Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire

Have you ever passed through a little town and longed to see more of it?

It happens to me all the time… perhaps I’m just nosy.

On the way home to see my parents in Somerset we passed through Bradford on Avon, a pretty little village, made almost completely from gently glowing sandstone. It straddles the river (Avon) and its winding streets drew me in like a siren’s song.

Rather than keep it all to myself I thought I’d bring you along with me.

Together we can climb the old, cobbled streets, peek into windows and eat our own bodyweight in scones.

Ok, I’ll do that last part for the both of us.

In fact, I’ll eat yours too. I’m nice like that.

Vintage DVF dress (from mum’s wardrobe)

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Vintage LV bag // Sandals

The town is filled with little antique & home shops, interspaced with pretty little homes covered in climbing flowers.

We stopped to load up on local veggies and a bunch of sweetpeas for the kitchen.

Peered down along the river and fed the ducklings.

Built on the river banks, the town rises gently along the valley.

The houses are tiered as though waiting for their school picture. It’s a very pretty effect indeed, particularly reflected in the calm waters, occasionally disturbed by a swan or two.

Walk up Silver Street.

Stop before you pass Melanie Giles and pop in for a cuppa.

Mel (who’s been cutting my hair since I was 12) has the keenest eye for design and detail in the county.

The whole place is swoon worthy and every inch will inspire some new corner of your home.

I spoiled myself upstairs in the spa with terracotta manicure, before crossing the street for lunch at the Bunch of Grapes.

With an ever changing, locally sourced menu and an interior any Shoreditch hipster would be proud of, it’s a breath of fresh air in the West Country.

Fried courgette flowers with smoked garlic aioli.

I could eat this every day for the rest of my life and never be tired of it!

Stir fried squid.

The best bowl of mussels I’ve ever had, drowned in a thick, fragrant sauce.

Though the slow cooked pork belly with salsa verde really stole the show.

Easily one of the best meals I’ve had all year.

If you find yourself in the area I can’t recommend a trip enough. Website here.

Handmade aquamarine ring

Full fit to bust, we continued our stroll around the old town.

Skipping up and down the sun soaked streets, dream cottage hunting.

Naturally I chose the one covered in pink roses.

Interestingly the old bridge in the centre of town was exclusively designed for Pooh Sticks, and works really rather well as such.

Though some of the locals do use it for other things.

Across the river you’ll find a rickety old tea shop.

One of the rules spelled out to you at the border when you cross into The West Country is that you must never pass up an opportunity for a cream tea.

So of course we went in.

And served our duty.

Scones with clotted cream and blackcurrant jam for me.

Vic Sponge for him.

There’s a long standing war waging over whether you put your jam or cream on first. (I’m not kidding, this is a serious issue in the west – proof.)

Personally I’m all about cream first, then jam. This is the Devon way and it means you can heap so much more cream on top!

But mum goes all Cornish and puts her jam on first.

It’s an extremely controversial issue, but I hope we can at the very least agree on two issues;

1. You pronounce “scone” like “gone”.
2.  They’re bloody delicious.

Weighed down with a ton and a half of cream tea, we made for the canal to stretch our legs.

Bradford on Avon is well worth a trip if you fancy exploring a little more of our countryside.

I’m certainly going to make an effort to play tourist at home more often. I think The Cotswolds are calling me next…

Any recommendations for places to visit in the UK? I’m all ears!