A charming cottage that exudes English country style and is great for families. With a large, private garden, plus beautiful estate grounds to explore and on-site facilities including an indoor swimming pool, it makes a wonderful Cotswolds countryside retreat.
Chaucer 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 cottage was originally built for the stable groom of the manor house at the site and has since been lovingly converted into a family and dog-friendly property with a large, private garden. You’ll also have access to shared facilities in the grounds including stunning estate gardens, an indoor swimming pool, gym and spa, as well as a host of children’s play areas. The experience is best summed up as all the luxury of an English country house hotel with the privacy, freedom and space of a home.
Open the front door and step into the entrance hall which has a quarry-tiled floor, off which is the drawing-room/dining-room. The room is bathed in natural light and the modern English country-style decor incorporates pretty, soft furnishings, prints, books, lamps with silk shades and floral print plates for a homely atmosphere. There is also a comfy sofa and armchair seating, a Smart TV and an open fire, while views from the window are of the courtyard and the garden of the estate. To one end of the room is a dining table.
The kitchen is on the other side of the hall and has marble worktops with plenty of space for prepping. It’s well-equipped with an oven and hob, an American-style fridge/freezer, a microwave and a dishwasher, as well as a kitchen table that seats six. French doors lead out to the large, private garden complete with dining terrace, vine-covered pergola and barbecue.
All three of the bedrooms are upstairs. The master bedroom features an 18th-century, four-poster, queen-size bed and has an en-suite shower room with a double vanity. The second bedroom has two single beds, while the third bedroom has one single bed and benefits from a washstand with running water. There is also a bathroom with a bath and shower over, a basin, a WC and a heated towel rail.
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 the teens’ games room.
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.
