Panoramic View from Broadway Tower

Broadway Tower is one of England's outstanding viewpoints and at 1024 (312m) above sea level, it is the second highest point on the Cotswold ridge. Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, high in the rolling Cotswold Hills, Broadway Tower surveys an expanse of some of the very best of the Cotswold countryside in a 62 mile radius.


The "Saxon" tower was designed by James Wyatt in 1794 to resemble a mock castle, and built for Lady Coventry in 1799. The tower was built on a "beacon" hill, where beacons were lit on special occasions. Lady Coventry wondered if a beacon on this hill could be seen from her house in Worcester - approximately 22 miles (35 km) away - and sponsored the construction of the folly to find out. The beacon could be seen clearly.

Over the years, the tower was home to the printing press of Sir Thomas Phillipps, and served as a country retreat for artists including William Morris.

The tower is on the Cotswold Way; it is easily reached by following the Cotswold Way from the A44 road at Fish Hill, or by a steep climb out of Broadway village.

Here is a great panoramic view of the North Cotswolds from atop the famous Broadway Tower.


Broadway Tower - A Virtual View in England

Lavender Fields Forever

In Snowshill, Worcestershire, part of the North Cotswolds, lies 53 acres of lavender fields. That’s over 70 miles worth of lavender rows. Now, Snowshill is one of the more beautiful areas of the Cotswolds, if that is at all possible. But seeing the rolling green hills give way to this very unusually placed palette of every shade of purple, pink, and white is something truly unique.


Of course, if you love lavender this place is hard to beat. They sell all manner of products from their distillery and have a very nice little garden centre, too. And if you can’t make it there, but like what they’re doing, they ship their products to the UK, US, and most of Europe.


But it’s the scenery of the area and the way the smell of these fields mix with the Cotswold air that makes a trip here one of the most rewarding in the region. Honestly, I could sit on an overlooking hill with a pile of canvases, some oil paints, and a cooler of Cotswold Way for the whole day…. Here are some photos of the fields to get you inspired!

Not only can I smell it…. I can almost taste it, too. By the way- if you’ve never used lavender in cooking, you must give it a try. Its great mixed with thyme, oregano, and rosemary to coat pork or chicken before roasting or grilling, and it is used quite a lot in baking, too. Here’s a great recipe for lavender crème brulée from Jamie Oliver.







Visit the Snowshill Lavender official website here