A few days in the Cotswolds

For Christmas this year, The Boy and I decided to treat ourselves to a few days away instead of spending the money on gifts for each other. So, after a Christmas spent apart with our respective families, on Sunday we loaded up the car and set off to that most rock & roll of destinations, the Cotswolds. Yes, the hip young vegan activist academic - who I first fell for when he was living in a former squat-turned-communal living project - had a yen to visit the rolling hills, genteel limestone towns and picture postcard villages of Gloucestershire. Weird or what?!

We stayed at the White Hart Royal Hotel in Moreton-In-Marsh, a fantastic 17th century coaching inn with the most wonderful staff (they even went out of their way to cater specially for the vegan). Our three days were mostly spent sitting by the inglenook fireplace in the cosy bar, reading and chatting. On the rare occassions that the rain abated, we ventured out to wander around Chipping Campden (which is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been), Stow-On-The-Wold, Broadway Tower, and Moreton itself.

It was the perfect way to the end 2013; a few days in the countryside with good food, good champagne (when in the Cotswolds...!), and my absolute favourite person in the world. I think we will make the post-Christmas break an annual traditions.