Spend it like Beckham…
Head to the Cotswolds, where David and Victoria locked down and find a cottage star says
If it’s good enough for the Beckhams,” I declared as we motored up the M40 towards the Cotswolds. Photos of Victoria and David’s lavish lockdown in this pretty pocket of rural England had inspired me to sample life as a country gent – minus the tweed jackets and flatcaps, of course.
Our destination was Bourton-on-the-Water, a quaint little village just west of celebrity-packed Chipping Norton, dubbed the “Venice of the Cotswolds” thanks to its position straddling the River Windrush.
Criss-crossing the low bridges over the shallow waters flowing between the shops and the tearooms proved joyous, while dodging the ducks and slurping ice-creams.
My kids had other ideas though, pulling me into every trinket shop, desperate to sample the local fudge and spend their pocket money on shiny ‘crystals’ for £2 a pop.
We had a weekend to explore the area while enjoying a stay at a gorgeous stone property, which felt rather like our very own Beckham-style mansion.
Ivy Cottage, just five minutes from the town centre, is huge.
The original house has been extended with a conservatory complete with giant dining table, two bathrooms, side by side – which helped prevent family arguments – and cosy loft bedrooms.
The owner, Gemma at Cotswold Cottage Gems, has clearly sought to keep the warm and welcoming feel to the place, while making sure modern families are catered for.
There’s a brick fireplace with woodburner and window seats to curl up on with a book. Plus there’s Netflix, lightning-fast internet connection and a lovely, country kitchen to try your best Gordon Ramsay impersonation.
The best part about staying here, however, is when Gemma herself assumes the role of your own personal chef. All Ivy Cottage guests are cooked complimentary breakfasts at The Lansdowne guest house directly opposite.
The cottage is also an ideal base to discover the village and surrounding areas and there are plenty of things to see and do.
First stop for us was the Cotswold Motoring Museum and Toy Collection where we weaved our
way through a series of showrooms packed with shiny vintage cars and toys from yesteryear, built up by private collector Mike Cavanagh since the 70s.
There are 19th-century bikes, like the Boneshaker and Penny Farthing, sitting proudly alongside more than 40 classic motors from as far back as the early 1900s.
Peering inside an authentic Austin Bantam, Ford Zephyr and a 1940s-style Jaguar MKV will certainly give motoring fans a kick.
You need a good hour to savour all the much-loved exhibits – and the huge number of Tonka toy cars adorning the walls will take you right back to your childhood
(adults £6.50, children £4.60, cotswoldmotoring museum.co.uk).
Bourton is also famous for its Grade II listed Model Village. Here you get an idea of what it would have felt like to be Gulliver in Lilliput as you explore the replica in
My kids pulled me in every trinket shop to buy crystals and sample fudge
Windrush even a Jurassic area where families can hunt for lifesize dinosaurs (adults £10.95, children £7.95, birdland.co.uk).
When you’re feeling peckish, there are lots of lovely places in town to stop for a bite to eat. The Sunday roast served at the Kingsbridge Inn generated a queue right out the door. The fresh egg mayo sandwiches at A’Moore Coffee House, set back from the main street, also deserve a special mention for being pleasingly simple.
A box of curiosities set in beautiful countryside, a weekend of pottering in the Cotswolds will certainly rekindle your affection for holidaying at home.