Single-storey building containing two studio apartments. King-size bedroom. Shower room with walk-in shower, heated towel rail, basin, and WC. Open-plan living space with kitchen, dining area, and sitting area
Biomass heating
Electric oven and hob, fridge/freezer, kettle, toaster
Smart TV and WiFi
Fuel and power inc. in rent
Bed linen and towels inc. in rent
Highchair available on request
Private driveway parking for 1 car
Non-enclosed front garden with lawn
Two well-behaved pets welcome
Sorry, no smoking
Shop 0.4 miles, pub 0.2 miles, lake 0.9 miles
The bustling village of Andoversford lies six miles southeast of Cheltenham, surrounded by lovely countryside, offering many attractive walks with the renowned Cotswold Way and Gloucestershire Way close by. Andoversford has a thriving village community feel with a shop and a Post Office, as well as playing host to a small music festival each year. Just over four miles away, in Charlton Kings, The Royal serves food all week, hosts a weekly quiz night, as well as regular live music events. The regency spa town of Cheltenham boasts beautiful Georgian architecture and a delightful range of shops, cinemas, theatres, restaurants, pubs and visitor attractions. Prestbuty Park, home to Cheltenham Racecourse, is ideally located below the Cotswold Hills and plays host to the annual, world-renowned Gold Cup races. Festivals in this vibrant town cover food and drink, literature, jazz, science, and comedy to name but a few! For something a little different, why not try your hand at polo at the nearby Longdole Polo Club? The historic city of Gloucester abounds in history; resting on Roman foundations, it has a superb Victorian docks and a magnificent Norman cathedral, whose cloisters where used as a location in the Harry Potter films. Many unspoilt Cotswold towns and villages lie to the east, whilst to the west is the magnificent Royal Forest of Dean and the Slimbridge Wetland Centre, where you can enjoy the wonderful wildlife of this superb area. The beautiful World Heritage city of Bath, Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-upon-Avon, and Warwick, with its magnificent castle, are all within an hour’s drive of Andoversford, making this the perfect all year round destination.
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.
