A love letter to England & exploring the Cotswolds

“I remember years ago a guy I knew told me that people going to England find exactly what they go looking for.” – Helene Hanff, 84, Charing Cross Road 

I’ve put off writing this post due to an unrealistic expectation that just the right words would come to me — a collection of words that when strung together in just the right way, would accurately describe England’s enchantment. Weeks have past since I left my heart in the Cotswolds and I’ve realized that those “just right words” may never come. Lizzie Dunford, a friend and director of Jane Austen’s House Museum, wrote about her recent adventure to the Lake District. She says, “The views were outstanding. It is a landscape that I react to very emotively, making me inarticulate. How can I describe how the light falls on just a small section of the fell? The shade of the water in a pool under a craggy old thorn bush? All the colours in the coat of a Herwick Ram. At the moment, it is beyond me, but then I must practice.” I found solace in Lizzie’s particular collection of words as it turns out others are also rendered inarticulate by the English Countryside. And like Lizzie, I must practice.

I visited England for the first time in September 2023 alongside The Enchanted Book Club. The experience was beyond my wildest dreams and upon boarding my return flight, I promised myself I wouldn’t wait to come back. Life happened, as it does, and quite simply, I couldn’t find “just the right time” in my schedule to return. With other work-related travel already scheduled throughout 2024 and a particularly busy year at that, it seemed to me that England would have to wait. Unless…

In October 2024, I announced The Enchanted Book Club’s Literary Tour of England (taking place in September 2025). The announcement was met with immense excitement and made me daydream of England even more than usual. I couldn’t stop thinking about the landscape, the sheep, the magic. And so, I decided that the only “just right” thing to do was to follow my heart, in this case like a compass, and booked a flight to London that would depart in three weeks time.

“It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a dream.” Those were the words circling my mind as I set foot in the English Countryside for the first time in over a year. During my time away from England, I began wondering if my memories were fabricated…did I remember it being so special only because it was my first visit or because it had been The Enchanted Book Club’s first literary tour? In the heart of Derbyshire, a stone’s throw away from Mr. Darcy’s estate, I gulped the English air and undoubtedly knew that if it somehow had been a dream, that dreams do come true.

My favorite thing about England is that everything you always thought was fictional suddenly comes to life before your eyes. You can venture through Chatsworth House (Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice) and when you walk past Big Ben you half expect to see Peter Pan fly across the sky. Imagine walking through the pages of your favorite fairy tale…except this time, the story has no end.

“What is it about the English countryside—why is the beauty so much more than visual? Why does it touch one so?” – Dodie Smith, I Capture The Castle

Over the course of ten glorious days in England, I visited Hatchard’s (London’s oldest bookshop), met Cath Kidston (a real-life heroine and personal inspiration), and had more cream teas than I can count. Everyday presented some new, magical thing that seemed to only exist in this fairyland. In Notting Hill, neighborhoods are dipped in rainbow pastels. The houses are pink, purple, yellow, and lavender. Every once in a while you’ll come upon a grand white house in which Elizabeth James must reside. When you’re in the countryside, you’ll walk through “Kissing Gates” and meet sheep friends. And no matter where you go, you can always find a tea party.

Staying in a tiny cottage in the Cotswolds, I found myself in yet another fictional story come to life, The Holiday. I walked up and down Burford’s High Street, explored bookshops and antique stores, sipped tea by the pub’s fire place, named a field of spotted pigs, and only ever recalled a world that isn’t solely made of utter joy in the fleeting moments I remembered that my return flight would await.

This all must sound quite dramatic, I know. But if you believe in magic, I promise that you will feel the same way when you experience England. If there’s one thing England has taught me, it’s that the only “just right” thing to do is to follow your heart ❤️

“Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us.” – Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Below is a list of places I visited during this trip that I think you would love the most, along with descriptions (and a souvenir giveaway!). If you’re someone that dreams of exploring England, particularly its literary history, then you’ll likely be interested in The Enchanted Book Club’s Literary Tours. Our tour groups are comprised of literary-loving kindred spirits from all over the world. Our guests are often perfect strangers longing for connection and to meet friends that share a love for inspiring stories. I pour my heart and soul into planning our literary tours with the goal of giving our guests memories they will carry with them forever.

At the time of writing this blog post, I have just added new dates to our England 2025 Tour, opening 20 spots! The itinerary for our June 2025 Anne of Green Gables Literary Tour of Prince Edward Island will be released in January 2025 and I’m currently planning England 2026!

Souvenir Giveaway

Along the way, I couldn’t help but think of our community and had to pick up some souvenirs for you! Enter to win a souvenir collection by leaving a comment on this blog post. Open internationally. [Edit: Congratulations to our winner, Sherry Clevenger!]

Souvenir collection includes:

• Notting Hill Bookshop tote bag
• Notting Hill Bookshop postcard
• Vintage Hatchard’s greeting card
• Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy ornament (from Chatsworth House)
• Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford (from an independent bookstore in the Cotswolds, an area where the Mitford sisters spent much of their time)
• Floral Victoria & Albert Museum notebook

Places to stay

• The Cavendish Hotel Baslow: Located on the Chatsworth House property this beautiful hotel is walking distance from the home. You’ll enjoy stunning views of the countryside and dinner at either of their delicious restaurants.
• Unique Home Stays: I discovered the darling Cotswolds Cottage through Unique Home Stays, a platform offering stunning holiday homes

Places to visit & eat

*The list below features some of my favorite places visited on this specific trip. There are certainly MANY more amazing places to experience!

• Derbyshire
  • Chatsworth House: As mentioned above, this estate was featured as Mr. Darcy’s estate in Pride and Prejudice 2005. Whether you are a fan of the film or have never seen it, it has very little to do with what you will experience at Chatsworth House. I couldn’t dream up a more breathtaking place. If you have the chance to visit, you’ll never forget it.
• Burford (The Cotswolds)
  • The Lamb Inn: A cozy inn offering afternoon tea and Sunday roast
  • The Cotswold Cheese Company: The most delicious selection of British cheeses with a focus on Cotswold cheesemakers
  • The Madhatter Bookshop: A lovely independent bookshop on High Street
  • Burford Garden Company: A beautiful and comprehensive shop offering homewares and outdoor accessories. Plus, there’s a bookstore.
  • The Bull: A new boutique hotel — lovely pub and dinner spot
• London
  • Hatchard’s, Piccadilly: The oldest bookshop in London. Five floors of heaven!
  • Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly: An 18th century department store filled with teas, preserves, and gorgeous gifts.
  • Daunt Books, Marylebone: A bookstore is organized by country. If you love literary travel, this is the shop for you.
  • O Pioneers, Marylebone: A floral dress shop founded by two inspiring women who met in a book club. Their dresses are made from end-of-stock Liberty London fabrics and I just LOVE them!!
  • Carlotta, Marylebone: If you love Italian food (and cake) as much as I do, Carlotta is a must-visit. Order the pistachio wedding cake!
  • C. Atherley, Connaught Village: Cath Kidston’s new fragrance shop inspired by her love of geraniums. If you’re familiar with Cath, you already know what you’re in for when you step into this darling store — charm and all the thoughtful details.
  • The Notting Hill Bookshop: This was my favorite bookshop I visited in London. There’s a certain excitement about the place if you are a fan of the movie. Plus, it was the only shop with the MOST beautiful classic editions on display.
  • Portobello Market, Notting Hill: Lots of antique and vintage shops filled with floral tea pots, whimsical bookends, and endless goodies!
  • Kuro Eatery, Notting Hill: Don’t miss the crispy fried eggs with chili oil. I still haven’t stopped thinking about that meal!
  • The Library at County Hall Afternoon Tea, Westminster Bridge: An idyllic place for afternoon tea — inside a library with the best view of Big Ben.
  • J. Sheekey, Leicester Square: An excellent choice for fish and chips. You can go see a show at the London Theatre right next door too!

To beauty, enchantment, and following your heart wherever it leads!

Love, Hayley