Jeff and I are steadfast city-dwellers, through-and-through. While many 30-somethings dream of owning a big house in a fancy suburb, we prefer to call a few square feet of an urban rental our home and have a whole city at our doorstep to explore.
With this mentality, London is an ideal place for us. It’s a city in which it’s impossible to become bored and with everything on offer, it’s easy to never leave. As such, I’m ashamed to admit that a weekend getaway to the countryside is something we’ve been ‘meaning to do’ and it’s taken a whole year for us to get around to it.
Because I’ve been ‘soooo busy’ with life in London, I left it to Jeff to secure the plans for our recent weekend escape to The Cotswolds. He booked us in at The Painswick Hotel. As we rolled into town, my pre-trip fears of being stranded in a tiny country village and plagued by boredom seemed to be warranted. It’s as sleepy of a place as they come with nothing but rolling hills, a couple of pubs, and one very, very old church. There isn’t even a charming boutique or dusty antique shop in which one can buy something totally unnecessary.
But when we arrived at the hotel and checked into our plush room, suddenly the pull of the big city fell away. A wholly unexpected process of unwinding began as I retreated into the characteristic charms of the countryside:
The Fresh Air That Clears Your Head
London earned its nickname ‘The Big Smoke’ in the 1800’s because of its characteristic smog. Sadly, the nickname is still relevant today as London’s air pollution levels are some of the highest globally. When your body is used to toxic levels of nitrogen dioxide, a big gulp of fresh country air can really do wonders for your headspace.
The Hotel That Begs You To Stay
Oh The Painswick Hotel…. This hotel really warrants (and will likely get) a dedicated post singing its praises. Until then, all I will say is that I was wholly unsurprised when on the second morning of our stay we woke up to this Sunday Times article putting it on the tippy TOP of its Ultimate 100 British Hotels 2016 list. The accommodations, decor, service, and food are all the best of the best and allow guests to truly relax to the max.
The Quiet That Lulls You To Sleep
Leading up to the trip, the combination of some nocturnal neighbors and one nocturnal bun in the oven had me running on a string of sleepless nights. But Painswick’s stillness and absolute quiet was like a lullaby that cured my insomnia and had me clocking in 10-hour slumbers every night.
When I awoke after the first night, I was overcome by a level of calmness and relaxation that I hadn’t felt in months. If I were into taking muscle relaxers for pleasure, this is what I imagine the perfect dose would feel like. This zen-like state triggered a mini epiphany: In London, I seem to operate under a base-line level of anxiety that I was somewhat oblivious to until it was entirely eliminated. I move about with a pulse to my day that is like a drum beat and that doesn’t let up from my morning workout, through the work day, and into my evening wrap-up routine. Even when I think I’m relaxing, my mind is still churning and often going a million miles a minute. And this is WITH my daily mediation practice (which is squeezed in precisely between the time I get home from work and before I begin to cook dinner…)
I imagine (and selfishly am hopeful) that this state of existence rings true for most people. Had I known how unbelievably restorative 48-hours outside of The Big Smoke could be, I would have escaped much sooner. If my reality feels at all familiar, I encourage you to find a getaway that is an hour or two away from you. If you think you don’t need a break, you don’t have time for the break, can’t afford the break, or wonder ‘what will I do out there?’, just make a run for it and hit the road. Once you get a blast of your own local countryside and relaxation mode kicks in, I assure you that there will be be no looking back.
Barbara Greaney says
The Cottswalds were a favorite part of one of the several trips to England that I have taken….so few Americans go there and it is so very beautiful and restorative as you said so well Emily. I also went to my first stone circle there, and visited the village of Tea. It’s all just a train ride from London.
emilygreaney says
Thank you for your lovely comment Barb! I’m so glad to hear you’ve gotten to experience and enjoy The Cotswolds too. We’ll have to check out the village of Tea next time. It sounds very quaint. Where else have your England travels taken you? We are going to be looking to book some car trips once the little one joins us in January. Hope all is well!