Last year for my birthday my then 27-year-old son gave me a birthday card with a crown on the front saying Happy Birthday to the Queen, and inside he wrote “The Queen deserves to go to England.” He bought me a round-trip airline ticket to Great Britain, something I have dreamed of doing for years. He knew how I’ve bought all kinds of research books on England, Wales, Scotland, etc. And how I have written several historical Regency novels. My husband wouldn’t be left behind, so he went too. We left on August 25th and returned on September 7th. And we had a blast!
Our most favorite part of the trip was The Cotswolds. We hiked every day, up escarpments, down into valleys and forests. We saw ancient Roman ruins, places where battles took place, where weavers lived, Fleece Alley, where sheep were herded down narrow alleys for counting. Pubs and local cider beers that we loved. We would be walking for miles and run across a quaint village that were hard to find if you weren’t on these hiking paths. I absolutely loved it.
Now when I start missing The Cotswolds, I’ll watch Father Brown, and recognize several of the filming locations. I want to go back!