

Malmesbury Abbey Malmesbury Abbey

Malmesbury Abbey Malmesbury Abbey

As a landmark of Malmesbury, Malmesbury Abbey (Malmesbury Abbey) is one of only a few monasteries in England that lasted from the 7th century until the abbey was dissolved, and enshrines St. Peter and Paul. When Esselstein, the first king of England, died in 939, he was buried in Malmesbury Abbey. Although the monastery was closed when we arrived, we were still able to admire many ancient statues on its exterior walls.

Farm Store Jolly Nice Farmshop

Jolly Nice Farmshop

Every time my boyfriend and I drive around the UK, I love to visit a farm store. This time we chose Jolly Nice Farmshop in Frampton Mansell, only 20 minutes by car from Malmesbury. The night lights create a warm atmosphere. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables and exquisite household items, there are also many local agricultural products from the Cotswold (Cotswold)!

How to get to Cotswolds?

💡 Driving in the UK: Apply for Enterprise Car Club with【CHEUKYINLAI】and get £20 off!
💡 Within the UK: 1/3 off UK trains and London Underground all year round when you buy a transport card
💡 Train Booking / Europe Cross-Border Travel: Use Omio to book train or bus tickets to Cotswolds【New Users Get Instant €10 Off】
💡 Flight Booking: Use Skyscanner to compare airfares to the UK and find the best date and time!

Hello, everyone! I am Nicole, a Hong Konger living in the UK. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can give you some insights. All the articles and website design of this blog are done by me slowly. If you have any enquiries about studying, travelling, work, design, or business cooperation, feel free to contact me!

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