Friday 24 November 2017

Cotswold Lavender Photo Shoot

Over the summer we had the pleasure of joining Megan Williams for a dog photo shoot at Cotswold Lavender. I'd seen some of her work previously and hoped she'd be able to make Barney look as good as the other dogs she'd photographed!

Cotswold Lavender is a third generation family farm set in the Cotswold Hills near Broadway. The farm is home to 53 acres of lavender fields, initially planted in 2000. The lavender is farmed before being harvested and essential oils extracted. If you visit the farm you can walk amongst the lavender, visit the tea rooms and buy various lavender scented items from the gift shop. Unfortunately dogs aren't allowed indoors, but luckily there is plenty of room to sit outside with your canine companion whilst you enjoy a cup of tea. 

We visited in July, which was a perfect time. The lavender smelled amazing and the colours were stunning. We arrived and met up with Megan, she was lovely and Barney took to her immediately. We stopped at various spots around the lavender field for photographs to get plenty of variety. Barney had a great time, sitting, waiting, running, jumping... He had a whale of a time and it made for great photographs.

Now, onto the important bit, these are Megan's amazing photographs!

I couldn't be happier with these photographs, Megan's incredibly talented, patient and knows how to get the best out of your four-legged friend. If you're in the Cotswold area and are looking for photographs of your faithful friend you can't go wrong with her. You can contact her through her website.

If you'd like to visit Cotswold Lavender, you can get information on their website

Friday 17 November 2017

A (dog) walk in the park - Stanton Park

Stanton Park is a country park to the north-east of Swindon, it features a large lake and extensive woodland and parkland. Stanton Park was the site of a Roman Villa from around 200 AD, although there is no remaining visible sign today. The park opened in 2000 and has been further developed since that date. 

The park covers 185 acres, its tranquillity and unspoiled nature is the main draw and there are few facilities. The tea room only opens at weekends and the only other facilities are public toilets. However, due to the lack of facilities, parking is free. If you're visiting during the week and need refreshments, there is a hotel nearby which may be worth a try. 
Stanton House hotel, next to the park
It's a perfect spot for a good walk, we often go out through the woods, around the parkland and then back skirting the lake, but there are other paths you can take. The area obviously gets less busy the further away from the entrance you get, so Barney has plenty of opportunity for a good run off lead.
Various options for walks
We've been lucky with the weather on our last couple of visits, but it's a good spot to visit whatever time of year. 
Plenty of space to roam
Thanking my lucky cards that Barney isn't a swimmer!
Beautiful, whatever the weather