What to bring home
Godsell’s artisan cheese made by a farming family in the village of Leonard Stanley – the Holy Smoked single Gloucester is especially good.
Soaps by College Green (available at Stroud Farmers’ Market) – aromatic and handmade in the Stroud valley using natural ingredients, from rosemary and mint to lemongrass, ginger and oat.
When to go
Every season has intrinsic appeal. Crowd-free winters are ideal for bracing walks, fire-side pub sessions – and lower hotel prices. Come in spring to see lambs and wild daffodils. Visit in summer (inevitably with many others) for magical light, particularly in the long evenings. Or make an autumn excursion for a quieter atmosphere and wonderful leaf colour, especially at the two great arboreta, Westonbirt and Batsford.
Know before you go
Essential Information
Don’t ask about Jeremy Clarkson, Rebekah Brooks, Kate Moss, Alex James, Jilly Cooper and others from a long list of the great, the good and the notorious who call the Cotswolds home (or second home). Locals are largely uncharmed by celeb culture.
Enjoy the affluence of the Cotswolds – the well-kept towns and villages, the carefully conserved countryside. But be aware that the cost of living is especially high: it is a challenge to find comfortable hotel accommodation at less than £90 a night for a double room.