DAY OUT: Castle Combe, Wilshire
Classic Cotswold charm
From the old packhorse bridge to the picturesque English cottages, visiting this gorgeous ancient village is like stepping back in time, says Ben Lerwill
The centuries seem to pass with barely a ripple of change in some places. The Cotswold village of Castle Combe – a living antique adrift in the Wiltshire countryside – is one of them.
It looks no less exquisite today than it did when its weavers played their part in the medieval wool industry: think narrow lanes, a meandering brook and storybook cottages with tile-stone roofs. The last new house? Built in the 1600s.
In autumn, its charms come to the fore. The peak summer crowds have departed and the surrounding valley is laced with walks through reddening woodland.
Back in the village, which has direct buses from Chippenham rail station, the cosy, dog-friendly Old Stables Coffee Shop is just right for post-ramble tea and cake, while the 12th-century Castle Inn – adjacent to the pretty market cross – lures you in with open fires, local ales and a menu with two AA rosettes.
Ben Lerwill is a travel writer and children’s author based in Oxfordshire.