Bibury

This week's outing was to the picturesque village of Bibury in the Cotswolds. We used to go there a lot when I was little to visit the trout farm. I could remember feeding the fish there, but I couldn't remember much about the rest of the village. So for me, the trip we did this week felt like seeing the place properly for the first time.

Bibury is often called the most beautiful village in England, and I would definitely agree with that assessment. With its quaint cottages and its little bridges crossing the river, it really is like a setting from a fairytale.

The most famous sight to see in Bibury is without a doubt Arlington Row, a row of cottages that have been photographed by tourists many times over.

Lots of the other houses and gardens in the village are also very photogenic.

The bridges that cross over the River Coln are very charming and old-fashioned. In the river, there are lots of ducks happily swimming around, hoping that visitors will share their food with them!

Another popular place to see in Bibury is the leaf-covered Swan Hotel.

Finally, we walked over to the other side of the village to see St Mary's Church. Its garden is so pretty.

Normally Bibury would be packed full of tourists at this time of year, but because of the current situation, it was very quiet and tranquil, and social distancing was easy.

I would say this trip out has been my favourite so far since I started visiting places on my list of local outdoor areas. It actually reminded me a lot of my trip to Veules-les-Roses in Normandy in 2018. Even though the two villages are in different countries, they are really similar, with their rivers and their flowery scenery. It was nice to be reminded of my Year Abroad again.

I would definitely like to go back to Bibury in the near future. There are several cafés and tearooms there, which I would love to try out when everything opens up again!