8 Ways to Celebrate When We Can Gather Again
The mood of the nation is slowly starting to change and it won’t be long until hotels, pubs and tourist attractions will once more be welcoming guests. While the effects of coronavirus are still with us, the first stages of the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown are on the horizon. At the Lords of the Manor we are as excited as anyone about the prospect of inviting you, your friends and your family through the door. To prepare you, here’s eight ways to celebrate when we can gather again.
Enjoy a Picnic
When the moment arrives, we can make up for those lost birthday celebrations and parties with a picnic in the open air. You won’t have to explain to mum and dad how to active their cameras for a video chat because they’ll be at your side. Grab your hamper and fill it with your favourite drinks and sweet and savoury snacks. All you need to do now is choose a destination and remember to respect social distancing rules. From forests and riversides to country parks and manor houses, picnic spots are in abundance in the Cotswolds.
Arrange a Scavenger Hunt
We’ve spent a lot of pandemic-induced time indoors recently, but luckily that’s helped us nurture our creativity. Put this rediscovered talent to good use by organising a scavenger hunt. A perfect outdoor activity for the kids, it’s also something that all members of the family can enjoy. Go in search of trees at an arboretum or hunt for landmarks scattered around delightful honey-hued villages. Check out these fun treasure trails around Gloucestershire for some inspiration.
Indulge in a Pub Lunch
Looking forward to the first sip of a hoppy real ale? Pubs are quintessential to British summertime and there’s few better places to meet up than in the garden of a Cotswolds watering hole. You’ll soon forget the chore of virtual events when you are ordering your chosen tipple and feasting on hearty pub grub. Indoor gatherings might be less frequent, but who’s worried about that when long balmy evenings are just around the corner. Alternatively, you can enjoy afternoon tea on the lawn at our luxury 17th-century hotel.
Attend a Festival
There’s great anticipation for the return of festivals to the United Kingdom this year. What better way to celebrate as a group than listening to international music acts, sampling gourmet food and joining arts and crafts workshops. Cornbury Festival, The Big Feastival and Wychwood Festival are some of many busy preparing to be back with a bang.
Explore a Scenic Walking Trail
The Cotswolds is a huge region — 800 square miles, to be exact. That means there’s plenty of open space to keep enjoying socially distanced walks, both short and long. Wherever you are in the area you are never very far from the 102-mile-long Cotswold Way. Walking is a wonderful activity to enjoy with a loved one and a romantic stroll could be an ideal opportunity for a late Valentine’s Day celebration. The walk from here in Upper Slaughter to neighbouring Lower Slaughter showcases much of what the area is adored for.
Light Up the Barbecue
Barbecues epitomise British social gatherings in the summertime as much as pub gardens. It’s the nostalgic combination of vibrant garden chatter, smoke rising above the hedges and savoury aromas permeating the air that makes it so special. Invite your loved ones, mates and next-door neighbours, who you might have become closer to over the past months. Butchers, grocers and other local culinary business owners will be more than happy to sell you fresh, seasonal goods to throw on the grill.
Plan an Outdoor Movie Night
An open-air cinema is exciting for everyone from couples looking for romance to kids wanting an alfresco slumber party. Throwdown some cushions and blankets, prepare a bowl of popcorn and settle down for an evening of Hollywood at home. Of course, it helps if you have a projector or an easily transportable television. Failing that, book tickets for the Open Air Film and Chill screenings in nearby Cheltenham and Gloucester.
Go On a Road Trip.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of cruising along country lanes with the windows rolled down and the wind blowing in. So jump in the car, pick up your passengers and hang your arms out of the window (carefully of course) in celebratory rollercoaster-style. One thing the Cotswolds isn’t short of is meandering roads and many of them are links between postcard-perfect villages and market towns.