Tiny Cotswolds village with popular garden centre and ‘dinosaur’ tree that welcomed very famous A-lister this week
THE Cotswolds are well-known for having celebrity visitors and the tiny village of Batsford even welcomed an unlikely A-Lister this week.
Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively was spotted there earlier this week on a visit to the region.
Blake Lively posted snaps of herself exploring the English countryside, including a tiny spot called Batsford.
She and her family visited the Falconry Centre – which coincidentally is right next to Batsford Arboretum, one of the biggest attractions in the area.
Batsford Arboretum is home to a unique collection of some of the world’s most beautiful and rare trees, shrubs and bamboos all spread across 60 acres.
There are over 1,500 tree species from Japanese maples to pines and oaks.
One of the rarest is nicknamed the ‘dinosaur tree’.
The species was believed to be extinct for two million years before it was discovered in 1994.
Two of its off-spring were then planted at Batsford Arboretum in 2007 – and you can see them there today.
The arboretum brings in lots of visitors and is open year-round, but lots say one of the best times to go is in autumn when the leaves change colour.
Another added: “The arboretum is interesting whatever the season. From snowdrops through to autumn displays.
“Even in the depth of winter it is a pleasure to appreciate the architectural structure of the mature trees – and somewhere there is always something in flower. The collection of Daphnes is particularly noteworthy.”
However, it’s also one of the best places to see cherry blossom in the UK from late March through and April.
Tickets into Batsford Arboretum for adults start from £10.90 and day tickets for children start from £3.15.
It also has a visitor centre where the café, garden centre and gift shop are – all of which are completely free to enter.
One visitor even called it “the best I’ve been to in a long time.”
After having a gander around the plants, head to the café which serves lunch, and a range of freshly baked cakes.
The huge Batsford House is on the estate of a Victorian country house built in 1892, but is a private residence and isn’t open to the public.
Blake Lively was in the Cotswolds visiting former Celebrity Bake Off judge, Prue Leith, who lives just 5-minutes from Batsford in Moreton-in-Marsh.
Blake Lively and her family set up shop at Soho Farmhouse in Great Tew which opened 10 years ago.
The hotel is surrounded by 100 acres of countryside, and has 113 bedrooms, cabins along with a health club, spa and gym.
There are indoor and outdoor pools, sunken hot tubs as well as plenty of activities like horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, tennis and padel.
When it comes to celebrities, Blake Lively isn’t the only one that’s been spotted in the Cotswolds.
The ‘golden triangle’ covers the most popular towns in the area; Chipping Norton, Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford.
Chipping Norton is where a number of celebrities live like the Beckhams, Jeremy Clarkson and Kate Moss.
It’s also home to Clarkson’s famous farm Diddly Squat.
Stow-on-the-Wold is said to be one of the UK’s prettiest towns and uniquely claims to have the most photographed door.
This was rumoured to have inspired Lord of The Rings author J.R.R Tolkien’s book Doors Of Durin.
Burford is a pretty Cotswolds town dotted with lots of independent shops and a popular garden centre.
Beyonce and Jay Z were rumoured to have been spotted there before.
Here’s more on the stunning Cotswolds village with its own sandy beach and lagoon – miles from the English seaside.
And Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey, who grew up in the Cotswolds, reveals her favourite town to visit.