Cotswolds part 2: ...and a pheasant in an Oak tree

Boxing Day morning was clear and cold.

  We wanted to travel down to Bibury, a village with an ancient row of pretty cottages, and home of William Morris.   

Bibury was gridlocked, we later found out they have a duck race along the river on Boxing Day (one to avoid in future)

No matter, onwards to Cirencester to find the Roman amphitheatre I had spotted on the map.  

Just outside the city walls the amphitheatre is now just a series of deeply sloping mounds, man made and where wooden seating would have been placed to hold the 8000 spectators.

 As you can see with OH for scale, it is quite big, I made a run for it up the slopes but didn't get far

With nowhere pretty nearby to stop for lunch, we turned back towards Bibury, where we found a parking space and had a look around.

I love Arlington Row, constantly being photographed by a myriad of tourists it is difficult to get a clear shot of the pretty 14th century wool store (converted to these weaver's cottages in the 17th century).

  Traditional view, I even managed to get the controversial yellow Corsa in the shot without realising it

My preferred view is looking the other way, what do you think?

William Morris lived opposite Arlington Row and his house is now a B+B, the adjoining house is a tea room where we sampled tea and cake, although it felt a little like Acorn Antiques (in a good way), with the clatter of cutlery hitting the floor every time a tray was taken into the kitchen 

 Despite the wobbly service, which just added to the charm of the place, the tea and cake was lovely, and it was nice to find somewhere open on Boxing Day

 Note the mismatched china, and every table had a different teapot

The sideboard at the end displays all the available cakes 

Well worth a visit if you are ever in Bibury

Outside and heading back to the car we noticed the evil black swan approaching down the river

He doesn't get on with the other waterfowl, and spits a lot

The following day was frosty, we had two morning visitors before we set out for the day, a pheasant in an oak tree

and a muntjac deer

We decided to set off for Bourton on the Water, another favourite place of mine, with the intention of visiting the miniature village there.  

Miniature Bourton, I'm outside Lloyds Bank

OH, by the miniature river

Real Bourton, almost the same place

Miniature Bourton again

Real Bourton again

We had a great time in the miniature village, spending almost an hour wandering round and round, it was a lovely place to visit and well worth the £3.60 entrance fee.

 The miniature version of the entrance to the miniature village

 Every shop is duplicated in miniature

There's a miniature village in the miniature village...

 and a miniature village in the miniature village in the miniature village!

Gulliver moment!

After an enjoyable stroll around the village, we were in need of lunch and so headed off to Stow on the Wold for something to eat.

Seems we were first into the dining room

 I love the wallpaper and thoughtfully appropriate Christmas decor

Lunch arrived, OH had a wild boar burger and I had a venison burger.  I'm not a big meat eater and at home sit in my comfort zone as far as food is concerned, but when we go out I like to push my boundaries and try different things

The short days of an English Winter meant it was soon time to head back to our holiday cottage, where the sunset was in full flow, complete with fog rolling in

One more post to come from our Cotswold Christmas holiday!