Colourful and cosy Cotswold cottage with walled garden.
Comfortable and elegant contemporary-styled family home with high ceilings, period features, open fireplace, and french doors to a Mediterranean-style walled garden. A cosy but light space filled with colourful artwork, books and plants. Relax by the fire on comfortable sofas or watch village life go by through the big bay window. Italian-style kitchen with marble peninsula, breakfast room with piano. Open-plan dining room/library with French doors to a walled garden with fig and olive trees, herb garden, sun lounger, bbq and a table and chairs for drinks or al-fresco dining. We have a fully-equipped kitchen for those who love to cook as much as we do! Fan oven, convection hob, American-style fridge-freezer with ice maker, coffee machine, soda stream, juicer, blender, sandwich toaster and microwave, washing machine and dishwasher.
There are 3 double bedrooms; one with a superking bed, another with a Queen (small double) and another with twin single beds. There is also a double sofa bed downstairs. As well as the main bathroom with bath/shower/loo there is a separate downstairs loo.
About the location
Hawkesbury Upton sits high on the Cotswold Escarpment amidst rolling countryside with dramatic views. It is surrounded by honey-coloured Cotswold villages and is close to many beautiful historic cities and towns such as Bath, Bristol and Cheltenham, so there are tons of things to do and see, a crazy amount in fact.. but you can just chill out and enjoy the nature and peace!
We believe Hawkesbury Upton is the best village in the world. :-) tranquil, but with lots going on; within a few minutes walk from our house there's a village shop offering fresh coffee, pastries and rolls, a traditional country pub, a cricket pitch with a lively bar and social scene in summer, tennis courts, a children's play park with zip-line, a post office and a beautiful ancient church.
The village is on two long-distance walking trails: The Cotswold Way runs right through the village and the Monarch’s Way passes by its edge. Just a mile away are the ancient Lower Woods (a site of Specific Scientific Interest with rare flora and fauna) and the wild beauty of Inglestone Common and Hawkesbury Common where ponies and cattle roam. For those who enjoy wild swimming there are spring-fed ponds within walking distance, plus diving and open water swimming at Cromhall Quarry, Cotswold Water Park and at Warleigh Weir on the River Avon near Bath. For more luxury, there are some gorgeous spas locally at Tortworth Court, Calcot Manor and Whatley Manor as well as the thermal waters at Thermae Bath Spa. There are also summer-season lidos within half an hour or so in Stroud, Cirencester, and Cheltenham, as well as local swimming and leisure centre facilities 10-15 minutes away in Wootton-Under-Edge and Yate. Minchinhampton has a golf course and Stroud has a bowling alley.
There is plenty of culture, shopping and nightlife nearby in Bath, Bristol, Cheltenham and Cirencester all of which have great theatres, art galleries and museums. The market towns of Tetbury, Nailsworth, Stroud and Malmesbury (with the oldest hotel in England and its ancient abbey) are all within 20-30 minutes. Tetbury is famous for its antique shops, boutique shops and cafe- culture. Malmesbury and Nailsworth have amazing charity shops, independent shops, cafes and restaurants too. Stroud is known for its bohemian vibe and Saturday Farmers` market. Wootton-under Edge 15 mins away has a community-run cinema and arts centre with lots on. The famously filmic chocolate-box villages of Castle Combe, Minchinhampton and Bibury (where you can catch your own trout) are all within 45 mins.
There are several stunning historic houses nearby - Dyrham Park, Lacock Abbey and Newark Park to name a few, as well as numerous castles, abbeys, Roman ruins, and ancient burial sites a short drive away. We will leave out our National Trust and English Heritage Guide books for you to use.
There are lots of spectator sports around too - Badminton Estate is home to the annual horse trials, Beaufort Polo Club, Castle Combe racing circuit, Bath racecourse and Forest Green Rovers Football Club are all within 10-30 mins.
Westonbirt Arboretum, Highgrove Gardens (home to King Charles and Queen Camilla) and Slimbridge Wetlands Centre also make great local outings. The seaside town of Clevedon is just 30 mins away with a quirky Victorian pier and marine lake for swimming and there are wonderful beaches in Wales within a few hours’ drive. The Cotswolds towns of Moreton-On-Marsh and Stow-On-The-Wold are just over an hour`s drive as are the Forest of Dean and The Black Mountains which have beautiful scenic hiking and mountain biking trails and canoeing and fishing in the river Wye.
There`s too much more to list here so please let us know if you`d like any more ideas or tell us your specific interests and we can think of more!
Hawkesbury Upton is just off the A46, a short distance from junction 18 of the M4 and from junction 13 of the M5 so it`s an easy drive to Wales, Devon and Cornwall, the Midlands or London ( 2 hours). The closest train station is 15 minutes away in Yate and there are infrequent local buses so having a car is advisable, although for trips to London it's easy to drive to Kemble or Chippenham stations ( 30 mins away) and travel to London by train in just over an hour.
The house overlooks the village green in the heart of Hawkesbury Upton. There is a community-owned village shop opposite the house that stocks most essential groceries, wine, beer and locally produced eggs, meat, cheeses, honey, as well as artisanal bread and cakes, organic milk, gluten-free products, fresh flowers, firewood and barbecue charcoal. There are major supermarkets nearby in Yate - Tesco extra, Morrisons, Lidl and Waitrose and also a Cinewold cinema and TK Max.
Locals are warm and friendly and will be happy to help with anything you need. Just ask in Hawkesbury Stores (village shop) or The Beaufort (pub) if you need any help, advice or tips on the local area.
Type of swap
- Home Exchange
Conditions of exchange
- Non smokers only
- Pets welcome
- Children welcome
Hawkesbury Upton (HE43241)
Cotswolds, England
- 3 bed (sleeps 6) 2 bath
Preferred destinations
- Open to offers