Spring had arrived as we travelled under blue skies towards North Nibley in the Cotswolds, the home of Forthay Bed and Breakfast. We were greeted by one of the hosts Charles as well as one of the family dogs who was enjoying the gardens in front of the house. Forthay know just how to welcome dog owners with three Cockapoos of their own.
After checking in and choosing our breakfast options for the next morning we enjoyed tea and scones in the guest snug; which I can imagine on a cold winters day would be so cosy to come back to and relax in front of the fire. After being shown our room we departed for our evening of dog friendly activities.
Just a 20 minute drive away from the B and B is Woodchester Valley Vinyard, a Cotswold Vinyard and Winery. On arrival we were offered a choice of wine to enjoy as tour guide Elizabeth took us on a walk of the vineyard. We had the perfect view of the vines from on top of the hill as the sun set over the valley. Elizabeth walked us around the vineyard showing us the different stages of vine growth and teaching us about how they grow and then produce the wine. Of course the dogs were with us the whole time, the vineyard is so dog friendly; in fact once a month they host an event dedicates to dogs and owners with a guided dog walk around the vineyard. Not only that but they have other events throughout the month, whilst we were there they were preparing for a ‘Fizz and Chips’ evening for a Friday evening wine tasting accompanied by local Fish and Chips. Definitely view their upcoming events page on their website to choose which you’ll book onto.
There’s no need to assign a designated driver, as they have their own accommodation on site, some of which are dog friendly and cater to different party sizes. If you were to stay in their accommodation they have walks from their doorstep all over the golden valleys, ending up in beauty spots such as Woodchester Lakes or excellent pubs like The Bell Inn at Selsley.
After our wine tasting and tour we drove up the hill to The Bear of Rodborough for an evening meal. The Bear is situated on our favourite common to walk the dogs, Rodborough Common, so we had time for a quick walk and to let the dogs run free before dinner. The Bar area of the Bear has separate rooms filled with tables and chairs where you can enjoy a meal whilst the dogs sleep by your feet. In the summer they have a large lawn with an outdoor bar and seating which we’ll certainly be visiting for lunch after a good dog walk on the common.
It was a little too dark for good photos after the sun went down, but you’ll have to take my word for how good the food was. To start I had Devonshire crab on toast, followed by Beer battered haddock and chips (seeing the prep for Fizz and Chips at the vineyard made me want some of my own!).
We then headed back to Forthay Bed and Breakfast for a wonderful nights sleep. They provided a dog bed and mats so that the dogs could comfortably sleep in our room. The next morning we had a Full English with all the trimmings prepared by Charles and Debs, with local produce such as Gloucester Sausages and Bacon and eggs from their garden. Of course the dogs could join us in the dining room, Woody kept a careful eye in case there were any left overs!
Whether you visit the Cotswolds for the day or for a longer break, we definitely recommend trying out some of the activities we have shared.
Thank you to Cotswold tourism for organising this trip. You can find more suggestions of places to visit over on their website – https://www.cotswolds.com
Thanks for reading,
Megan, Woody & Wilma
The Cotswold Spaniels 