If you’ve ever spent time in England and haven’t ventured into the beautiful area called the Cotswold’s, you don’t really know what you’re missing. It is located in southwestern England and is pure beauty, an area filled with village after village. One of the quaintest and cutest villages is Bibury, where it is said that verdant meadows abut ancient stone cottages with steep pitched roofs.
The River Coln, which bisects the village, teems with trout, but the most scenic area is Arlington Row, a lane of sepia-hued cottages built in the 17th century to house weavers from the nearby Arlington Mill. The village was once described by William Morris as ‘the most beautiful village in the Cotswolds’. The village centre clusters around a square near St. Mary’s, a Saxon church. Some of the Saxon remains inside the church are replicas as the originals are housed in the British Museum.
A trivial point for those interested in such things: Bibury has provided the backdrop for blockbuster films including Stardust and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Things To Do:
Bibury Trout Farm and Restaurant: Here, you can catch your own trout and of course, eat it on site.
Arlington Mill Museum: Strolling alongside the river watching the trout in their live habitat and visiting Arlington Row.
Bibury Court Hotel: Magnificent Jacobean mansion with friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Also try the Swan Hotel and Trout Farm Restaurant.
Hiking: Away from the sightseeing crowds in Bibury, a delightful walk through woodland and meadow rich in wildlife, across a Roman road and past a hidden dewpond. For comprehensive walking guide see www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/userfiles/file/walks/jubilee/bibury-and-the-river-coln.pdf.
Second Photo credit: wikipedia.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
