Proximity

I used to think that moving to the countryside meant giving up convenience. You know the cliché: living in the middle of nowhere, driving an hour for a loaf of bread, and dealing with internet speeds from the dial-up era. But after settling into The Cotswolds, I’ve realised that “remote” doesn’t have to mean “disconnected.” In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

I was looking at our daily routine recently, and it hit me just how easy everything is here.

It starts with Alex. His school is less than five minutes from our front door. There’s no frantic morning rush, no battling gridlock traffic – just a short, easy walk. And it’s not just the school. Right here in our village, we have everything we actually need. A grocery store for the essentials, a pharmacy, a gym, and even a business centre. And strangely enough, considering the location, the broadband here is actually much better than any place I lived in London.

It is perfect for families with kids, with plenty of playgrounds dotted around. And when we want to burn off some energy, there are endless paths to walk or run, winding right through some of the most gorgeous scenery in the British countryside.

But the real magic happens when you widen the lens a little. Draw a 20-mile radius around our home, and you suddenly have access to a life that feels incredibly rich. We’ve got specialty coffee shops that rival anything in Shoreditch, cozy pubs with lovely fireplaces, and Michelin-star restaurants for those special occasions. And it’s not just the fun stuff; the infrastructure is solid. Boutique shops, big grocery stores, farm shops, electric car chargers, hospitals, banks, post offices – it’s all right there.

There is a funny juxtaposition to life here. You look out the window and see rolling hills and cottages that have stood since the 1600s – a landscape that feels frozen in time. Yet, we aren’t living in the past. We have the infrastructure of a modern city wrapped in the quiet of the countryside. It feels like a life hack. You get the history and the views, but you don’t have to compromise on the comfort.

And if we ever do crave the chaos of a big city, we aren’t exactly cut off. We are surprisingly well-connected to some of the biggest hubs in the country. London, Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford, and Bath are all within easy reach. It’s the best of both worlds – peace and quiet on your doorstep, with the buzz of the city just a train ride or a drive away.

I suppose that’s why so many celebrities call the Cotswolds home. They can hide away in these quiet hills, enjoying the privacy and the beauty, while still being close enough to the action when they need to be.

It has taken a little while to sink in. But looking back now, after more than five years of living full-time in the Cotswolds, the feeling has finally settled. It feels like we have truly put down roots. We finally call it home.