Most city people can sympathize with the fact that every now and then you need a break from the city. An opportunity to “Slow down and relax.”, before jumping back into your fast paced existence. Jim and I decided to do this by exploring the English countryside and settling in at a Bed & Breakfast (B&B) one weekend in September.
My view of the B&B accommodation has changed dramatically since I’ve lived in London. I always imagined that it was less private. I pictured shared bathrooms and eating with strangers at breakfast in the morning. I could not have been more wrong. B&B’s are large and varied, and in England they’re everywhere. If you’re visiting England and choose to explore some of the countryside, I highly recommend doing research in advance and exploring non-hotel options.
If you’ve read any of my other entries, you’re probably aware my husband and I like beer. On our weekend trip in September, we thought it made sense to find a B&B that was both a pub and a hotel of sorts. We spent the afternoon exploring the town of Bath, and from there drove a few miles away to spend a relaxing night in an old Inn.
We stayed at the Tollgate Inn, which was 7 miles away from the town of Bath and was an old gorgeous 16th century traditional English building. The pub/restaurant was on the 1st floor (Other fellow Americans would call this the 2nd floor!). To get to our room, we had to walk outside, and ascend up a set o f very narrow stairs to the rooms above. It was cosy and had everything we needed, including a private en suite bathroom and shower.
At 6pm we were “in for the night”. We were among the youngest people at the Inn, and it felt odd. But there was something special about it, too, knowing that we had nothing else to do except to enjoy our dinner and wine at the pub before heading up the stairs to our private bedroom to go to sleep.
I’ve never been a fan of the country. I grew up in the “country” and did not appreciate small town charm and scenery. Always loved the look and feel of big cities, highrise buildings and people walking on top of each other. It’s funny, but exploring the English countryside has made me appreciate my American small town life – the quietness, the open spaces and the freshness in the air.
That weekend, I felt like I stepped back into the past. When things were quieter. When the world wasn’t in a rush.
The next morning we had our breakfast in the same place we sat for dinner the night before, then set off south to explore Salisbury and Portsmouth. During out drive, we came across this scene below.
In front of us, we observed an old man taking his grandson for a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive through the English countryside.
Our “slow down and relax” objective was achieved that weekend.
Visited September 2012
January 1, 2013
England, Travel