We just had our first weekend away exploring the English countryside. As I type that I’m asking myself, “Away from what? From home? Has London become home? Is this apartment now our place of residency? Did we just leave for a weekend and come back to it because we live here?”
Yes.
Coming back to Shoreditch from a weekend away, feeling a sense of genuine comfort walking through the door of our little apartment and picking up my weekday routine right where I left it is big for me. It’s a realization moment. We are living abroad.
This weekend we wandered away from city-life and into country-life. One 20-minute Uber drive to the train station and one hour-long train ride out of London later, Keith and I found ourselves in a blue rental car driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road and totally panicking about it while simultaneously gawking at the amount of greenery all around us. Our eyes weren’t used to it. Keith almost crashed.
Chippenham, England was our final destination. We reserved a private Airbnb room on Little Fosse Farm located on Fosse Way. This is a road that the Romans utilized hundreds of years ago to get to the Roman baths in a city quite literally named Bath. In other words, this place is oozing with history, tales and romance. Parts of Little Fosse Farm were built in the 1470’s. Our bedroom however, was brand-spanking new; it wasn’t built until the 1700’s.
Upon arrival in our blue rental car we were greeted by the owner, Mark, and his partner-in-crime, Lily. Lily came prancing up to us with the largest smile on her face and the loudest welcome I’ve ever received. She’s the yellow lab on property who we fell in love with immediately. Jane, Marks wife, was in the back tending to their horses. We fell in love with her too.
Mark led us to the backyard and it immediately took our breath away. Flowers, trees, grass fields and fresh air engulfed the space. The rose garden backed up to the horse stables where we could see Jane working with three gorgeous horses and about seven chickens clucking freely at her feet. Two identical black barn cats, Monte and Archie, tip-toed up to us purring for attention. Lily was at our feet wagging her tail, Mark was preparing us tea and scones in the kitchen and Keith and I were standing in the backyard smiling stupidly in silence at the beauty all around us.
The English countryside knew how to give a good first impression to her visitors. Here are some of the highlights from exploring her for the weekend.
City of Bath
We took our blue rental car out of Little Fosse Farm and down Fosse Way to get to the city of Bath, just like the Romans did. It was a 20 minute drive of rolling green hills, yellow buttercup pastures and pure panic as Keith attempted [successfully] to drive on the opposite side of the road.
It was worth the panic. Bath is a tiny, ancient city that sits pretty in the valley of the River Avon. As we drove down the hill into the valley, the city and it’s vine-covered stone buildings engulfed us and drew us in.
Bath lays on top of natural hot springs deep beneath the earth. The Romans found these magical hot springs thousands of years ago and built spas, baths and sanctuaries here. This was how the city of Bath was born. The remains are still in tact and open to the public to explore and the city is still a desirable, magical spot to live and visit.
We spent the day drinking cappuccinos in tiny cafés tucked behind stone alleyways and walking back in time through the ancient Roman baths. There is nothing quite like seeing, touching and learning about something right in front of you that has existed for thousands of years. It felt very surreal and humbling.
The Neeld Arms Pub
Mark and Jane booked us a reservation at the local pub, The Neeld Arms, for dinner on Saturday. They know Charlie, the owner. Of course they do. We took the blue rental car out of Little Fosse Farm and down Fosse Way for about 5 minutes to get our hands on some beer and grub at Neeld Arms, just like the Romans did.
Talk about ancient. This pub is so old, the doorways are still fit for the Romans, who stood at about 5’5″ on a good day. I had to duck my head to get to the bathroom. Once we entered, we felt immediate vertigo. The whole bar is crooked. I could touch the wood-paneled ceiling with my hand if I stood on my tip-toes. It’s. so. old. It’s perfect.
The pub was of course packed with yelling and laughter and locals of all walks of life. We found Charlie and got seated for dinner. On the menu were a few ice cold lagers, the Neeld Arms pot pie with chips and boiled veggies, the warm goat cheese and pear salad and sticky toffee pudding with homemade Marshfield vanilla bean ice cream. We left feeling full in more ways than one.
Castle Combe Village
On Sunday, after sharing a traditional English Sunday roast lunch at The Potting Shed Pub, we village-hopped through the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds is the name of the region we were in. It’s known for its’ rolling hills, endless meadows and countless ancient, tiny villages scattered through the area.
Our favorite village, Castle Combe, wasn’t far from Little Fosse Farm. Castle Combe looks fake. I’m not kidding; wandering through it feels like walking through a princess ride at Disneyland. It is so stunning, quaint and unique that movies are filmed here. The film industry has asked the village to build all cable lines and wires underground instead of in the street so it continues to look as it did hundreds of years ago.
It’s so small, you can walk the entirety of the village in fifteen minutes. We explored the grounds of the Manor House Hotel, a five-star hotel with a Michelin-star restaurant inside, got a beer and drank it in the backyard of the only pub in town and walked along the babbling brook at the edge of Castle Combe. It was better than Disneyland.
Until next time, Little Fosse Farm
We ended our weekend the way every day should begin – with traditional English breakfast and coffee in the sunshine. Mark and Jane typically provide this for their guests every morning in their dining room that was built in the 1470’s [no big deal], however, when the sun is out, there is one rule: we eat outside.
Exploring the English countryside, witnessing 2,000 years of history with my own eyes, panicking in a blue rental car on the wrong side of the road and finding a place in my heart for two strangers, their yellow lab and their two twin black cats reminded me why we are doing this year abroad:
There are countless places, people and farms in this world worth running into. However, there is only one Little Fosse Farm. Until next time.
🙂