An elegantly-styled cottage, ideal for a couple looking for a luxury break in the Cotswolds countryside, surrounded by beautiful gardens and with a host of facilities on-hand including a spa and an indoor swimming pool.
Carroll Cottage is one of twelve luxury holiday cottages set within the peaceful grounds of an historic country estate near Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds. The property was converted from the mill house that was part of the original manor house estate at the site, but its origins date back centuries. Nowadays, it’s perfect for two to enjoy spacious, elegant surroundings where typical English country house luxury meets a touch of Chateau style. With a cosy fireplace, a romantic bedroom and a delightful terrace that’s a real sun trap, you will soon feel relaxed. There’s also access to shared facilities in the grounds including stunning estate gardens, an indoor swimming pool, spa and gym, plus there are play areas for kids.
The heart of the cottage is the 30ft-long drawing room/dining room that has a pitched ceiling and a Gothic-style stone fireplace. It’s an inviting space with lots of bookcases filled with interesting reads, while the decor is elegant with beautiful fabrics and objects including antique furniture and an ornate mirror. Behind the sofa and seating area, where there is also a Smart TV, there’s a dining table where you can enjoy dinner a deux.
If you have friends and family staying at other cottages, there’s the option to rearrange the drawing room and set it up for lunch or dinner for up to 30 guests.* It’s ideal if you’d like to mark a special occasion with a celebratory meal.
Off the drawing room is the kitchen, which features a Cotswold stone floor and is very well equipped with a range cooker with six burners and two ovens, an American-style fridge/freezer, a microwave and two dishwashers, as well as a washing machine/dryer.
Meanwhile, the large bedroom is very impressive with its pitched ceiling, the 6-ft bed framed by fabric drapes, pretty, French armoires and details like the antique mirror. In the en-suite bathroom, there’s a bath with a shower over, a basin and a WC.
From the bedroom, a door leads out to the secluded terrace that’s furnished with a table and chairs and surrounded by clematis, lavender, roses and shrubs. It’s the ideal spot to enjoy morning coffee, a lunchtime barbecue or evening drinks in peace.
You’ll also have access to the estate’s stunning gardens which feature a mix of formal and informal elements, the perfect place for a quiet stroll. There’s also access to shared facilities including an indoor swimming pool, spa and gym.
The Cotswolds is a richly rural area with more than 3,000 footpaths and trails running through farmland and wildflower meadows, as well as ancient woodlands to explore.
For woodland birds, Box Wood tucked away in a valley near Minchinhampton is well worth a visit. Comprised mainly of beech, with some limestone streams running through it, in summer it becomes alive with birds. Listen out for great-spotted woodpeckers and tawny owls, and keep your eyes peeled for treecreepers and nuthatches as they run up and down the trees.
More woods can be found on Crickley Hill jointly managed by the National Trust and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. Located just south of Cheltenham its habitats also include grassland, scrub, and limestone rock exposures. Mixed flocks of tits and finches are common in the woods, while kestrels can often be seen hovering above as they hunt for prey. In summer, the site is also a haven for wildflowers and butterflies.
Cotswold Water Park which straddles the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire border is a vast marl lake system spread over 42 miles. Cleveland Lakes Reserve is made up of two of the largest lakes and is an important site for both wintering and breeding birds including coots, great crested grebes, and little egrets. For bitterns, reed buntings, water rails, and snipes, head to Shorncote Reedbed which also has two bird hides so you can view the wildlife close up.
If you want to see some exotic and rare birds, Birdland in Bourton-on-the-water has a variety of attractions set in nine acres of gardens and woodland. Some of the highlights include the Parliament of Owls, home to eight species of owl, the Pandemonium of Parrots, where you can learn about the 16 species of parrot housed there, and Penguin Shore which has daily feeding displays. There are plenty of spots to have a picnic, as well as a children’s play area, and a gift shop.
Nearby Greystones Farm nature reserve is home to wildflower meadows, Iron Age ramparts, a replica Iron Age roundhouse, a working organic farm, and an interactive discovery barn. The old farm buildings are used by swallows and house martins for nesting and there are plenty of birds of prey to be spotted gliding overhead. There is also the opportunity to view a live camera feed of a barn owl box, and watch the birds as they bring up their chicks.
Farmland birds can be found all over the beautiful Cotswolds countryside. Look out for corn buntings, grey partridges, turtle doves, and yellow wagtails.
