Oxford and the Cotswolds

We arrived in Oxford and it is exactly how we pictured it virtually all stone buildings with an endless supply of colleges.

A gorgeous walk...

The next morning we went to sudeley castle just outside of winchcombe. This isn't just any old castle... this could have been my summer home (see pics). Over the last few years I (Kevin) have done some research on my family history. My mothers fathers side of the family are brydges. I traced them back to the 1100's. I found out that during the reign of Henry the VII and VIII the brydges where high rollers with connections and entitlements. This was the family home for a few hundred years. I knew I was royalty!  Anyway it was really neat to see the inside with all the portraits and keepsakes while walking the steps that my ancestors walked 500 years ago. There was also a cool ownership tree on the wall that showed the history of who owned the castle and when. Pretty interesting stuff for me anyway.

Hostel room

After that we went to chipping camden. This place is right out of a story book. Thatched roofs, flowers everywhere with cobblestone walks and rolling hills. A place one would imagine hobbits living. In reality it is the definition of quaint where everything is perfect and the locals are all over 70.  I guess a place where old English money goes to retire.

The next morning we headed to the Tuesday market in Morton-in-marsh. There were even more seniors here. Bus loads rolling in and they had "elderly people crossing" signs all over the place.

We then picked up the goods for a picnic from the market and walked along a beautiful little foot path for a few miles until we reached an arboretum. We set up shop near some giant redwoods and relaxed and read a bit. We went through another little quaint town (stow on the wold) where there were even more q-tips bustling about. Considering the sun was out we relaxed with a pint in a beer garden and planned some of the Ireland leg of our journey.

Meg checks out our digs

Off to ironbridge!

Our wheels!

Welcome to the summer home!

Winchcombe

yet another pint