“Autumn is in full swing in the Cotswolds. The air is tinged with woodsmoke, the autumn hues are dreamy. It’s one of my favourite times to be there with family and friends, sitting by the fire with the weekend papers and a glass of red.
There’s an old-worldly charm to the Cotswolds and somethings haven’t changed since I was a child: the scent of the trees, the flowing streams and their muddy banks,
the sound of church bells and the birds. I love watching the seasons change, seeing the farm animals grazing in the fields, and if you are lucky catching sight of an owl settling on a branch at twilight.”
This weekend, Tilly shares some of her favourite places to go. Here are a few of the spots she always returns to when she goes home.
First stop
Fir Farm: Fresh, unpasteurised milk, flowers (if they have them), bread, eggs, and fantastic meat. Fir Farm is an organic, regenerative farm just on the outskirts of Upper Slaughter. Their vending machines serve the local community (and visitors!) with delicious ice cream and coffee too, just what you need to start your weekend.
Another favourite, Bruern farm shop and café is a working organic farm dedicated to living in rhythm with the land. Bruern is family-owned run by Henry and Leslie Astor and like Fir Farm is role model for the future of regenerative farming, creating a healthy ecosystem, growing wholesome & nutritious food and building a vibrant community. Go to eat good food, shop in its farm shop and take a walk through the Foxholes ancient woodlands.
You can also stay there and they host a number of workshops, including foraging walks and creative ones like learning how to make fizzing bath bombs using natural, plant-based ingredients. For a slice of the country in London, Bruern’s homegrown heritage sourdough is available at Gail’s.
To Stay & Eat
The King’s Head Inn, Bledington
A classic Cotswolds Inn, with perfect drinks served from behind the best bar in the Cotswolds. Independently owned and run by Archie and Nicola Orr Ewing,
you’ll always feel welcome. The King’s Head has been our family favourite for 25 years. With with its low beams, beautiful bedrooms and a fire that’s always burning, The Kings Head is a sure stop for great food and the best company and is our go-to pub to meet friends. Handily close to Kingham Station, it’s the first place my family want to go when we arrive, great for kids too with a playground out the front, you may even find a pony at the bar!
Photo credit Laura de Ganay.
The Fox, Broadwell
Refined and relaxed, The Fox is all candlelight and thoughtful cooking that celebrates what’s local, seasonal, and simple and they have great wines. They start diner at 5pm on a Friday night perfect for a family diner with young kids. Everything that’s good about the Cotswolds and British pubs, you’ll find in these two great pubs.
Wild Swims & Sauna
Sometimes - especially if a hangover cure is needed after a good evening in the Kings Head - a quick dip in a Cotswold river (always freezing!) is guaranteed to blow the cobwebs away. Our local river, the Eye, is too shallow to properly swim, but even a few seconds of immersion will reset you and clear your head.
If you’re looking for a proper sauna experience, Whichford Mill has been awarded Best UK Nature Sauna 2025 by the British Sauna Society.
Guests can book a private session to share with friends or join a community session. The sauna is wood-fired and lined in the Finnish style with beautiful aspen and alder, seating up to six people. The sauna is set on the banks of the river with stepped access for dipping, and there’s a cast-iron bath for cold immersion.
Explore
I love the long Autumn walks with the dogs, either early in the morning or just as the golden sun sets on the hills. If you want a real feast for the senses, there are two arboretums in the Cotswolds worth visiting right now for their exceptional autumn colours:
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum
A living cathedral of trees that truly takes your breath away. In autumn, it becomes a blaze of copper, crimson, and gold; like stepping into another world.
Batsford ArboretumSmaller and quieter, but no less magical. There’s something very peaceful about wandering under thier Japanese maples, the colours are just divine and the fresh air filled with the scent of falling leaves and bark.
When you return, let that sense of calm linger with the scent of Dreams, our soft, natural fine fragrance, created to soothe and restore. A blend of fir needle, fragonia, spikenard, and angelica, Dreams carries the feeling of clean air and herbaceous gardens. It’s the scent of exhale, grounding, gentle, and full of light.
Hand-crafted in Britain from pure essential oils, Dreams brings the restorative spirit of nature into your home.
Love,
Tilly & the Aja team x
