Last
weekend I discovered my little slice of heaven just an hour outside of London.
I was invited to stay the weekend at a newly opened cottage. Only this cottage
is anything but new. Dating back two hundred years, Water Meadow Cottage sits
on Blenheim Palace Estate in the Cotswolds, just 9 miles from Oxford and 63
miles from London.
Consisting
of two bedrooms, two reception rooms, a beautiful kitchen, one large bathroom
and one small powder room, this cottage has recently been transformed and
updated with all the modern conveniences one would expect from a five star
hotel. Only no five star hotel gives you this space to think. . In fact, if it
weren’t for all the updated appliances and creature comforts, it would be easy
to believe you had travelled back in time entirely. You are quite literally
made to feel as if you are in the middle of nowhere, when in reality you are
moments from civilisation.
Whether
sitting on the deck watching sheep across the River Evenlode, or lounging in
the sitting room playing Scrabble with friends, this cottage has the magic to
erase every ounce of stress London places on our shoulders.Oh, and as we’re on the topic of sheep, you
actually have to move your car away from the front door of the cottage as sheep
are herded past the front door regularly. This is, well, it’s just incredible.
You are thrown into the middle of country life in every which way.
For
our stay, I had one goal in mind – finding a stress free corner of the
universe. It’s tougher to achieve these days than one might think. However,
Water Meadows Cottage was ready to help me get there with more than just the
cottage itself. You may notice in the pictures below that there is a summer
cottage behind the main house. This is not only another place to go and find peace,
it also doubles as a spa.
On
our first morning in the cottage, we were greeted by a therapist who came in
earlier that morning to transform the space for massages. Hello, heaven. She
didn’t even knock on our door to the main house until she was ready for the
treatment to begin. Like a secret squirrel, she’d come in and setup without us
taking any notice. After one hour with Victoria, we couldn’t even remember we
were from London. What? We have to go back to where?
Of
course, it’s not only the massage that helps in establishing your comfort
level. I need to ask Water Meadow Cottage who makes their beds as I’ve never
experienced a sleep like that before. It could have something to do with the
absence of noise. This is quiet on another level. If you’re lucky you’ll hear a
sheep or a deer in the forest, but other than that it’s complete silence.
Silence is truly golden and makes for a sleep that will renew you like nothing
before.
While
we could have easily just spent 48 hours in the cottage, we couldn’t resist
stepping out as Water Meadow Cottage supplied us with a complete guide on ideal
country walks, pubs to visit that have roaring fires at the ready and even a
VIP card for shopping at Bicester Village (I let Mr. FFG off the hook on this
one – this was not a shopping weekend). So out we went and onward we strolled.
We spent a great deal of time at Blenheim Palace and in Woodstock. We watched
the sun set over the river and enjoyed a pint and a gorgeous roast as we spoke
about how on earth we’d find a way to review such an idyllic location. And
here, dear reader, is the truth. No review would be good enough. The magic
contained within Water Meadow Cottage must be experienced to be understood. The
pictures herewith only scratch the surface of this relaxing retreat. And we
will be back, so I’ll apologise in advance for my instagram and twitter feeds
being led by country bliss.
For
those looking to experience Water Meadow Cottage, you can book now on the website. Rates start at £425. Seeing as the cottage nicely sleeps two couples,
we believe this is very reasonably priced indeed for a weekend away with
friends in the country.Oh, and I
mustn’t forget to mention that dogs are welcome!
Thank
you, Water Meadow Cottage, for putting us up for 48 hours and helping in
greatly reducing blood pressure all around. Like I said, we’ll be back. You’ve
created a monster.