Reasons To Be Cheerful

Sue Limb suggests we forget about the woes of Parliament for a while and get ourselves along to Stroud for five days of jolly good fun

If Clouds Were Sheep

Former Cotswold Life journalist Sue Andrews talks about pedigree Texel sheep, her new book and how dreams can grow from small beginnings

Friends United

An horrific accident led to Stroud artist Sophie Hughes taking her work in a whole new direction, says Tracy Spiers, and now she’s teaming up with ceramicist and friend Anne James for a joint exhibition

The Wild World Of Nat Morley

Gloucestershire artist Nat Morley’s woodcut prints and oil paintings are as distinctive as the artist herself

The Pleasures Of Farmland

Adrian Cannon, rural partner at Tayler & Fletcher, extols the very real rewards of owning farmland

The Peter Wyton Poem

Hallowe’en, scary scene.

The Abbey Habit

Julian Fellowes is at this month’s Cheltenham Literature Festival, talking about the hotly-anticipated new Downton Abbey – yes, it’s out! – film. Katie Jarvis (who had a sneak movie preview) chatted to him about royalty, loyalty, courtesy and costumes

Rise Of The Silver Gamer

It’s not just teenagers who are obsessed with video games – up and down the country the older generation are grabbing the controls for themselves

October Highlights

Watch out for.

Naples Comes To Northleach

The takeaway woes of the soggy brown bag are no more as a pizza explosion hits the Cotswolds

Made By Ethan

Bob might have his name above the door, but there’s a new driving force behind this Cirencester star

Living It Up In The Land Of The Free

‘They had London Bridge dismantled and rebuilt in the burning 45C heat of the desert… they actually thought that they were getting Tower Bridge but, still, you’ve got to admire their chutzpah’

Feels Like Coming Home

‘It took a while to sink in. I was home but I didn’t have to do anything’

Feedback

We want to hear from you! Email letters@cotswoldlife.co.uk or write to Cotswold Life Feedback, Cumberland House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, GL50 1BB

Don't mention the M-word

Katie Jarvis reviews Durrants Hotel in London (and thinks you’ll like it), but doesn’t mention the marathon. Not once

Dodging That Deadline

‘Tedious jobs I can happily ignore for months on end. Until, that is, I have a book to write’

Big Cat Diary

Jaguar is on a roll with the revamped XE saloon and the high-performance F-Pace SVR proving that the British brand has lost none of its flair

The Pyramids Of Paul Nash

A gentle amble from picturesque Dorchester-on-Thames, over the river and up two of the most painted hills in Oxfordshire

The Farming Year - Autumn

So what do farmers actually do from dayto-day and week-to-week? In the first of a quarterly series, Katie Jarvis finds out

The Saviours Of The Severn

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Severn Area Rescue Association in Tewkesbury. Tracy Spiers meets with the extraordinary men and women who give up their time to rescue strangers

When Variety Is The Spice Of Life

Much-loved actor-comedian Roy Hudd is starring in a Woman of No Importance at Cheltenham’s Everyman theatre this month. Katie Jarvis spoke to him about music-hall songs, variety theatre, the genius of Ken Dodd… and finally finding each other

Up A Lazy River

With its sun-stained Cotswold stone buildings and the lazy River Windrush flowing through its centre, Bourton-on-the-Water is an idyllic destination for tourists and locals alike, says Anna Bailey

Stow's Artistic Stars

From September 28 until October 6 a showcase series of events focusing on new and established artists will be making waves in the Cotswold town of Stow-on-the-Wold

I'm Just A Girl Who Can't Say ‘No'

‘I’d rather poke my own eye out than tell people that I don’t have time to help them’

Ragtime To Radiohead

World-class muscians will be descending on Tetbury at the end of this month to play in the beautiful parish church of St Mary’s. Among them is musical prodigy Derek Paravicini

Going For Silver At Malvern

Malvern Autumn Show returns for its 25th anniversary celebration

New Adventures Lie Ahead...

...but will they live up to the varied and enjoyable summer we have had?

Heaven Is A Place On Earth

‘I’m sorry to break it you, people of the Cotswolds, but there is no more beautiful part of Britain than the area between the Quantocks and the Bristol Channel’

Enrapt By Raptors

Tracy Spiers returns to wonderful Warwick Castle to witness an aerial display unlike any other, while also getting immersed in living history, from trebuchet and Tudors to battles and banquets

Are You Being Served?

September 8 is National Waiters Day, promoting front-of-house as a fantastic job with plenty of opportunities. Why do we need such a day? Well while we value our skilled waiter when we sit down for a meal, we all-too-often disparage waiting as not a ‘proper’ career