Bourton-on-the-water

Bourton-on-the-Water

 


We heard great things about Bourton-on-the-Water, a charming village located in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. And it didn't disappoint.



The name Cotswold has been popularly attributed to mean "sheep enclosure in rolling hillsides". The Cotswold is England's third largest protected landscape and is defined by the bedrock of Jurassic limestone that creates a type of grassland habitat rare in the UK and is quarried for the oolitic limestone rich in fossilized sea urchins, which turns into a characteristic golden or honey-colored when weathered.


The name Bourton comes from the Saxon word "burgh" which means a fort or camp and "ton" which means a village or settlement. 

 

As the name suggests, flowing gently through the heart of Bourton-on-the-Water is the crystal clear waters of the Windrush river. Sometime in the early 16th Century, the river was channeled through the center of the village in order to power three water mills - which alas have long since ceased to exist. Spanning the Windrush waters are the five low-arched bridges, all constructed of local stone reminiscent of the Rialto over the Grand Canal, earning Bourton-on-the-Water the sobriquet of "Venice of the Cotswolds". 


 



We thoroughly enjoyed the scenic Bourton-on-the-Water to the Slaughters nature hike that takes you along the banks of the Rivers Windrush and Eye, past pastoral lands, over styles, and through verdant forested paths.


We even came across signs for the Monarch's Way, which is a 625-mile (~1,000 km) long footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester.

For those with a sweet tooth, try the local artisan Ginger and Honey ice cream - simply divine 😋

References

1. BourtonInfo.com. 2022. About Bourton-on-the-Water » BourtonInfo.com. [online] Available at: <https://bourtoninfo.com/about-bourton-on-the-water/> [Accessed 22 September 2022].
2. BourtonInfo.com. 2022. About Bourton-on-the-Water » BourtonInfo.com. [online] Available at: <https://bourtoninfo.com/about-bourton-on-the-water/> [Accessed 22 September 2022].
3. Bourton-on-the-Water. (2022, August 24). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourton-on-the-Water


Location: Bourton-on-the-Water, Cheltenham GL54, UK

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