Burford was the place we spent our first night in the UK when we moved back here last year, being roughly equidistant from Dover and Manchester on our drive up north. It was a lucky pick in the end, as we fell in love with the attractive town and its sloping main street and so instead of making another trip to our beloved Lake District this year, we decided to enjoy a two night stay in Burford instead, seeing some of the sights that we had to miss first time around.
As short stays can be fairly hectic when you want to try and cram as much in as possible, we put together this guide on what we consider the best things to do in and around the town if you’re short on time.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the historic Highway Inn, located right on the main street running through Burford. The building dates back as far as 1480, and still retains much of its quirky charm and character, including exposed beams in the rooms.
We loved the special little touches provided here, including a decanter of sherry in the rooms to enjoy as a nightcap. Breakfast is freshly-cooked, using delicious local ingredients and is one of the few places we’ve stayed where we can honestly say that the vegetarian breakfast options were just as tasty as the meat variety.
Where (and What) to Eat
Of course food is of the utmost importance to the success of a trip, particularly when you are short on time, and we’re pleased to report that we didn’t eat one bad meal during our whole two-day stay in Burford.
The local tea room and bakery, Huffkins, is the perfect place to enjoy lunch, particularly their budget-friendly afternoon tea. A huge platter of freshly-made sandwiches accompany cakes and scones (you get to choose between fruit, plain or cheese scones which is a really nice touch) and a pot of tea or coffee.
Once you’ve eaten in the café, you can get 10% off your bill next door in the bakery, so be sure to pop in and pick up a lardy cake. These traditional English tea cakes are a little like fruit-spiked sticky cinnamon rolls and are best eaten warm.
Burford isn’t short of wonderful pubs serving food, but we’d highly recommend an evening meal at the Highway Inn, where we stayed. The portions were big, the food was all homemade (the chicken burger was perhaps the best I’ve ever eaten, and the homemade coleslaw that accompanied it was a delight) plus the staff are friendly.
On your second night, be sure to head to The Lamb Inn. This gorgeous, cosy inn has a 3 AA Rosette restaurant serving delicious tasting menus and haute cuisine – just be sure to make a reservation. If you don’t want anything that fancy, you can dine in the pub, as we did, and enjoy an equally-as-delicious bar menu filled with pub favourites and lighter bites. We enjoyed a seafood sharing platter and a hefty portion of chips, and it was a lovely experience to be able to take our dog and sit close to the fireplace with a glass of bubbly in hand.
Walks to Enjoy
You can’t stay in Burford and not take at least one scenic walk.
From Burford to The Swan Inn – This walk crosses the River Windrush and passes through fields, hamlets and wooded areas until you reach the picturesque village of Swinbrook and the equally-as-attractive Swan Inn, owned by the estate of the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire. The pub is a great place for a drink or bite to eat, and even starred as a location in Downton Abbey. The walk takes around one and a half hours.
From Burford to The Fox Inn, Great Barrington – This walk takes around one hour, and winds past fields, village churches and streams. It ends at The Fox Inn, a historic pub with a great riverside setting and a beer garden that is perfect for the summer months.
From Lower Slaughter to Upper Slaughter – You will need to take a car or public transport to nearby Lower Slaughter to start this walk, which is a gentle, short trek of about 20 minutes, but which takes you through lush green fields from one quaint village to another. There isn’t much to do in either village (they don’t particularly cater to tourists, so don’t expect pubs and cafes), but the villages themselves are picturesque and the walk is one of the most pleasant in the region. Look out for the kissing gate featuring a plaque commemorating Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981.
Day Trips to Take
What with all the eating, drinking and walking, you probably won’t have much time to do anything else. But do try and squeeze in a visit to the nearby village of Bampton, particularly if you are a Downton Abbey fan, as this is the home of the fictional village of ‘Downton’.
So there you have it: a two day stay in Burford filled with great food, pretty scenery, attractive villages and local pubs. What more could you want?
So charming! I can’t wait to visit one of these days!