. . . something charming // Cotswolds + Oxford { Europe 2012 }

On my third day in London, I took a day trip to the charming and utterly picturesque English countryside and the city of dreamy spires . . . It was quite possibly only of my favorite days of my whole trip!

London Walks is the touring group I used to take this fun day trip. I LOVED it! Very organized and so great to hear the history behind the areas we toured. The weather was acting bi-polar all day, with a few minutes of scattered showers, followed by the warming sun, so I was constantly removing and then adding on layers, but it was so worth it!

Here is how the London Walks explains Cotswolds portion of the tour (I couldn't agree more!)

In the Cotswolds [is] a world of chuckling streams, stone bridges, and thatched cottages; of ancient churches and manor houses; of old mills and millponds; of vast panoramas, rolling hills, and deep green valleys; of villages out of a storybook . . In short, what is quite possibly the most beautiful countryside in the world.

first stop // m i n s t e r   l o v e l l

The quant little village of Minster Lovell

countryside, old churches, and barns = happy Elena :)

William Lovell built the Lovell Hall in 1440

next stop //  b u r f o r d 

After walking through the countryside of Minster Lovell and delighting in the peaceful birds chirping in the nearby trees, we hopped on the coach that took us to the nearby town, Burford, which is a bit more busy and industrialized. The group broke up into free-time, which I spent taking pictures of this cute town and getting lunch at a cafe. 

The busy streets of Burford full of pubs and gift shops

last stop // o x f o r d 

Our setting: Oxford's mediaeval colleges, walls, its bridges, libraries + gardens; its cloisters, its towers +dreaming spires, gnawed by time and echoing with centuries of knowledge.

the infamous hang-out spot of literary greats C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and the other Inklings

I was exhausted by the time I got back to my cousins' apartment. I had walked all day long and soaked up so much great history!