Chipping Campden – Traveling with Laura

England 2015 – Day 7: Homeward Bound

April 25, 2015June 27, 2022Laura Irwin

This morning, I was torn between wanting to lie in bed a while longer and wanting to go out to take some early morning pictures on my last day of vacation. Knowing I could catch up on sleep when I got home, I was out the door a little after 6 AM. If you’re not an early morning riser, become one! Even if it’s only once in a while. One of the things I love to do at home when it’s above freezing is get up early on a weekend morning and head to the beach for sunrise. There’s something entirely different about being out before most of the world wakes up. This morning I had the same feeling I get on those mornings at the beach. My first stop today was Ebrington. I wandered around the village for a few minutes taking pictures and then headed off to the field with the sheep near the church in Chipping Campden. I planned to just stop for a few pictures, but ended up leaving my car and going for another walk on one of the walking paths. This one crossed the sheep pasture and met up with the second part of the path I was on yesterday behind the church fields. There was dew on the grass and a low fog over some of the field, and it was just a perfect morning to be out enjoying it. I passed only two other walkers on my way.

Morning walk through the fields of Chipping Campden

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England 2015 – Day 6: A Walk and A Garden Visit

April 23, 2015June 27, 2022Laura Irwin

I woke up this morning with absolutely no plans for the day. Sure, there were a few things I was considering, but I didn’t really have any idea where I would end up. I had wanted to spend a day exploring Wales (the Chepstow and Tintern areas), but decided I didn’t feel like driving 1.5 hours each way. The morning was grey and cloudy, so I took my time getting ready and headed over to breakfast around 9:00. The nice thing about staying in this old manor hotel is that breakfast is included every morning. Not just a few bagels and toast, but a full, cooked, English style breakfast. The bad thing about staying in this old manor hotel is that breakfast is included every morning. To be honest, I’m getting a little tired of the choices. There are delicious croissants, cereal, fruit, yogurt, etc. on the continental table, but I’m a pretty picky eater and the hot food choices that I will actually eat are pretty limited. As in eggs or eggs. I had eggs Benedict the first morning I was here, and will probably have it again tomorrow. I had just a cold breakfast on the second morning, scrambled eggs yesterday, and cold again today. On Tuesday when I said I didn’t want anything hot, I overheard the server saying to another waitress, “She doesn’t want a cooked breakfast!”, as though it were scandalous!

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England 2015 – Day 3: This is the Cotswolds

April 20, 2015June 27, 2022Laura Irwin

It would be impossible to explain in words how beautiful this area is. It is quintessential English countryside at its very best. About three miles down the road from Charingworth Manor is the village of Chipping Campden. I decided to begin my first full day of exploring by visiting the village. The Cotswolds are covered with public walking paths (literally over 100 miles of them), many passing through villages and across farmland. These are usually accessed by small gates along the side of the road marked by a sign indicating “public footpath”. My first stop on the way into town was a small footpath into a field of sheep at the side of the road. The field overlooks the old woolen church in Chipping Campden (St. James’), one of many built by wool merchants to “show off” their wealth. You can just wander through the field among the sheep (and plenty of cute baby lambs). After my stop at the field, I parked by the church and wandered around the town for a while. In the center of town, the market hall dates back to 1627, where it was originally used by produce merchants. One of the best parts of the day was the walk I took on one of the footpaths though some of the fields surrounding the village.

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