SAGA SHOP - Haust I Fall 2019

68 Icelandair Stopover After touchdown in London, beeline to the air- port’s rental car stations, then set the GPS west towards the Cotswolds . This 770 square- mile (2,000 square-kilometer) section of roll- ing forest, dotted with quaint limestone-lined villages, was designated as the UK’s largest “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” in 1966. The A40 Motorway will take you into the heart of the region, but you’ll eventually follow A44 in the direction of Chipping Camden . A market town of just over 2,200 residents, its terraced main street owns architecture dating back to the 14 th century. Honey-hued stone is fashioned into gatehouses and storefronts; fresh produce and sundries line the windows. Stop for a pint and pie at the Bakers Arm , a proper country pub with four local ales on tap. OUR DESTINATIONS: ROAD TRIP OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE England welcomes more than 30 million visitors a year. The vast majority don’t make it beyond London, while in England’s countryside there awaits hundreds of years of history, well-preserved and under-explored. Here are a few journeys worth driving for. rooms fit for a king—literally (both Charles I and Oliver Cromwell stayed here, though not on the same night). The off-lobby rest- aurant modernizes classic fare such as beef Wellington with elegant aplomb. If you’re not afraid of a few hours on the road, head north on the M1 towards the idyllic expanses of Yorkshire . Stop at Nottingham along the way to explore the City of Caves —a subterranean sand- stone labyrinth from the Dark Ages. Veer east on A64 for lunch within the walled city of York . Waddle your way through the Meander 10 minutes more through undulating farmland and you’ll arrive in Broadway , the so-called “Jewel of the Cotswolds.” It’s home to an eponymous tower, a 66-ft (20-m) tall stone folly dating back to 1794. Ticketed visitors can climb to the top from 10 am to 5 pm daily for unencumbered views of verdant meadows rippling out into the distant horizon. Book your overnight at the Lygon Arms , a four-star luxury “coach- ing inn” seated at the center of town. Inside the 700-year-old property are a series of cozy parlors built around hearths, and TEXT AND PHOTOS BY BRAD JAPHE.