There’s nothing like getting away and experiencing life in a different climate. For this reason I wanted to share with you our experience of a holiday rental property we stayed in when we visited England in 2017.
We have always loved watching ‘Escape to the Country’ with its selection of character-filled houses, the rich history and tapestry of English villages and the architecture dating back centuries. So it was when we decided to travel to England that we would hire a car and drive through backroad lanes lined with hedge-rows, eat in 18th century cafes where the staff all dress in traditional garb, and most importantly stay in an historic dwelling – in this case the ‘Stable Boys’ cottage in the beautiful Cotswold region of South West England. The process of searching online and finding such a property was exciting and exhilarating.
Once there, we meandered down the long manor-esque driveway surrounded by sprawling fields and a small secluded forest, we arrived to find a typically quaint 19th century cottage set in a private courtyard near an equally traditional garage/shed. The online pictures didn’t do it justice. Experiencing it in person exceeded our expectations as we made our way through the stable door (where the top half can open while the bottom half remains shut) into the small but lovable kitchen area. They managed to squeeze a queen size bed in what would have been the lounge area originally and managed to fit in a large bathroom. Upstairs was where the lounge was situated as it had access to two balconies – one leading out over the top of the kitchen and the other (a Juliet balcony) on the other side of the room looking out over the grand estate. Character was everywhere with large wooden beams and locally quarried stone throughout, decorated with objects and pictures from the period.
The property also came with a paddling of ducks and a couple of peacocks that roamed free, but often stayed around the cottage. We had access to roam the vast grounds and the small forest leading off the back of the cottage where centuries-old trees and antique farm machinery sat in quiet seclusion, and we were privy to seeing some of the old machinery in action. We were also only a few miles from one of the local historic villages.
The welcome basket contained local sourced chutneys and jams, and freshly made bread. The ‘Welcome Book’ suggested going to see non-tourist relics around the area and an abundance of walking trails popular with rambling locals.
Likewise when we stayed on a Barge, we had ducks and ducklings coming up to the open window of the dining room asking for food, and were spoilt with river views and local wildlife.
As you can see, the accommodation was a huge part of our immersion into local life and culture as well as experiencing part of England’s history. This is what we want to pass on to the guest who wants to stay in the beautiful Coffs Harbour and Bellingen regions.
