Ginny, Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee is an absolute must.
LL was born in the little hamlet of Slad above the town of Stroud, and describes his upbringing there in the 20's and 30's, before he left for Europe and the Spanish Civil War followed by the bohemian life of a poet in London.
Farmer's Boy by Fred Archer one of many books he has written about country life on the Cotswolds and the Vale of Evesham .. .not as 'poetic' as LL.
Read the poem Adlestrop by Edward Thomas, surely one of the most evocative works describing the Cotswold landscape.
Ginny which parts of the area are you visiting?
I lived for many years near Chipping Campden, and now I am based to the West of the River Severn and can only "lift up mine eyes unto the hills . . ."

Here is a link that might be useful: Adlestrop

Thank you, Veer. I will be sure to get these--they sound wonderful. We are staying at Owlpen Manor, a country house hotel, and visiting a number of gardens in the Cotswolds. Owlpen Manor is, I think, 900 years old and the nearest hamlet is called Dursley, of all things. Reminds me of Harry Potter's awful foster family, the Dursleys, tho I am sure the village is the exact opposite. We will be traveling thru a number of towns such as Broadway and Chipping Campden but the main focus is gardens. I was lucky enough to be in the Cotswolds several years ago--staying in Stow-on-the-Wold--and if any place could be described as the garden of Eden, it is surely the Cotswolds.

>Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee is an absolute must.

Ditto. He's another English author I discovered by browsing a London bookstore. I'd recommend any of his books actually, tho the above is definitely Cotswold.

Oh, you lucky folks visiting and living there --

I got to spend several days - nowhere near long enough - in and around the Cotswolds 2 years ago with DH. (And then we headed to Yorkshire, go figure...) We nearly stayed at a place called " The Howard Arms", but did eat dinner there one night and highly recommend it. (We lodged instead at a converted abbey in Abbots Salford, which was also pretty nice.) DH indulged me with lots and lots of garden visits throughout our journeys. I would go there again in a heartbeat. I'm glad to see some reading recommendations - at least I could try a "virtual" revisit!

(Ginny, do you need a luggage handler??? I'm pretty strong for my size....LOL!)

litlbit

Ginny, funnily enough I was thinking of Owlpen when wondering about books to suggest, as I had read somewhere that the famous artist Augustus John had spent summers either at the manor or at a rented farmhouse. He would spend time painting surrounded by friends, wife, mistresses, various children . . . another true bohemian.
I can't think of the book but slightly taking my eye off the ball another very enjoyable book is A Slender Reputation by Kathleen Hale (writer and illustrator of 'Orlando' the cat stories). KH was secretary to AJ and managed both to fend off his amorous advances and bring some order into his chaotic life. I can't remember if she spent time at OP.
Dursley is a rather unlovely small town, maybe JKR thought of the name as she lived just down the road from us. My kids recognised many of their teachers in her Hogwarts staff.

Are you travelling with a 'Party' or just with family?
No doubt you will be popping in to High Grove to chat to some plants. Maybe Camilla will make you a cuppa!
If you are to be over here soon bring waterproof and strong shoes/boots; lots of cold and wet at the moment.

Here is a link that might be useful: Where Ginny will be Staying

Sorry I don't know how to do two links 'at once'.

The one below gives masses of history about Owlpen.
Ginny, I don't think you will have time to go elsewhere!
If I stand on the roof I will be able to wave to you. As I write this I am looking out across the River Severn to Berkeley Castle (pronounced Barkeley).

Here is a link that might be useful: History of Owlpen

Wasn't Augustus John the "model" for the murdered artist in Agatha Christie's book Murder in Retrospect ? Sounds like just the same menage a million that she described.

Thank you very much, Veer. Reading your posts, I am even more excited about this trip than I was, if that's possible. I had found Owlpen's website last week and printed out many pages. You are right. It would be easy to never move from there. But I am going with a small group of landscape historians as part of a study tour of gardens of the Arts and Crafts movement, late 19c-early 20c. Owlpen will be our headquarters for the Cotswolds segment. And Camilla can take the day off as Highgrove does not fit in the A&C theme!

Thank you so much for the book recommendations. The list we were given is all garden-related, for obvious reasons.

The Laurie Lee book you recommended seems to be something of a classic--I am picking it up tomorrow. Fred Archer's book has been hard to find but I'll keep looking. And now I'll do some hunting for Augustus John--thank you so much for these suggestions. I will get to the parapets at Owlpen and give you a wave so keep your eye out.

And Litlbit, if in my next life I come back fabulously wealthy, nothing would make me happier than to have a personl luggage handler so I'm keeping your name on file!

I lived in Cornwall for 2 1/2 years, years ago. My experience visiting the Cotswolds was so charming, so "English," just perfect like in a storybook. Quaint villages with typical English gardens and window boxes flourishing with flowers. Positively dream-like.
Eventually my ashes will be strewn along the "woodland path" connecting the car park with one of Thomas Hardy's homes near Dorchester as he is my favorite author. The Cotswolds would be a close second place to spend eternity. I am a nutty Anglophile since starting reading the Brontes and other English writers as a pre-teen. Visiting England lived up to every expectation.
Always thought I lived a pre-life in England as a scullery maid. Maybe a result of watching all those "Upstairs, Downstairs!"

Ginny, I found these pics (see below) showing more details of the area you will be visiting . . . and no, I don't know any of the 'Ramblers' but you get a good idea of the countryside in the very cold and long winter we have just gone through.
Where you see photos of the River Severn that is 'us' on the far side in the mist.

The Arts and Crafts movt was certainly 'big' in this area. Will you get a chance to see any of the work of Charles Ashbee's Guild and his C Campden siver-smith's workshop, or the woodwork of Ernest Gimson & Rodmarton Manor? I realise they are not to do with gardens .. . but!

Please will you report back to us on your return, it sounds so interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of the South Cotswolds

Thanks for the link, Veer. Wonderful photos, even in winter, tho I have to say a New England winter is a very different creature. We are going to Rodmarton Manor, Snowshill Manor, Hidcote Manor (the only one I've seen before) and others. Will make a report when I return. In some ways, it is hard to leave my own garden this time of year--not that it remotely resembles those I will visit--but the lure of the Cotswolds is too great to resist.

And I got Laurie Lewis' book yesterday! Am saving it for the plane. Thank you very, very much for the recommendation. Others are on order from the library.