There's no place like the English countryside

It struck me, as I was driving through Salisbury Plain on my way home last weekend, just how pretty this good old land of ours is. We often moan about England: the weather, the taxes, the politicians. But one thing we certainly cannot deny our Great Britannia is her stunning countryside. There are these small pockets of the country that are so idyllic, so unaffected, so picture-perfect that they really are quite a sight to behold.

Salisbury Plain

Image courtesy of www.flickr.com

As it happened, I was on route back from just such a place when we hit the plain. I had spent what turned out to be a glorious bank holiday weekend in Urchfont, a charming little village nestled away in the Wiltshire countryside.

Urchfont is one of the those rare places in the world where you feel that time has literally stopped. Thatched roofs atop quaint black and white cottages, decorated with hanging baskets, line the narrow, impeccably clean roads. The quaint community shop, which also masquerades as the Post Office, stocks an array of great British produce; jam, eggs, fresh vegetables, bread and milk. The Post Office is run by a Postmistress; it's so quintessentially British it's not true. But it is also such a sweet place that even a born-and-bred city girl like me cannot help but be charmed by Urchfont's loveliness.

Urchfont community shop 

Image courtesy of urchfont-pc.gov.uk

I was here, not merely to soak up the sun in the pretty surrounds, but also for the village's 16th annual scarecrow festival. I know what you're thinking: it sounds muddy, smelly and slightly boring, much like the countryside itself. Well, I'm afraid those rash assumptions would be wrong.

Aside from the picturesque setting the actual festival itself was great fun. The whole village gets involved, creating scarecrows according to a particular theme- this year was musicians and singers- and proudly display them in their front gardens. I was particularly taken with a Mick Jagger scarecrow with gigantic papier mache lips and Kurt Cobain, who I found smashing up yet another guitar on someone's front lawn.

Mick Jagger's colourful performance at 

Urchfont's scarecrow festival

Visitors- who come from as far as Newcastle and Scotland- then spend the weekend walking around the village identifying the scarecrows and enjoying the local ales. (Note: the green ale, served especially for the event, is worth a sup and the freshly made veggie burgers were so yummy I also ate them for breakfast!)

For anyone wanting a weekend escape in the country, Urchfont is ideal. The relaxed atmosphere and friendly residents will ensure that you want return and soon. Besides, where else in the country could you walk down the driveway to be met by a pair of sunbathing geese?

Sunbathing geese