Our day started in Guildford about 40 mins from our friend’s house. So I planned on staying over the night with Ren.
Ren is a new friend from our Geebung choir. She is doing a house exchange and has room for me on her lounge. Yes …..me couch surfing at my age.
We met up with the the choir and did some street pop ups. One on the church steps.
Me in the white hat. back row
One at the castle.
One at the bandstand.
All 3 attracted a crowd.
We visited the market stalls. And even sampled a gin.
Two sopranos sample Gin. Good for the throat.
Heading back to Godalming where Choirblast is happening it’s a wonder we didn’t start singing on the 6 min train journey.
Lunch at the Pub with a jug of Pimm’s set us up for an afternoon on The Green.
A big area with several stages, lots of food trucks, a bar , coffee van, craft stalls and people scattered around on rugs and fold up chairs
Boards with the times and choir names were scattered around.
The light rain started but on we sat listening to choirs until it was our turn.
We finished quite late but Ren and I walked 20 mins home in rain but feeling very happy with our first big performance. I slept like a baby on my couch !
DAY 2
A sleep in was well deserved and breakfast in the garden was delightful.
Then our big day started. We performed at the The Court. Waiting on the steps in the shade everyone was feeling great. Ready for a 5 performance day!
Free time in between our performances gave us a chance to explore and listen to other choirs.
The NHS choir were beautiful and got a great response from the crowd. The nurses, doctors, support workers all worked on the front line during Covid and are so supported by the community it it is wonderful.
A children’s choir of 6 year olds stole our hearts.
The colourful choir ( not their name ) were so energetic and enthusiastic.
We drew a crowd with our fun numbers , a standing ovation for Come What May from Moulin Rouge.
Then we were performing the final concert. 🎶 We sang our party songs. Our Bangers and Mash up songs that everyone knows and love.
An early start for Ros and David who left Bath for St Ives.
Steve and I sorted our bags and cleared the apartment and were on the road by 9
The next few days we are wandering the Cotswolds. People love this area. There are always debates about which is the cutest villages.
I will run my own survey !
First up Castle Combe. A very small village, it was quiet apart from a few meandering tourists.
This tiny village was used in the movie War Horse and there was a display about this in the local church
I’d heard about Painswick from two people. One was a lecturer in my arts group who lectured for ArtsNational last year. She lives there and recommended a visit.
The second is one of the therapy girls, Donna whose rugby-0playing son played the the region and lived in Painswick.
It’s beautiful. The Main Street is narrow with some lovely shops. The side streets have beautiful houses, an arts centre with a good cafe, a church in a large park with lines of trees. Donna told me 99 trees were planted there.
The local cafe in the arts canteen was buzzing. Lots of lovely local ladies meeting for coffee and lunch. They chatted in what to me sounded like posh English accents and were dressed very ladylike.
The Painswick hotel was recommended for afternoon tea…… and is as lovely as it looked – but we had cute villages to see.
Painswick Hotel
Next stop Nailsworth. A lovely Main Street.
Studeley Castle and Gardens sounded great so we drove down narrow lanes to get there only to find out it was closed. We’ll have to come back.
It was time for Stow on the Wold. Our room for two nights is in The Porch – reported to be the oldest inn in England. Well I’m not sure if that fact, but it’s old. Up and down steps, low doorways, beams, old lights, dark common rooms but very comfortable rooms. Ours overlooked the small park opposite.
Porch House
We walked up the Main Street to the town square. Beautiful old honey coloured buildings. Lots of city shops, including a 3 story antique shop. So much in there. So well organised! My friend Ginetta would love it.
Steve heading for the antique centre. And the car.
I found the town library. Modern looking inside a very old building. I think this village might be right up there with the best of the Cotswolds. Certainly consider this as a base for exploring the area.
The gardens of the Cotswolds are renowned. Mondays most are closed so we missed the famous Rococo gardens in Painswick and Studeley. Today we stoped at the old market town of Burton and bought a few things. And headed for Bourton Gardens.
The beautiful house was closed to the public but the gardens are open
The house and a small section of the garden.
We loved it. The white garden was stunning, and the way the garden was laid out was fascinating.
Another thing that is common to many UK gardens is the over planting. In Australia we tend to plant more sparingly. Here it almost looks crowded.
Nearby was the railway museum. Naturally Steve wanted to visit there. By luck the old steam train was about to leave.
The old steam train
Finally got to Studeley house and gardens. It was important during the reign of Henry V111 and is now maintained by the present owner and its priority is living in harmony with the animals of the world. Hence the elephants in the gardens
Our second day of wandering the Cotswolds took us up to Broadway – probably one of the best for a base with it’s lovely pubs, restaurants, shops etc. – very pretty place. It was hosting an arts festival when we were there. Lots of painters in the streets.
Broadway
Then Bourton Upon Water. Again soooo pretty but suffering a little from tourists so losing its small village feel
Bourton Upon Water
Burford a lovely medieval village. Chipping Norton home to the car man …… Jeremy Clarkson.
Then into Oxford. Very grand buildings, very crowded. Full of students flying around in their gowns. It’s exam time and they must wear their gown with a flower on the lapel.
I went to an Art Society lecture at Magdalen College. Similar to my ArtsNational lectures. It was great meeting people from Oxford who follow the arts.
Jo Watson the lecturer.
And our final morning was spent at the lovely Oxford Botanical Gardens. A very interesting garden with an excellent’Plants as medicine ‘ section. Well labelled. And a literary section
The literary table. You are invited to sit , reflect and write something. A lovely idea.
At the end of the day a beautiful lunch in a small village pub on our way back to Bill and Marie France in Rusper.
frans travel tales 