The Cotswolds and Oxford
The Cotswolds
Our journey started in The UK. We hoped to retreat someplace quiet to get over our jet lag and transition well. We only had several days in England but it was more than we expected and could have hoped. The English countryside welcomed us in with its pastoral landscape, filled with sheep, Bluebells and rolling hills. Bridle and footpaths lined with Queen Anne’s Lace and stone short walls became the backdrop of our many walks and restful drives. David even took up running here. We stayed in Daglingworth, a tiny village within the region and only minutes from the places one would want to see when in The Cotswolds. We were able to see Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, Burford, Bibury, Northleach, Lower Slaughter (quite possibly our favourite - least touristy) and Cirencenster. Pretty much every corner was a sight to behold with the honey and wheat coloured stone buildings and simple and stunning gardens. Such understated beauty. We felt quite at home here. Most of these villages also had a river running through, which made it all the more idyllic and most enjoyed by the boys.
-JS
OXFORD AND THE KILNS
Visiting Oxford and The Kilns has long been a dream. I could not picture going to England without making somewhat of a pilgrimage to beloved C.S. Lewis’s old stomping grounds. And as it happens, our family was making our way through The Chronicles of Narnia series and were all excited to visit Mr. Lewis’ home, school and workplace.
Being able to walk the streets of Oxford, Magdalen College, Merton Street, Eastgate Hotel, Queen’s Lane and even pay a visit to Blackwell’s Bookshop set our imaginations ablaze. We couldn’t help but imagine what it was like decades ago, when many great minds would walk these same streets. It was a good hour spent meandering the old stone streets. The kids especially enjoyed getting their sillies out outside of the Botanical Garden. The short hedges made it easy for us to see them and David and I had a moment to take it all in.
We then made for The Kilns in Headington in our rental car to see Lewis’s home. We definitely didn’t walk here for an hour like he used to! Hard to put into words the experience we had, so perhaps I will keep it brief. The house was humble and lovely. They have maintained it wonderfully for the most part and it’s now home to scholars in residence. Though we didn’t get to do the tour (we typically don’t do tours on these trips in order to keep costs down. This one was hard to say no to), one of the students did let us in to walk the perimeter of the house. It was enough to feel the inspiration, beauty and life of the place. I was grateful.
We then went to the forest and pond that used to belong to Jack and his brother Warnie, now a public conservation area. The boys explored for what felt like hours and minutes at the same time. They saw coots, pelicans, ducks and the neighbourhood cat that Nolan and Simon lovingly named Shester. They dipped their feet in the same pond that Jack’s stepsons would have played in.
And after resisting stopping for our read-aloud, they eventually listened, convinced that it would draw the cat and canards close. We sat, walked and read and Shester did come around a time or two, to the delight of the boys. The memory of reading chapter 4 of Voyage of the Dawn Treader to our boys in that very special place will stay with us forever. Our very own Narnia experience.
“It is well that there are palaces of peace
And discipline and dreaming and desire,
Lest we forget our heritage and cease
The Spirit’s work—to hunger and aspire.”
