No 12

Local bars

Award-winning pub The Bell in Sapperton (+44 (0)1285 760298; www.foodatthebell.co.uk) offers delicious British cuisine. It is great for just a pint, or as a lunch stop on a walk through beautiful countryside. Jesse’s Bistro on Blackjack Street (+44 (0)1285 641497; www.jessesbistro.co.uk) serves modern British, specialising in meat and fish cooked over a wood-burning stove. The Trouble House in Tetbury (+44 (0)1666 502206; www.troublehouse.co.uk) is seven miles outside Cirencester, but worth the trip for its exceptional-quality pub food.

Local cafes

Deli-café The Rectory Kitchen & Cellar at 2 Templar Mews, 8 Black Jack Street (01285 644700), is a foodie’s paradise with its locally sourced produce and fresh, delicious home cooking. Eat in at the sweet mews café, or take away for future enjoyment. Squirrel away some freshly baked biscuits for the car journey home, or a jar of the Rectory's lemon curd as a remember-those-breakfasts souvenir.

Worth getting out of bed for

All sorts of country pursuits, from walking (mostly to local pubs) to horseriding and clay-pigeon shooting (No 12 can help with organising). The farmers' market, in Cirencester every other week, is worth taking a hamper to.

For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Gloucestershire, check out our Gloucestershire eating & drinking guide

For a full list of recommended activities in Gloucestershire, check out our Gloucestershire destination guide