I grew up in the Cotswolds and this is my favourite town to visit… with old-school sweet shops and riverside games
THE Cotswolds is known around the world for being one of the prettiest places – and I was lucky enough to grow up there.
But there is one village I’d often visit with my mates – and in my opinion is one of the prettiest.
My hometown was Witney, which I have often written about before.
It’s not as quaint as it’s surrounding villages – the market town is much more functional than pretty with the majority of shops being chain restaurants and high street brands.
It’s still got an element of the Cotswolds beauty, having just over 1,400 locals.
Most of the buildings are made from Cotswolds stone and there are still some amazing locally run stores and cafes (my favourite being Hunters, run by an old school friend).
And while many of the nearby villages often feature on the “worlds most beautiful” list (looking at you Bourton-on-the-Water) there is one a short drive away that I preferred to visit as a child.
The village of Burford is dubbed the Gateway to the Cotswolds, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be a bit boring.
But I often spent many an afternoon there, both as a child being dropped off by my mum or haggling lifts with mates as I got older.
It’s main appeal is it’s pretty high street, with a narrow road lined with pretty Cotswolds buildings.
Being on a hill, standing at the top means you get the best view of the whole village.
And it has remained relatively chain-free when it comes to shops.
There is the Burford Sweet Shop where I’d often fill a brown paper bag with, as well as another Hunter’s cafe selling the best and biggest brownies you’ll ever see.
And at the bottom was where we would take our crusts from sandwiches we couldn’t finish from lunch, throwing them over the river bridge to the eager ducks.
I was also a champion at Pooh Sticks – seeing as the World Championships was held in my hometown – so lost many an hour having them race down the river.
As I got older, I learned the joy of Burford Garden Centre.
You’re likely to spot local celebs such as Kate Moss or Jeremy Clarkson, who recently bought a pub in the village to restore.
But what can’t be missed are the huge scones with some jam and cream, so good we even ordered 60 of them for my sister’s wedding.
if you fancy staying, there is the new The Bull at Burford which opened last year, or The Lamb Inn.
The closest train station with a good service to Burford is Charlbury Station, which is around seven miles away.
Trains from London Paddington to Charlbury take just over an hour.
Another Cotswolds town to visit
The Sun’s Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey explains what it’s like to grow up in Witney:
“Being born and raised in Witney (quite literally, being born at home) I had all the perks of the Cotswolds life while still being so well connected.
“Everything was in walking distance, from schools to shops, while Oxford was a short car ride away, with direct buses taking around 40 minutes.
“The town isn’t short of pubs – having often visited The Hollybush in my teenage years, along with a drink in the pub garden at The Beekeepers, although was called The Eagle Vaults in my day.
“Seeing amazing live bands and comics isn’t something you’d expect from a small town, although my friends still boast about their picture with Greg Davies after he played at Fat Lils.
“Of course it has changed massively – the two nightclubs in town are long-gone – but it is still a very pretty town, with some amazing locally run establishments.”
If you fancy exploring the Cotswolds, here is one place called the Venice of the Cotswolds.
And another Cotswolds village is bizarrely home to a sandy beach.