Back Roads Great Britain (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

81

8 Hidcote Manor Garden
Gloucestershire; GL55 6LR
There is no shortage of gardens in the
Cotswolds, but Hidcote (mid-Mar–Jun,
Sep & Oct: open Sat–Wed; Jul–Aug: open
Fri–Wed) is one of the finest in
the country. It was created in
1907 by an American, Major
Lawrence Johnston, who
designed a series of “outdoor
rooms”, each one following a
specific style, separated by
tall hedges and walls, and
often with exquisite topiary.
Highlights include the White
Garden, the Bathing Pool and
the informal Old Garden.
Think about having lunch –

9 Broadway

Worcestershire; WR12 7DT

The elegant main street of this well-

preserved Cotswold village is lined

with immaculate stone houses, smart

shops and a handful of cosy pubs

and hotels. The Gordon Russell

Museum (closed Mon) displays

examples of the graceful furniture

designed by the famous local artisan,

along with metalwork and glassware.

Take the High St east to the A44, turn

right and first right to Broadway Tower

( Apr–Oct: open daily; Nov–Mar: open Sat

& Sun). This castle-like folly was built in

1799 and offers stunning panoramas,

displays of local history and a deer

park – it’s a good area for walking, too.

Go south on Church St to Snowshill

Manor (mid-Mar–Oct: Wed–Sun pm),

built of Cotswold honey-yellow stone

with an Arts and Crafts garden. The

house is full of curiosities from around

the world, from clocks to cow bells,

and from toys and bicycles to musical

instruments and Samurai armour.

Close by is the very scenic Broadway

Golf Club ( Willersey Hill, WR12 7LG; 01386

853 683; http://www.broadwaygolfclub.co.uk ).

Above Looking north towards Birmingham

from Broadway Tower

Left The seemingly haphazard planting in the

Old Garden at Hidcote Manor Garden

Above High Street shops in the well-preserved
village of Broadway

DRIVE 6: The Villages of the Cotswolds

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under £25; moderate, £25–£50; expensive, over £50

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

Cirencester and Stow-on-the-Wold are

good bases for exploring the area.

Romans and Toys

Families with children will love the

Roman Museum at Cirencester 1 ,

Chedworth Roman Villa 2 , the

exhibition of mechanical music at

Northleach 3 and the engaging toy

displays at Bourton-on the-Water 4.

Cirencester, Northleach and Bourton-

on the-Water are all linked by the A429.

Antiques and design

In the morning, browse the antique

shops at Stow-on-the-Wold 5. Next,

tour a mansion with a difference –

Sezincote in Moreton-in-Marsh 6. In

the afternoon, visit Chipping

Campden 7 and Broadway 9 to

explore local arts, crafts, and design.

Stow-on-the-Wold is extremely well-

connected – the A424 goes to Broadway

and the B4081 to Chipping Campden.

EAT AND DRINK

AROUND CHIPPING CAMPDEN

Ebrington Arms moderate

This Cotswold stone inn serves great

home-made and locally sourced food.

Ebrington, GL55 6NH (3 km/2 miles

from Chipping Camden on the B4035);

01386 593 223;

wwwtheebringtonarms.co.uk

AROUND HIDCOTE MANOR

Three Ways House moderate

Award-winning restaurant (with rooms)

serving fabulous traditional and modern

British food. It also houses the Pudding

Club, dedicated to saving and raising

the profile of the Great British Pudding.

Mickleton, GL55 6SB (turn left out of

Hidcote and right to Mickleton); 01386

438 429; http://www.puddingclub.com

BROADWAY

Tisanes inexpensive

This tea room provides cream teas as

well as breakfasts, light lunches and a

range of coffees. 21 The Green, WR12

7AA; 01386 853 296; http://www.tisanes-

tearooms.co.uk

Russell’s moderate–expensive

Modern restaurant (with rooms) with

excellent food – try fried sweetbreads,

dover sole, and sticky toffee pudding.

20 High St, WR12 7DT; 01386 853 555;

http://www.russellsofbroadway.co.uk

Arts and Crafts

Britain’s Arts and Crafts movement

flourished in the years around 1900,

especially in the Cotswolds. Inspired

by the writing of John Ruskin and

reacting against industrialization, its

followers relied on traditional skills.

Its most famous exponents included

artist and designer William Morris,

furniture maker Gordon Russell and

CR Ashbee, who designed jewellery

and printed books. Examples of their

works can be viewed in museums in

Broadway and Chipping Campden.

and a traditional pudding – at Three

Ways House in Mickleton.

ª Turn left out of Hidcote, then next

right to Mickleton. Turn right, then left at

the mini-roundabout onto B4632. Park

off Broadway High St and Church St.