A weekend in Shakespeare’s county

By Tess De Klerk

The medieval market town of StratfordUpon-Avon is, of course, the place where The Bard was born, lived in his youth and later passed away. It is a must-see for loyal Shakespeare fans and a pleasant get-away for anyone who enjoys a peek at the past. The entire town is steeped in history and its location on the banks of the steadfast River Avon adds to the atmosphere of this pretty and immemorial town.

As expected, the Shakespeare theme is EVERYWHERE and our short trip didn’t allow us to experience it all but I can recommend a visit to Shakespeare’s Birthplace, his 16th century childhood home, for a fascinating glimpse into their daily Tudor-era lives. Who knew that wealthy men easily spent the equivalent value of a new car today on a pair of fancy gloves back then. Showing off by hanging their gloves on the outside of their waistbands – peacocking through the ages! Anne Hathaway’s interesting cottage is not to be missed. About a mile out of town with plenty of parking but I suggest taking the footpath there when the weather permits. Members of staff were impressive in their knowedge and passion while the cottage gardens and accompanying apple orchard were a definite highlight in the happy weather.

n Watch a play at the famous Royal

Shakespeare Company Theatre n Stroll along the River Avon (feed the geese at your own peril) n Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace n Picnic in the gardens of

Anne Hathaway’s cottage n Learn a lot at Stratford-Upon-Avon

Butterfly Farm

WHAT A MEAL

Restaurants and cafes abound in Stratford Upon Avon and you’re spoilt for choice with more offerings of cream tea than one can shake a butter knife at. We opted to give tea a miss in anticipation of our supper at chef Mike Robinson’s restaurant, The Woodsman. And was I pleased that we skipped tea that day! I can attest to my meal being the most remarkable I’d had in a long time; the grilled Galician octopus tender and flavourful while my main of grilled haunch of wild fallow deer with venison sausage, sand carrot & smoked prune ketchup was ambrosia in each and every bite. Each plate felt like an experience in itself and the drinks menu was superb too. Honestly, I can’t praise the kitchen at The Woodsman highly enough. Anne Hathaway’s cottage Butterfly farm

Hotel Indigo

OUR STAY AT HOTEL INDIGO STRATFORD-UPON-AVON Our hotel, the lovely Hotel Indigo Stratford Upon Avon must have the best location possible - in the old town, opposite Shakespeare’s last home, a hop, skip and jump away from the river and The Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre. I appreciate how the Hotel Indigo chain always focuses on the unique characteristics of the surrounding area when designing their boutique hotels, how each hotel has its own quirks and characteristics and Stratford is no exception. The hotel is partly in the original building of an old Tudor inn, The Falcon Inn, with the building dating back to 1624! Just stepping into that part of the hotel, with its heavy wooden beams and huge fireplaces transports a person back to Elizabethan England. The building manages to heave with history while being as comfortable as any modern hotel.

For the experience, I recommend booking a room in the Tudor or Georgian parts of the hotel but if unavailable don’t fret, our room was in the modern extension and was comfy and lovely with a spa-inspred bathroom, Egyptian cotton linens and stocked mini-bar. Make a point of having a cocktail or two in the gorgeous garden, a treat in itself.

We enjoyed walking in the Bard’s footsteps for a quick weekend getaway; there is a lot of history preserved in this small town and the beauty of the surrounding nature left an impression too. I could easily return, even if only for another meal in the superb Woodsman! And I’d happily book a stay at Hotel Indigo Stratford-Upon-Avon again too.