Well spring has sprung, after long winter days it seems to be staying lighter later and I noticed today that along our garden path the Snowdrops have bloomed, a sure sign that we will soon be saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring. The Cotswolds is glorious in spring, why not take a woodland and admire these wonderful flowers, Oddington woods is a great place to head to a couple of miles east out of Stow on the Wold. Oddington is made up of Upper & Lower Oddington, which has a pub in each, the Horse & Groom in Upper and The Fox in Lower. At the end of a quiet lane in Lower Oddington you will find the Church of St Nicholas. This unassuming Church as had a variety of wealthy owners, including numerous Kings of England and the Abbott of Gloucester. Oddington’s greatest treasure is located inside the Church, a horrific ‘Doom’ painting, it brings to mind the ‘God fearing folk’ of days gone by. Just beyond the Church you will find a track which will take you into Oddington woods, frequented much by local dog walkers, and at different times of year you can walk through the woods to admire the snowdrops & bluebells. Another great location to catch the snowdrops on mass is at Batsford Arboretum, just a couple of miles out of Moreton in Marsh on the way up Bourton on the Hill. Batsford is a compact estate with a neo-Tudor mansion (not open to the public) in the 19th century the parkland was landscaped and this included the arboretum, which is great to visit through the seasons, particularly in spring and autumn. There is also a falconry here with dramatic aerial displays throughout the day. The snowdrops to me signal the changing of the seasons, and the gentler weather to come. So let’s all start making plans on what to do, and book on a Cotswolds Guided Tour with Lucy & Richard your local guides and explore this wonderful region. If you are staying in London or Oxford and want to get back to nature, the Cotswolds is the place to do just that!