The Cotswolds: Bourton on the Water

After visiting the Slaughters, I went on to nearby Bourton on the Water, one of the most well-known villages in the Cotswolds and one that attracts a lot of tourists. By the time I got there it was early afternoon and almost too hot to bear. I'd mostly lost interest in taking photos (!) and was desperate for a cold drink and some shade... but as you can see, a seat in the shade was hard to come by!

The village is similar to the Slaughters, but on a much larger scale. The River Windrush flows through the centre, crossed by five low bridges and flanked by wide green spaces. It is unarguably picturesque, though on the day I was there it was hard to see the village for people! The river is so shallow that it is safe for paddling and many children and some adults were making the most of it. I eventually found a spot on the bank and even tried dangling my bare feet in the water..  the water was ice-cold! 

There are many shops, cafés and attractions, including a Motor Museum and St Lawrence parish church, which has an unusual domed clock tower. Parts of the church date back as far as 1328 but the tower was added in the neo-classical style in 1784 and the nave is a Victorian structure.

I'd really gone on a nostalgia trip. My parents had friends in the area and as a child I was taken to Bourton a few times. I still remember the low, 'child-sized' bridges and the novelty of the river running along the main street. It's known as 'the Venice of the Cotswolds'. I have fond memories, too, of one major attraction... More of that tomorrow...