After visiting Blenheim Palace, we worked our way back to the north towards our home base of Chipping Campden. We made two stops – Bourton-on-the-water and Snowshill.
Bourton-on-the-water
Rick Steves captured the feeling of this village for us – he could not figure out whether they call this “the Venice of the Cotswolds” because of its quaint canals or its miserable crowds.
Either could we. 🙂 This town is very pretty. But it can be mobbed with tour groups during the day. The sidewalks were much busier than the others we had visited. Most were wearing nametags from the bus tours they were on. Many were having their children wade up and down and splash in the four-to-five inch deep water.
I think the town would be nice to visit later in the day. Saint Rick suggests in the early evening or even after dark.
Snowshill
Rick Steves’ describes Snowshill as another nearly edible little bundle of cuteness. We could not agree more. Neither can the movie industry – it was the setting for where Bridget Jones’ parents lived and their home in Bridget Jones’ Diary.
It has a photogenic triangular square with a characteristic pub at its base. Jackie and I stopped at the pub – it was an absolute delight! Before long all were asking questions and trying to learn how baseball works… in return for a lesson on Cricket. We so enjoyed ourselves that we remained for quite a while. It was a good reminder that often our travels seem to about sights and sometimes experiences… but the experiences most often are because of the people. We look forward to our next visit with our new friends from Snowshill.
