An Adventure through the English Countryside
Did you grow up reading Winnie the Pooh or Beatrix Potter Tales and imagine yourself in the storybook setting of the English Countryside? Think rolling hills, pastures dotted with grazing sheep, narrow and winding roads lined with hedges running through tunneling trees, branches bending to meet overhead. The perfect companion for any travel plans is our small-batch, house-made, gluten or grain free granolas. With low expectations for finding gluten-free food easily in the countryside, having a familiar stash of snacks is a traveling essential. Read on to hear the travel tales from one of our team’s explorations in England.
Despite assumptions, gluten-free food in the English countryside was not only very accessible but wholly Delicious!! Prepare to be completely blown away by the range of gluten-free offerings in even the smallest “hole-in-the-wall” pubs and taverns.
Starting the trip along the Dorset coast, we first visited Old Harry Rocks- think wide open coast line, with white cliffs dropping hundreds of feet to baby blue water below. Drizzles did not deter us from the mile-long walk out to the water’s edge. I was taken by the view, specifically the soft colors- very zen. We drove onward to some other popular spots along the Jurassic coast- Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door.
Stopping into a local pub for some tea, we discovered a house-made gluten free and vegan blueberry cheesecake on the menu. For anyone in the US with dietary restrictions, you know the rare joy felt when you stumble accidentally into a food spot that happens to have (delicious) options that work for your body! This happy coincidence turned into a theme for our entire week in the countryside. Every, and I mean every, restaurant we visited (without pre-emptive research) had gluten-free menu modifications- I even found gluten-free fish and chips! Another highlight of pub cuisine in Dorset and the Cotswolds- they locally source as much of the menu as possible, listing out local suppliers and farms. I was also moved by the sheer range of gluten free bread options in the mini grocery stores (Waitrose was our favorite!). Gluten-free sourdough? There are multiple! And pricing?... no more expensive the the “regular” version. There were also no gluten-free upcharges, ever, on our checks. In short, as a gluten-free foodie, I felt VERY well taken care of here!
After a day of exploring we tucked into our hotel- The Bridge House in Bridport, where we sat down to a meal of sweet potato soup (with gf bread) and cottage pie- essentially shepherds pie prepared with beef. The next day we traveled to the town of Malmesbury, where we stayed at the Old Bell Hotel (alleged to be England’s oldest operating hotel). After dinner by the fireplace in the lounge, we took a walk through the streets that seem like a movie set, and listened to the bell ringers practicing at the Malmesbury Abbey. Known for antiquing, this small town is the perfect size for exploring on foot (as were all the Dorset and Cotswolds villages!) Our favorite spot was Barn Owl Books.
The highlight of the trip was our airbnb in the Cotswolds- in the village of Bourton on the Hill. We stayed in a cottage affectionately called “Slatter’s Cottage.” Every home in the tiny villages has a name, it’s all very cute. Our cottage was located steps away from the Heart of England Pathway, a public footpath that spans for miles and miles, weaving over hill and dale, connecting villages, often straight through active grazing pastures complete with locals (cows and sheep). In our village we could walk for dinner to the Horse and Groom Tavern. Just down the hill, The Bourton House Gardens were impressive and immaculately groomed, so many florals still in bloom into October; it was like a page out of “The Secret Garden,” even in the steady rain!
From our cottage, we took a day trip to Blenheim Palace. Larger than Buckingham, it’s the birthplace of Winston Churchill and the setting for the filming of many notable British films and series, including Bridgerton. The library was particularly impressive, extremely large (second longest room in England to be precise) and housing many first-edition Charles Dickens books among hundreds of others.
The Cotswolds is a collection of over a dozen small towns amongst a section of England known for quiet hills, small winding hedge-lined roadways, natural beauty, and a generally slower pace of life. Every day there were new villages to visit, Chipping Camden is a personal standout, particularly for the tea and bake shop- The Bantom Tea Rooms, where they batch freshly made gluten-free scones and cakes. The perfect spot for an afternoon cup of English tea- don't forget the clotted cream for your scone! Sam Wills, in the same village, was my favorite shop of the trip with unique home decor pieces; I left with 3 colored glass candlesticks with coordinating candles.
A week in the English countryside is simply not enough! The food alone is reason enough for a return, but the friendly people and fairytale-esque scenery completed the trip. I would encourage everyone to experience this magical corner of the world!