Swift Cottage, Blockley - sleeps 4 guests in 2 bedrooms

This terrace of golden Cotswold stone cottages was once home to the Blockley silk mill workers and forms a picturesque backdrop to the rolling hills around. Named after the swifts that nest in the eaves during summer, Swift Cottage is a Cotswold country getaway where the views will take your breath away each morning.

Set over three floors you can enjoy the beautiful far-reaching views from the front and rear of the cottage. On the ground floor is an open-plan living and dining area with exposed Cotswold stone, oak beams and original elm floorboards. A traditional style open gas fire sits in a Cotswold stone fireplace, ready to warm your toes after a bracing winter walk. The dining table rests next to another original stone fireplace and looks out over the countryside scene beyond. Down the stairs is the kitchen with a breakfast area which opens out to the terraced garden. Up on the first floor are two charming king-size bedrooms, one of which has the flexibility to be a twin on request, making this cottage ideal for a romantic retreat or enjoying country walks with friends and family.

The garden slopes gently and has three seating areas, starting with a bistro table outside the breakfast area French Windows and leading to a gravelled terrace with sunny and shady corners where you can sit and watch the birds bathe in the ornamental bird bath. From here you are drawn down to the end of the garden where a dining table seating four provides a captivating setting for lunch or evening meals with drinks below the parasol while the deer in the field beyond keep you company. From here you can look out over the rooftops nestled down in the valley, to the fields, hills, and horizon beyond; this is a truly wonderful location.

Ground Floor

Living/Dining Room
This spacious, bright, quintessentially Cotswold, dual aspect living and dining room is full of original features which make this country cottage come to life. The original elm floor echoes the oak beams above and there is an exposed Cotswold stone wall and traditional gas-fired cast iron fire grate set in a large stone surround. Two sofas sit in front of the fire where you can warm yourselves after walking the hills. Enjoying the view through the window to the rear is a wooden dining table next to a decorative, original stone fireplace. Seating four, once the table is cleared after dinner you can play some restful music on the Bluetooth speaker and take advantage of the cottage board games or plan tomorrow's adventure with the guidebooks and maps provided for guests to borrow. Comfortably furnished with antiques, the room draws you in to relax on a window seat below each of the windows and find time to finish off that book or browse your favourite magazine.

Lower Ground Floor

From the ground floor, wooden stairs take you down to the lower ground floor. Mind your head here as taller members of the group may need to watch out for the beams.

Kitchen:
Opening via French Windows to the garden, the kitchen has a breakfast area and a separate utility area at the rear, behind a traditional glazed door. The Belfast sink sits in a hardwood worktop and affords views across the garden. The shaker-style cupboards and dual electric ovens and gas hob provide everything you'll need.

When sitting at the breakfast table, open the doors to let in the birdsong and the country air, or step out beneath the rambling rose and enjoy a coffee at the bistro table immediately outside. In the utility area is a second fridge, a freezer, and the washer dryer. An integrated dishwasher sits adjacent the Butler sink.

Shower Room:
Tucked away off the utility area is a shower room which is the second in this cottage. With a shower, sink and WC it provides guests with a shower room for each bedroom.

First Floor

Bedroom One:
Overlooking the garden, this king-size room is the larger of the two bedrooms. The window seat is a lovely place to stop and gaze across the valley. Furnished with an antique chest of drawers and large fitted wardrobes, you can make this room your own. The comfortable bed has Egyptian cotton bedding which you won't want to leave in the morning.

Shower Room:
This shower room has a step up to the power shower and there is also a sink and WC. It is easily accessible from each bedroom or you can make use of the shower room on the lower ground floor.

Bedroom Two:
With a second king-size bed which can be split to a twin on request, this room provides flexible sleeping. From the window seat, you can look over the hedge to become lost in the expansive Cotswold view with only fields, hedges, and trees (and the occasional tractor!) interrupting the view. By day, watch for kites soaring the thermals or listen out for owls by night. Or just gaze at the stunningly bright stars in a clear sky. This comfortable room has a rustic country charm with a painted chest of drawers, bedside table, and antique style hanging shelf.

Outside

The garden has three sitting areas; a table with four chairs at the bottom for meals beneath the parasol or leisurely evening drinks as you watch the sun go down over the valley. There is also a bistro set by the kitchen French Windows, and a cool, shady bench between the two areas. Planted with shrubbery and flowers along the sides it is a paradise for guests and birds alike. Down at the end you can watch the red and fallow deer who may make an appearance during your stay and if you stay quiet for long enough may come right up to the fence to investigate! On-street parking is available on the quiet road outside the cottage: it is unreserved and with no restrictions.