A year ago, Michael and I read a book that made our Top Ten Reads of 2023. It is called The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams, a captivating historical fiction set in Oxford, England, at the turn of the 19th century. The book, based on actual facts and real people, tells the story of a young girl who is the ward of James Murray, the creator of the first Oxford Dictionary. She secretly gathers slips of paper with words that have been discarded for a surprising reason and creates a version of her own. Since reading the book, we've been drawn to visiting the city where this enchanting story unfolds.
So when we set out at the beginning of September for two months of travel, we began with Oxford. We rented a tiny Toyota AYGO at Heathrow and began our "stay to the left" mantra for the hour-and-a-half journey.
While in the UK, we stayed in small, quirky inns and hotels and just one Airbnb. That was different for us because we are big Airbnb fans, but we only stayed for two nights at each stop, and since a hearty breakfast was always included, we didn't need a kitchen. Personally, I appreciated the break from meal prep, and we both enjoyed the freedom that comes with a road trip.
In Oxford, we stayed in a small room at the St. Margaret's Hotel, a converted red brick Victorian near the Thames. It was also just across the road from the home where our favorite book was set—and an easy walk to the town center.
The garden of the Saint Margeret’s Hotel. Breakfast is served in the atrium.
Also nearby was the elite Dragon Preparatory School. It has nothing to do with Harry Potter but a lot to do with an exclusive British boarding school for students aged 4 through 13. Tuition can cost up to $80,000 per year for full-board! After discovering the school, we had a serendipitous encounter during breakfast at our hotel. A multi-generation Japanese family was sitting at the table next to us. It seemed they were celebrating the youngest girl's birthday, but we discovered it was her first day at the Dragon School. This piqued our interest, and we learned they were seeing her off, and then the family would return to Toyko.
The gate to The Dragon School. It's not a place for budding Wizards - but just right for fledging millionaires.
Oxford oozes history! The city was initially settled in the Saxon period and was strategically located at the junction of the River Thames and the River Cherwell. It was in the 12th century that the University of Oxford was established. It is the oldest university in the English-speaking world.
We started our day at the University's Ashmolean Museum - the oldest museum in Britain. What a treasure trove! There was everything from Egyptian artifacts (including a mummy) to Renaissance paintings, theatrical kimonos, an ornate Stradivarius Violin, and a smattering of contemporary art and sculpture. And admission is free!
There are treasures packed in every room of the Ashmolean Museum - most of them donated by British Royalty over the years.
We could have stayed much longer but had a Historic Walking Tour booked through Airbnb. Our guide, Andrew, looked like the actor Mark Williams, who plays Mr. Weasley in the Harry Potter movies (many of which were filmed here). He was an Oxford Alum and regaled us with personal stories from experience and deep dives into the city's origins and the many colleges that make up the university. Only three of us were on the tour, and the other guest was a Wedding Planner from Calcutta, India. Her stories were equally fascinating!
Our walking tour of Oxford took us down narrow alleys and into stunning churches and hallowed halls of learning.
Every building was glowing with locally quarried limestone. And there seemed to be an endless number of bookstores.
From Oxford, we headed deeper into The Cotswolds. We intended to take rambling walks through open fields, communing with nature, and stopping at local alehouses, but it turned out to be a rather wet and rainy week - so our walks were more like dashes from the car to the pub. We did some exploring, but most of our "ambling" was along the narrow streets and country lanes surrounding bucolic villages. That’s still walking, right?
There was some communing with nature … and also some tucking into warm and cozy pubs to get out of the rain.
Our favorite stay was at The Cat and Custard Pot Inn in Tetbury. It was everything you could ask for when booking a room over the stairs, with a cozy restaurant and pub below. Locals pulled up, leading their kids on ponies with a pack of dogs lolling behind for a pint in the garden. Others were settled in the bar. But it was apparent everyone knew each other because it was the only pub for miles.
During our stay, two women we met on a walk told us we were in luck - the gardens at the nearby Badminton Estate were open that day. One of only three times a year for the public to access these magnificent grounds - so off we went. The sun came out, and it was an unexpected opportunity to appreciate some beautiful landscaping and see the fields where the famous Badminton Horse Trials are held each Spring. The walled garden, filled with vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees, was particularly special.
Just one facade of the Badminton Estate. There were gardens, large and small, on all sides. And more than enough ponds.
Other stops included a stay in Chipping Camden, at The Three Ways House (nothing special), lunch in the postcard-perfect village of Bourton-on-the-Water, an outing for me at The Cotswolds Farm Park where I bottle-fed lambs, cuddled baby chicks, fed handfuls of nibbles to a surprising variety of goats, and commiserated with the soaking wet cattle standing in the pouring rain. Michael sensibly read in the car during this stop.
I braved the weather to enjoy some rare livestock breeds at The Cotswolds Farm Park. It was worth the stop and a great family destination complete with a camp ground and plenty of animal related activities. On my visit I was one of only 10 brave souls.
As we drove towards the village Asthall, we passed a long line of cars snaking into a parking lot in a field. We thought it might be for dog trials because of the hand-drawn sign with an arrow that read Farmer's Dog. We were deep in sheep country, and I was told, "If ever you see a sign for any type of farm dog event, stop the car!" So, with a sense of anticipation, we turned around and joined the queue. Instead of Border Collies herding cattle, we found a newly opened gastropub called The Farmer's Dog, a delightful surprise.
Here is what the queue was like on opening weekend! We didn’t stay for lunch, but we did have a nice sausage roll and local brew in the adjacent gourmet shop.
Locals and day-trippers alike were descending on the place because it is a brand new restaurant, pub, and gourmet shop opened by Jeremy Clarkson, a beloved British television personality who created Top Gear. He is committed to serving only the finest seasonal ingredients grown and produced in Great Britain. Thus, tiny signs that say, "We do not serve ketchup because we have yet to find a British source." He almost took Gin and Tonic off the pub menu since Quinine is not grown in England - but he knew where to draw the line. He also admits he knows nothing about how to run a restaurant or an organic farm, which is why he named the adjacent farm shop "Diddly Squat" - a colloquialism for "I haven't a clue!" But what he does have is gobs of money and fame - and a passion for British food and drink, so why not?
The proprietor, Jeremy Clarkson, behind the bar.
Onward to Bath, another city with ancient roots. This time, we took a free tour organized by the Mayor's Office. The guides are mostly retired citizens who love sharing their city with visitors. And Bath gets a lot of visitors - an average of six million per year! We were happy to be there just after peak season on a drizzly day because there were "only" 50 people on our tour.
The famous Royal Cresent in Bath. This is another book lover’s dream of a city. And also the place for a nice hot bath with friends.
There are several walking tours in Bath featuring Bridgerton filming locations and in the Jane Austin House there are souvenirs.
Our guide was a retired military man, so he kept our large group in order - and his voice carried like a drill sergeant. We'd been here before, but it is such a fascinating city that we were happy to revisit its history. I found out that much of the popular Bridgerton series is filmed here. I am a big fan, which made the tour even more engaging. We also attended a lively production of My Fair Lady at The Royal Bath Theatre.
The the cast performed “Get Me To The Church on Time!” All the musical numbers were spot on, and the acting was almost as good as London. The rain in Spain may have fallen mostly on the plain, but it we had a few wet and stormy days in Bath.
Our hotel was about six miles outside the city in the beautiful village of Norton Saint Philip. It was a drive filled with twists and hills, but worth it to reach The George Inn Hotel . This imposing structure was built in the 15th century and has all the sloping floors, low ceilings, and wonky windows to prove it. But it was a warm and welcoming place, and the food was excellent.
The famous and often filmed George Inn in Norton Saint Philip. It has been featured in over a dozen movies.
The hotel and surrounding buildings are often used in films that seek an authentic medieval village. We found ourselves in the middle of production for a more contemporary film called Mother's Pride, a comedy about a failing pub. Watching the crew create a country fair from the 1950s, complete with amusement rides, stalls, and a striped tent on the large village green behind the hotel, was fascinating. Just after we left, they would take over the entire hotel for a week to film inside.
Setting up the Country Faire scene of Mother’s Pride on the village green behind the hotel.
We finished our two weeks in England with a three-night stop in London. Almost 40 years ago, when our children were very young, we lived in and near London for five years, so every time we return, we feel nostalgic. This time, we booked an Airbnb connected to The Temple Lodge, a quasi-Christian retreat turned into lodging in Hammersmith - not too far from where we rented our first home in Fulham in 1986.
Our garden suite at The Temple Lodge - one of three Airbnbs on the property.
We were looking forward to this stay and weren't disappointed. A few years ago, the lodge added three eco-friendly rooms with en-suite bathrooms deep in the garden - and we stayed in one of those. Breakfast was wholesome and delicious, and there is a popular vegetarian restaurant called The Gate attached.
The front door to the lodge, a stormy walk along the Thames and the renowned Apollo concert venue.
We enjoyed exploring this newly-gentrified borough that runs along the Thames. We were very near the famous Apollo concert venue, and the river is just a five-minute walk away. You can go for a few miles in either direction along a path that takes you from the Fulham Football Stadium and bustling Riverside Studios to the crew house and several waterside pubs. Just across the way are the metro and bus stations. We jumped on a red double-decker bus and sat upstairs in the front for our “Hop-on-Hop-Off” tour that took us through Kensington and Central London.
We love London buses. Sitting up front and touring the city is great fun - and almost any bus will take you somewhere interesting!
Highlights included an entire morning at the majestic Victoria and Albert, a rambling museum that displays over 60,000 items at any given time! We concentrated on jewelry, fashion, and Impressionist art this time. Another treat was meandering through Harrod's famous Food Halls. Even a humble bunch of grapes was elevated to gift-giving status. Nothing went unadorned.
The Fashion Wing at the V & A is unique. And the extensive jewelry is mind-boggling. This place could take days to get through!
Just one of the Harrod Food Halls. I didn’t take this because, in real life, you can’t see through the swarms of tourists.
The “Old Money, New Money, and Dirty Money” Guru walking tour was eye-opening and historically insightful.
On our last afternoon, we took a free Guru walking tour. They offer excellent tours around the world - and we highly recommend them as a way to orient yourself in a new city. We've done the Sandeman’s London City Highlights tour in the past, and it was great, but we were looking for something different. I spotted a Guru tour called "Old Money, New Money, And Dirty Money," and we were in!
Our guide, Jason, was very good. He took us to places we'd never been and showed us the discreet shops where the Royals buy their wardrobe necessities - and you can, too, with the proper introduction. And then where the flashier set spends their "new money."
We peeked in the windows of some exclusive men's clubs, a few exclusive art galleries, and some restaurants where the reservation list, even if you are worthy, goes almost 9 months out. Jason also pointed out some properties owned (and currently under sanction) by Russian Oligarchs. He also gave us the basics of how wealth is kept in the family. Or not. It was the perfect end to our quick visit.
The next day, we boarded the Eurostar train for France to visit family. More on that adventure next.
Thanks for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell
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