Bourton-on-the-Water

We went to Bourton-on-the Water a few days ago. We had not been for ages as it gets so busy that it becomes impossible to get into the village, let alone park. Weekends are a no no but this was a Monday and we thought we would give it a go. It was still very busy but not unbearably so. The village often has more visitors than residents during the peak season. Some 300,000 visitors arrive each year as compared to under 3,500 permanent residents.

The river Windrush runs through the village and this is what makes it so picturesque.

The river is extremely shallow, as you can see in this picture.

The river is crossed by five low, arched stone bridges. They were built between 1654 and 1953, leading to the nickname of  'Venice of the Cotswolds'.

The houses and shops are constructed of the ashlar yellow linestone characteristic of the Cotswolds and they have embellishments that make Cotswold architecture so picturesque: projecting gables, string-courses, windows with stone mullions, dripmoulds and stone hoodmoulds over the doors.

Another of the bridges

and two more further along.

It's just lovely wandering around.

I looked at these two people sitting in their garden, which is lovely, and with such wonderful views, and I thought how much they must resent being on such public view all the time.

There are lots of pubs, bars and eateries to accommodate all the visitors

It does not take long to get to the end of the main street and the last bridge.

We turned left, past this cottage

found the alleyway we were looking for

a few more steps

and we're in open countryside

fields and a few houses on our left

and the river on our right

This house is quite grand

There is even a bridge to get to the garden

well looked after garden.

Just fields now

and the river

and some colour.

Finally, here it was - the house whose garden is an island in the middle of the river

two bridges on either side of the island, connecting the garden with the house and the rest of the grounds - wow! I never tire of looking at this

We took the path

Here is one the bridges that connects the island garden to the house

We made way for a person walking behind us and he stopped to chat.

He told us that the house has been in his family for sixty years and that they paid £15,000 for it all those years ago. 

Four acres surround the house

We got on to the main road but decided we did not fancy walking here

so we admired the little bridge

and retraced our steps, past the island/garden

and eventually reached the village

and started exploring some of the backstreets 

popped into Cotswold Pottery but did not stay long. They sell traditional ceramics and I like modern ones

eventually we re-joined the main street. Someone was having great fun in the river.

A timbered building - unusual here.

We eventually settled on the Willow for our lunch.