Traveller's Tales...

Oxfordshire & The Cotswolds

I have just returned from a lovely couple of days in Sibford Ferris and Kingham in Oxfordshire and the Cotwolds. As is practically tradition now I was staying with university friends, and arrived at Timna's in the early evening on Thursday. She had a couple of old school friends round, and we were originally intending to go out in Banbury, but the energy levels were low, so we decided to stay in and have some food and drinks at home instead. I got pretty drunk actually, and we went through some bizarre concoctions due to running out of booze, including brandy and lemonade, and ginger wine!

The following morning I had a pleasant lie in and then we lounged about for pretty much the whole day! It is really nice to chill out though, especially as Timna's house is a cottage with a lovely open fire, so it always feels nice and homely and cosy. We eventually got dressed and presentable, and I went with Timna, her brother Laurie and her friend Sam to her old school to play squash. After previous attempts at uni, I made the sensible decision to sit out the playing and partake in a bit of observation, which was definitely less tiring too!

I left at about half seven and drove to Daylesford, a gorgeous cafe/ deli/ farm shop that I have been to a couple of times before as it is a Laura Lane favourite (who I was meeting). This time was different though as it was for an evening meal, which they only serve on a Friday and Saturday, and it was a really nice experience. The menu is kept very simple with a minimal choice of starters and mains, and you have to book as at times it can get very busy due to its exclusivity. This night we were lucky as there weren't many people there, and because the clocks recently changed the lighting was dimmed which is really pretty in the main dining hall as it has huge windows and high ceilings with beams. 

We got a mixture of bread to share (I had one with dates and walnuts in, which was incredible!) and they were served with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I chose a steak for my main course so opted for red wine to accompany it, and the meat was served with broccoli, roast potatoes and a gorgeous creamy mushroom sauce on the side in a jug. Portions were very generous and staff attentive to our every need. I chose not to get a dessert as nothing took my fancy (although the Christmas pudding baked alaska did pique my curiousity) but Laura and her fiancé Dickon got an espresso each, and with a tip mine came to £28 which I thought was very reasonable for the quality of my meal. I was actually quite surprised as I had been warned it would be pricey.

Afterwards we went back to Laura's and watched a film accompanied by Dickon's famous Caipirinha's and sweet and salty popcorn (it's a revolution, try it!). The following morning we went for a nice stroll around the grounds of the boarding school that Laura's parents reside in, and then I set off at 2pm after some lunch in the sunshine. A lovely jaunt as usual!

Traveller's Tales...

Sibford Ferris, Stow & Stratford

On Thursday I drove down  visit my friend Timna who lives in Sibford Ferris in Oxford. I was so tired driving it was pretty arduous, but I eventually arrived at 2.30pm and was greeted with a lovely cuppa.

That evening we went to Bicester Village, which is an outlet mall similar to Cheshire Oaks. I had little money to buy anything, but came away with a nice triangle shaped titanium ring, and some nipple tassles from Agent Provocateur! I mainly bought them as they look really cool on display in my room - don't judge! We ate tea at Pret a Manger and then drove back to Timna's. 

Later on at 11pm we went round to our other friend Laura's house in Kingham, as she had 'exciting news' to tell us. We had basically guessed it was that she had got engaged, so we picked some flowers from the garden for her, and luckily we were right! We spent until the early hours getting very giddy, drinking prosecco and discussing wedding plans - all very grown up!

The following day we had a lie in and ate pancakes for breakfast before driving to Stow to meet Laura again (this time without her fiancé). We went to Huffkins bakery for afternoon tea, and ordered one for three people which was huge! It had little finger sandwiches with gorgeous fillings like salmon and avocado, chicken and bacon, ploughmans and tuna and sweetcorn; scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of cakes including flapjack, brownies and hazelnut meringues. We ate as much as we could, and then got a doggy bag to take home, they had made a mistake with some of our sandwiches so we got a seperate plate for free - we had loads left!

We said our goodbyes to Laura and made our way back to Sibford to collect Timna's mum to go to Stratford (she was picking a new car up). Timna and I wandered around the shops and along the river while her mum got the car, and then we parted ways and I drove home to Manchester. It took me 2 1/2 hours even with traffic which I was impressed with, and meant I had time to go out when I got back. I had a lovely couple of days and it was really nice to see Laura and Dickon to celebrate their engagement. It is a shame that so many of my uni friends live down South!

Traveller's Tales...

Kingham

My boyfriend and I had a couple of days off this week (much deserved) so decided to visit our friend from university at her home in Kingham, Oxfordshire. It wasn't the easiest place to find, but luckily we set off early so we didn't miss too much of the day travelling. After a few detours we arrived at the house, and once we had filled our hungry bellies with some much appreciated soup and sandwiches, we set off on a little walk.
The house is set in the middle of gorgeous countryside, and we were very lucky that the sun was shining as we ambled along dirt tracks past quaint little farmhouses and rolling fields. Our destination was Daylesford, an organic farm shop that also has a restaurant, cookery school and courtyard. From the outside it looks like a modern barn conversion, but with all the quirks of a countryside abode, beautiful stonework, wicker furniture, vegetable plots and a chicken coop, all maintained to a very high standard. We sat in the courtyard which was a brilliant sun trap, and enjoyed a cup of tea, after looking at all the tasty food available to buy at the deli, and admiring the elaborate cooking utensils in the shop.
We then returned to the house, and after a quick trip to nearby Chipping Norton for supplies, had a barbecue in the garden, complete with gooey marshmallows for dessert! It was a welcome change from the bustle of work and city life, and we went to bed tired from the excess of fresh air!