A Christmassy Weekend in the Cotswolds

Mr. Actually and I always had the intention of going away for a little weekend trip for a little while now. Initially, we were planning a trip to Berlin; I’d even booked an Airbnb! Sadly though, I was delayed in booking flights (a combination of delays in my visa, waiting for passports & being skint until payday), and by the time I was able to do it, flights were upwards of £500! We decided instead for low key, and I booked us a weekend in the Cotswolds! It was festive and cozy, and the perfect getaway just before Christmas!

Day 1: Exploring Cirencester, The Capital of the Cotswolds

Bright and early Friday morning, Mr. Actually and I rented ourselves a car and drove up to the Cotswolds. It was a pleasant drive, though by the time we arrived, there weren’t many daylight hours left! We checked into our hotel, and then hopped right back into the car to do some exploring of the capital of the Cotswolds, Cirencester!

Cirencester’s most famous feature is Market Square, which boasts the beautiful Parish Church of St John Baptist. We popped inside for a quick look, only to find it chockablock full of Christmas trees! Fairy lights were strung up across the whole square, and a large Christmas tree sat out front of the church, making it all feel rather festive! It’s a small town, with lots of cute little streets and pretty buildings! We wondered down Black Jack Street, and as we were walking, it started to snow (well, hail) so we got a bit of a dusting!

Cirencester was apparently the second largest town in England  during Roman times, and as such has a rich, and very evident history. All the architecture was beautiful and it was lovely just to wander around through the streets!

After wandering around for a bit, stopping for a cup of tea, and checking out some of the shops and markets, we headed back to our hotel. It gets dark so early this time of year, that we could think of nothing better than a nice warm meal, while sitting by the fire. What more could you want from a day?

Day 2: A Country Walk Through Bibury

The Cotswolds has some genuinely beautiful landscape, so we decided to embark on a country walk while we were here. I’d always wanted to visit the little town of Bibury, which I’d seen all over Instragram, and known for it’s picturesque row of weaver’s cottages. It’s like something out of a Dickens novel, I swear!

We do enjoy our country walks, and even though the weather was cold, off we set! I was able to find a nice walk for us to do, that took us all through the countryside, as well as offering up a nice view of Bibury! We got a little muddy (okay, a lot muddy) but it was well worth it!

By the time we finished, it was starting to get dark, so we headed back to the hotel to change. Then, we decided to mosey on over to Cirencester for a bit. The Christmas lights were all alight, so we walked through town, just enjoying the general splendor! Then we stopped off at The Golden Cross for a bit of mulled wine, as it was pretty crisp and chilly by then! That was followed by a delightful meal of fish and chips from Malt and Anchor!

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Day 3: Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Funnily enough, when we booked our trip to the Cotswolds, I was determined to see some snow! There’s something so nice about snow in the countryside, where it actually stays white, and untouched, instead of that grim black sleety stuff it turns into in big cities like London or New York. Come Sunday morning, we awoke to a blanket of fresh snow and it was absolutely dreamy!

Our hotel in truth, was also the perfect setting for such a snowy day. I booked us a room at the Mason Arms in Meysey Hampton, just outside of Cirencester. It’s a warm and cozy pub with rooms, and we couldn’t have been happier with our stay! Everyone was so welcoming and really made sure we enjoyed our weekend! The food and drinks we had was made even better by the roaring fires. Safe to say it was a Cotswolds dream! Ticked all the boxes!

Even though we were leaving on Sunday, seeing the snow was positively delightful, and sitting by the fire in a cozy pub was the perfect way to experience it! I would 100% recommend the Mason Arms if you’re ever planning a trip up to the Cotswolds!

Needless to say, we had a wonderful and festive trip up to the Cotswolds! I can’t remember the last time I saw so much snow! It felt a little treacherous driving back (snow was weighing down the treetops to they bowed over. At one point, we were driving through a curtain of snow covered branches! Eek!) but I could have easily stayed another few days!