Mr & Mrs Smith

Sudeley Castle was the last resting place of Katherine Parr, the sixth and surviving wife of Henry VIII, and this magnificent house and foliage-filled gardens made modern-day headlines when Liz Hurley tied the knot there. Visit Chipping Campden, one of the Cotswolds’ most famous honey-coloured stone villages, with buildings dating from the 14th century. The Church of St James has fine monumental brasses. Visit Hidcote Manor Gardens, nearby now a National Trust property.

Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum on Clarence Street in Cheltenham
GL50 3JT (01242 237431) is open Monday to Tuesday 10am–5.20pm (from 11am on the first Thursday of the month); closed Bank Holidays. The Arts and Crafts design movement began in this area in the 19th century, and this is an acclaimed collection of furniture, textiles, ceramics, carvings, silver and more.

Snowshill Manor, near Broadway (01386 852410) is 15-mins drive away, is the fruits of Charles Paget Wade’s labours and obsessions; he collected so many examples of fine craftmanship from around the world he eventually ran out space and had to move out;

An Arts & Crafts triumph, thatched-roofed Hidcote Manor Garden and its pretty leafy grounds are a lovely afternoon out.
 
Cheltenham is no slouch when comes to festivals – it hosts ones of a jazz, science, music and literature bent: the Cheltenham Festival of Literature (www.cheltenhamfestivals.com) is held every October, is attended by eminent writers such as Stephen Fry, Maya Angelou and Bret Easton Ellis.

Cheltenham Races (National Hunt Festival, etc) are always a big draw.

Take some change to use the pay phone as there isn’t any signal here for some mobiles. Otherwise, make sure you text people the land line number en route. Definitely try and plan a picnic. Buy a barbecued-daily rotisserie chicken from Pilcher & Newman butchers on the High Street (01242 602 998), then pop to Food Fanatics at 11 North Street, Winchcombe (01242 604466) and stock up on all your comestibles. As well as all the essentials such as French bread, there is whisky- or heat-smoked salmon, salamis, pate and cheeses galore. We loved the Saint Eadburgha and St Oswald cheeses, but you may think it crazy not to opt for a Double Gloucester, when in the Cotswolds. French fruit tarts are a ‘oui, s’il vous plait’ for the sweet-toothed.