England - Day 9, Kelmscott Manor, Bibury Village and cream tea

Today we enjoyed a scenic drive through the Cotswolds. The scenery is stunning with rolling hills, fields of vibrant green and brilliant yellow as far as the eye can see. We visited the handsome Kelmscott Manor, in a remote, rural and tranquil Cotswold village, a five-minute walk from the River Thames. Built around 1600, Kelmscott was the country home of William Morris, the motivational leader of a revival in arts and crafts that encompassed all the visual arts. The house contains an outstanding collection of the possessions and works of Morris, his family and other members of the Arts and Crafts movement including Bourne Jones and paintings by Dante Rossetti. The gardens and grounds are lovely and the setting very tranquil. It’s easy to see why William Morris loved Klemscott so much.

We took a short stroll along the gravel road to visit the village and enjoy lunch at The Plough at Klemscott. It’s a charming pub and the food was excellent and service great.

After lunch and free time to explore the Klemscott area we boarded the bus and continued our scenic drive through the Cotswolds to the picturesque village of Bibury. They say this is one of the prettiest towns in the Cotswolds and I tend to agree. The Thames river runs through the town. The water is so clear you can see the spotted trout swimming around. The ducks and swans seem quite happy to make this place their home. The stone houses and colourful gardens are stunning.

We enjoyed a delicious cream tea at the William Morris Tea House. They served a large selections of teas, cakes and the famous scones and clotted cream. The couple that own the tea house are very charming and friendly. It was a delightful way to end our tour of the Cotswolds.