My own mini UK Staycation!!!

After ticking off my first UK staycation for this year I can safely say that it was a great break away and can thoroughly recommend it! The UK is for obvious reasons very busy for this summer, and I struggled to find availability in the areas we needed to meet up with our daughter Charlotte. I luckily found an available pet friendly lodge near the Cotswolds at Croft Farm Water Park. The lodge was a late addition to the site, and was brand new, modern, extremely clean and had fantastic views overlooking the onsite lake. Covid measures were in place and check in was done over the phone. A basket of goodies were provided for our arrival in the lodge, and help was on hand for any queries or issues. Our lodge was 2 bedroomed, with 2 good sized bathrooms (1 on suite to the main bedroom) and had a lovely open plan lounge, dining area and kitchen. Outside was a lovely terrace with table and chairs with lake views and room for parking. The kitchen featured all modern essentials - large fridge/freezer, microwave, coffee machine, dishwasher. The lounge & Bedroom had full TV`s, and free WIFI was provided. The lake on site was safe for swimming, and many children & adults were enjoying the water over the weekend. The site offered canoeing, peddaloe`s, and paddleboards on the lake, with many taking full advantage of these. A cafe/restaurant/bar was also available on the lakeside which was extremely busy over the weekend.

So Daisy Dog went on her holibobs! We were blessed with glorious weather and stunning scenery throughout the weekend. Our lodge was just outside the charming town of Tewkesbury and during the weekend we visited Crichley Hill Country Park for walking the trails, scenery and to enjoy a picnic (we paid only £2 for parking for the day - bargain!) and there was a small outdoor cafe/loos at the entrance. We took the longer scenic route back to see some of the pretty villages in the area. On our second day we travelled further into the Cotswolds to visit Broadway Tower which commands views over 16 counties and is the second highest point in the Cotswolds (parking was £3 for the day) and there were plenty of places to enjoy a picnic with stunning views and scenery. The park area again featured lots of walking trails, deer could be seen within the grounds, and the site had a couple of cafes, shop and toilets. We visited on a Sunday morning, the Tower area was nicely busy but we had no trouble getting a table at the cafe to enjoy a coffee. After lunch we took a tour around the delightful villages of Chipping Campden and Broadway, to see the beautiful thatched cottages, quirky craft shops and local deli`s and cafes.

We enjoyed a couple of meals out at local country pubs (booked ahead due to Covid & how busy places were) full Covid measures were in place, we were warmly welcomed and the local food was great.

I felt we only scratched the surface of places to see, and should I return I would visit Cirencester, Worcester and see more of Tewkesbury and the villages in the Cotswolds. Overall it felt great to get away for a short time and I highly recommend it!