There are few areas of England which have so many creative and dedicated farmers, cheese makers, brewers, and vegetable growers as the Cotswolds. Located just 1.5 - 2 hours from London via car or direct train from Paddington Station, the ancient villages and towns, lovely shops for antiquing, stately homes and castles, and magnificent gardens and pubs make a great three day escape to add to your itinerary. Local epicurean Bonnie Brayham takes us to three gourmet boltholes to return to at the end of your day.

Chef Emily Watkins, once junior sous chef at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray, presides in the kitchen at The Kingham Plough, a rustic and elegant gastropub with rooms. Emily and her team spend hours scouring through cookbooks from years gone by to find inspiration for recipes using ingredients which are native and seasonal to the Cotswolds. You eat in the tithe barn, now a splendid dining room, with ceilings open to ancient rafters. Dig into game broth with pheasant dumplings, loin, shoulder and tongue of new season lamb, and rhubarb and brioche spring pudding. Interiors elsewhere are equally pretty, all the result of a delightful refurbishment. There's a piano by the fire in the locals' bar, a terrace outside for summer dining, and fruit trees, herbs and lavender in the garden. Bedrooms are cozy and tastefully decorated.

The Kings Head is the sort of inn that defines England. The 16th-century cider house made of ancient stone sits on the green in a Cotswold village with free-range hens strutting their stuff and a family of ducks bathing in the pond. Inside, locals gather to catch up on the village gossip, scoff great,locally sourced and seasonal food and wash it down with a refreshing ale. The fire burns all year and the rooms are elegant with lovely views.

The Wheatsheaf Inn is located in a small former wool market town tucked between pretty hills on a crossroads of the Roman Fosse Way. The wonderfully worn flagstones in the well-stocked bar separate two proportioned and coordinated dining areas, aglow with crackling fires. Enjoy a mix of traditional English fare of unpretentious goodness and impeccable provenance, from steak frites and garlic butter to cod with roast Jerusalem artichoke, chorizo and crayfish. Rooms have a retro style with modern amenities.

A day at Daylesford Organics shouldn't be missed. The organic farm is home to the Organics Farmshop, The Cookery School, and the Haybarn Spa. The school offers a a variety of courses including game preparation and butchery, hen keeping, organic gardening, and introduction to foraging. And the spa is fantastic.

For more to see and do in the Cotswolds, contact Area Valet to help create the perfect excursion.