Friday 23rd April

All three ladies arrived at the holiday accommodation in the Cotswolds. We unpacked and got settled in. The ladies all know one another and were looking forward to their holiday. Later we had pizza and a beer for dinner.

Saturday 24th April

After breakfast, we had a scenic drive through the Cotswolds. We drove through the beautiful villages of Bibury, Burford and Stow on the Wold. The views were beautiful with fields of yellow flowers and some baby lambs. We saw lots of cottage made using the traditional light coloured Cotswold stone. We had lunch by the lake at The Gatehouse Café and the food was lovely. As we sat at the café, we enjoyed the sunshine and took in the great views. In the afternoon we did some arts and crafts activities, making picture frames. Sandra said,” I enjoyed today, it was nice.”

Sunday 25th April

Today we went to the Cotswold Water Park and Beach. It was a beautiful sunny day. We relaxed by the water, eating our picnic and watching the people playing on the beach. There were also people on the water in kayaks. We thought it was a lovely place. In the afternoon, back at The Barn, our arts and craft activities were making sun catchers and window decorations. We also enjoyed a Sunday roast chicken dinner and then relaxed with a drink.

Monday 26th April

This morning after breakfast, we did some more arts and craft activities. We painted some fabric bags along with keyring making and we painted on canvas. After lunch we drove to Cheltenham where we visited an open-air coffee shop and enjoyed sitting out in the courtyard. There are lots of shops in Cheltenham and we were able to buy some gifts. The sun was shinning and we enjoyed the beautiful weather in the yard of ‘The Outdoor Inn’. While we were there, we enjoyed a drink and had fun ordering our ‘takeaway’ meal which we ate there and then made our way back to The Barn. Sarah said,” I enjoyed today, it was good fun.”

Tuesday 27th April

Today we visited The West Midlands Safari Park. While there we saw lions, elephants, tigers, a baby rhino and the rhino mum who came to the window of the car to say hello! Sandra had loved seeing the baby rhino. Michelle’s favourite animals were the zebra and giraffe. We stopped on the way home to have a coffee or a milkshake and to do a little shopping. After dinner, we did some arts and crafts and enjoyed painting on canvas and finishing the design on our fabric bags. It had been a great day!

Wednesday 28th April

This morning we went shopping in the town of Cirencester. A lovely market town with picturesque buildings. We sat outside near to the Market Square and enjoyed a coffee. Once back at The barn we had lunch and then did some more activities. We painted a flowerpot and some mugs. In the afternoon, we went out for dinner at The Waterside Kitchen and Bar. It was fun as we were sitting in our own table with a pod over it. Sarah thought the pod made it feel a little bit like we were camping and the food was lovely. It was quite a novel idea!

Thursday 29th April

Today, after breakfast, we continued with some arts and craft activities including painting and making stained glass decorations. In the afternoon, we went to Toddington Train Station where we travelled on a steam train. We went along the line to the station at Cheltenham Racecourse. The train then returned to Toddington Station. There were some lovely scenic views to enjoy on the train ride. We also had our picnic lunch as we travelled along on the train. In the evening we came home and enjoyed dinner. It was our last evening meal together on the holiday.

Friday 30th April

After breakfast, we waited for our taxi home. Everyone said it had been a fantastic holiday!