My Cotswolds: our resident expert's favourite places

I first came to the Cotswolds on a visit 25 years ago. Of course I loved it – who wouldn’t? It is absolutely, resolutely pastoral England.

I finally moved to the northern Cotswolds seven years ago, and for a while I couldn’t decide which appeals more: the rolling scenery or the bucolic villages of honey-coloured stone. Now I realise it’s the land – cherished and sheep-nibbled through the centuries – that is the defining factor. I’m entranced by the red hues of the soil, the tucks and folds of the hills and the sweeping views.

The perfect day

When friends are staying we beat a path to Chipping Campden in the northern reaches. It’s quintessential Cotswolds, all golden stone and gracious houses. The High Street, with its 17th-century covered market house, is immensely pleasing. And there’s an arty heartbeat, too. This old wool town became the centre of the Arts and Crafts movement in 1902. The Court Barn Museum (courtbarn.org.uk) explores this heritage. But best of all is the Old Silk Mill. The Gallery here (thegalleryattheguild.co.uk) shows the works of local artists, while upstairs you can visit Hart Silversmiths (hartsilversmiths.co.uk), with its fabulous time warp of a workshop.

For lunch we head to nearby Bourton-on-the-Hill where the Horse and Groom (horseandgroom.info) offers a seriously good blackboard menu. Then we continue south, either spending the afternoon in dreamy Batsford Arboretum (batsarb.co.uk) or, when it’s open (afternoons Wednesday to Sunday from March to the end of October), at Chastleton House (nationaltrust.org.uk), a jewel of a Jacobean mansion.

Alternatively, we might spend a day in the southern Cotswolds at Minchinhampton. It’s another superb market town with covered market house and handsome streets, and it is fringed by a glorious, cattle-grazed common. It has a charming café, Henry’s, which also sells cheese made at the owner’s family farm, and a much acclaimed restaurant, The Ragged Cot (theraggedcot.co.uk).

Where I tell my friends to stay

The Bay Tree in Burford is reasonably priced and charmingly set on a quiet street of this almost-too-pretty town. It was home to Elizabeth I’s Baron of the Exchequer and it creaks with atmosphere. The 21 rooms are all shapes and sizes. I’d plump for a garden room with French windows giving onto the hidden lawns.

For more of a treat, Cowley Manor presents country-house luxe with funky flourishes. The furnishings are retro-chic; the grounds are gorgeous; the spa is sublime. Or further south book into Calcot Manor – and blow the expense. At this haven of style and relaxation near Tetbury, I’d opt for one of the 12 serene rooms in the manor house, unless you’re travelling with small children in which case there are family-friendly rooms in the Cottage.

Favourite walk

The six-mile Charlbury to Stonesfield circuit is a lovely trail – out on the Oxfordshire Way and back along the Salt Way. If you set out early you can reward yourself with lunch back in Charlbury: the Bull (bullinn-charlbury.com) is a gorgeous old inn offering unfussy dishes full of flavour – book for Sunday lunch.

Favourite restaurants

The Kingham Plough (01608 658327; thekinghamplough.co.uk) is a local, foodie favourite for relaxed dining. It’s a great champion of Cotswold produce and many of its dishes are based on old local recipes - which have been given a modern twist. You can expect to see Windrush Valley goat’s cheese on the menu and the likes of venison wellington, with meat supplied from nearby Cornbury Park.

I celebrate special occasions at the wonderful Feathered Nest (01993 833030; thefeatherednestinn.co.uk) at Nether Westcote. Its exquisitely inventive dishes might include grouse with elderberries and wild boar with butternut squash. Come for lunch or for dinner in the summer and enjoy tremendous views of the Evenlode Valley from the terrace here.

Take my advice and…

Download a few of the guided walks available (free) from the website of the Cotswolds AONB (escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/walking).

Favourite pub

For a terrific country  pub with local atmosphere, appealing cosiness, rural outlook and good food the Ebrington Arms (01386 593223; theebringtonarms.co.uk), in pretty Ebrington near Chipping Campden, ticks all the boxes. It even produces its own craft beer.  

Favourite view

On a clear day you can see over to the Brecon Beacons from Broadway Tower (broadwaytower.co.uk), a dramatically sited folly designed by Capability Brown for the Earl of Coventry. It perches at the edge of the Cotswold escarpment, surrounded by parkland with walking trails.

Favourite tea shop

Adjacent to Broadway Tower, stylish Morris & Brown (morrisandbrown.co.uk) is a café and shop set in a wonderfully converted barn and warmly welcoming walkers, dogs, children and anyone else. Choose a slice of home-made cake and eat it on the terrace, revelling in the views.

Perfect night out

Check out what’s on at Chipping Norton Theatre (chippingnortontheatre.co.uk), a fabulous Victorian property that has been a lively community theatre since the Seventies. Elsewhere, you’ll need to book ahead for two terrific Cotswold entertainments: the magical and eccentric Giffords Circus (giffordscircus.com) which performs across the region in spring and summer; set in a converted cowshed, the remarkable Longborough Opera (lfo.org.uk) at Longborough near Moreton-in-Marsh, stages summer productions.

What I’ll be doing in 2018

Annual events are appealingly varied. Check out the Cotswold spring gardens, particularly Painswick Rococo Garden (rococogarden.org.uk) for snowdrops and Kiftgate Court Gardens (kiftsgate.co.uk) for bluebells. In April, Chipping Norton holds a stimulating and fun literary festival (chiplitfest.com). On the last Bank Holiday in May head to Tetbury to see the town’s Wool Sack race (tetburywoolsack.co.uk), a famously quirky event dating back to the 17th century. There’s a great pageant of summer festivals, such as the Wilderness Festival (wildernessfestival.com) and the Big Feastival (thebigfeastival.com), both in August. For winter drama don’t miss the spectacular light shows at Blenheim Palace between November and January (blenheimpalace.com).

Books for inspiration

Laurie Lee’s Cider with Rosie, set in the Slad Valley in the southern Cotswolds; all works by the mad Mitford family, particularly Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love.