I left Chipping Campden around 2pm and head to Broadway as my next destination. This is a place well known to tourists and, as such, there was a good car park just outside the village, which was handy. In fact, I think it had been a stop for tourists throughout the years, as there was a stagecoach inn that looked like it was about 400 years old! I walked from there to the village, which was another lovely village that looked like a postcard. I wandered around, marvelling at the beautiful red of the Virginia creeper that covered some of the buildings. I stopped off at a cafe for a cup of tea and a cake, before continuing on. I walked quite a way down the very long high street (apparently one of the longest in England) then returned to my car.
The next stop was a bit of a rushed decision but one I'm very glad I made. I turned up at the National Trust Snowshill Manor at 4pm, hoping that it would still be open... Turns out that it stays open until 5:30 so I had plenty of time. I knew nothing about the place before I went but it was truly an amazing NT place, one of my favourites I think!
It was owned by a guy called Charles Paget Wade most recently before he gave it to the National Trust. The house itself was built in the 16th century, but it was the objects inside it that made it so interesting. Wade collected... stuff (for lack of a better word). It can't really be described as another else, because it was such an eclectic mix of things, from weapons to toys to bikes to furniture, but not cheap stuff - beautifully crafted pieces were what he was interested in. As someone who also collects weird things (though doesn't have quite the money nor the lovely place to house them as Wade), I was fascinated. The whole place was just a museum of things! Over 22,000 things! Amazing.
The final stop for the day was one that I made as the sun was going down. It was perfect too..... So I'd heard of Stanton from 2 sources - on online blog of a guide who lived there and thought it was the prettiest village in the Cotswolds, and from my tour a couple of years back of the Cotswolds when I went on a day trip (again, a tour guide lived there... maybe it was the same bloke?!). Anyway, I figured since I was nearby, I would pop there on the way to my overnight accommodation in Cheltenham. I'm so glad I did, it was a really beautiful place - tiny, but every single house was photo-worthy!
I stayed the night in a pub in Cheltenham that was within walking distance of the town. I had a nice dinner then went back to my room and had a lovely bath. It was a nice, relaxing end to what was quite a long day!
