TRAVEL with Helen Oon
Courting the COTSWOLDS
O
n a sunny summer’s day, the Cotswolds is a sight to behold. It is straight out of a
romantic landscape painting, all
chocolate-box twee. Te palette of the land in the warm glow of the sun is a sumptuous visual feast of green rolling hills,
ochre ploughed land and vast fields of bright yellow rapeseed, weaving an exquisite tapestry of nature’s patchworks. I am on a restorative break to my favourite part of England in Gloucestershire staying at Stouts Hill.
Broadway Tower affording a vantage view over 16 counties.
Tis 18th century castellated Gothic mansion is set in a 27-acre parkland with a beautiful lake by a large expanse of sweeping lawn. The fresh air and intoxicating scenery is just the right tonic to boost my flagging chi. Te avian chorus are in full symphony at the crack of dawn, chirping away with their melodious songbirds, while in the fields nearby the sheep are bleating “baaa-baaa” adding a stereo effect to nature’s soundtrack. Te cows begin to join in with their “mooing” as the countryside wakes up to greet another idyllic day in this corner of England designated as “An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”. The Cotswolds is an affluent
part of England and reputedly has the most number of
famous
people as residents per square mile. It is a popular bolt-hole as weekend country homes to many well-known personalities such as David Cameron, Hugh Grant, Stella McCartney, Kate Moss,
www.fswmag.com
JK Rowling and Kate Winslet to name a few. But one distinguished permanent resident is Jilly Cooper OBE, Britain’s top best-seller novelist who lives in the village of Bisley with her family. She often waxes lyrical about the Cotswolds. Her novels are inspired by her own experience, lifestyle and observation of country life, mostly about the shenanigans of
the British upper class with pompous double-barrel names in the world of show-jumping and polo. Her “bonkbusters” novels, particularly the “Rutshire Chronicles” (Riders, Rivals and Polo) have racy romantic storylines involving sex, adultery, betrayal and money. Hmm... perhaps the tranquil countryside has a touch of fifty shades of grey.
The beautiful garden of Sudeley Castle with the castle and St. Mary’s.
JULY / AUGUST 2013 | F ENGSHUIWORLD
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