If you’re a fun-loving family looking for an idyllic Cotswolds countryside retreat, this cottage, with its child and dog-friendly garden, is perfect. There’s access to on-site facilities including playgrounds and an indoor swimming pool too.
Blake Cottage is one of twelve luxury holiday cottages set within the peaceful grounds of an historic country estate near Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds. Built in the 19th century from traditional honey-coloured Cotswold stone, it formed part of the original manor house estate at the site. Set in its own apple orchard garden, Blake Cottage is an excellent choice for a family of six and dogs are welcome too. You’ll also have access to shared facilities including stunning estate gardens, an indoor swimming pool, gym and spa, as well as a host of children’s play areas. You’ll be made to feel like you are staying in a 5-star country house hotel, whilst reaping the benefits of independence and space like you would at home.
Open up the front door and step inside the drawing room which is a large space decorated in English country style, combining pretty soft furnishings and antique pieces. Relax on the Chesterfield or one of the smaller chairs in front of the welcoming open fire. Watch TV – there’s Sky, plus access to Netflix (own account details are required) to keep you entertained, or grab a jigsaw or card game to play. There’s also a desk where you can catch up on some work if you need to.
In the open-plan kitchen/dining room, there’s a cheery farmhouse style featuring a circular dining table to fit the whole family, while there’s also an antique pine dresser and corner cabinet filled with china and porcelain.
The kitchen area is well equipped with quartz worktops and a butcher’s block for prepping, along with an American-style fridge/freezer, a hob and oven, a microwave and a dishwasher. Off the kitchen, there’s a separate utility room with a washing machine and tumble dryer to help you keep on top of any dirty washing, while a useful cupboard offers space to store coats and boots. There’s also a WC.
Upstairs, there are three bedrooms. The master bedroom is decorated with pretty fabrics that adorn the king-size, four-poster bed, the ottoman and the wardrobe, while the en-suite bathroom features a marble washstand, a WC and a bath with a shower over. The two twin bedrooms each have two single beds and feature bright, fresh decor. They share a bathroom that has decorative Delft tiles and a cast iron bath with a handheld shower.
Outside, there is a large, secluded garden that can be accessed via double French doors from the kitchen/dining room. Here, you can relax on the terrace beneath the pergola or cook up lunch on the barbecue to enjoy all together around the dining table. There is also a lawned area that is ideal for playing games like croquet and apple trees that are great for rigging up a hammock.
The garden is enclosed by yew hedges making it great for kids and dogs alike to run around in. There’s also a children’s play corner (shared with one other cottage) where little ones can burn off some more energy on the swings and see-saw.
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, as well as several children’s play areas and a games room that’s ideal for teens.
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.
