CONTENTS PAGE 4
See our guide to wild swimming.
WINTER WELLBEING
PAGE 10
WOODLAND WALKS
PAGE 16
CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE
WELCOME A warm welcome to our November edition from myself and all the CotswoldXL team.
OUR TEAM Founder Chris Brown
Editor Mide Carter
Magazine Coordinator Kim Raxter
Graphic Designer Cameron Lister
GET IN TOUCH PAGE 26
DOG SAFETY LIGHTS
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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. And November has arrived. A month encompassing the last glorious blaze of autumn and the first real bites of winter. Marked most significantly of course by the seasonal spiral into all things Christmas. I’m all in this year, bring on the jumpers, the sparklers, the hot dogs, the decadent hot chocolates and early Christmas shopping. But most of all I can’t wait to get cosy at home. I’ve promised myself I’m going to watch the entire Harry Potter series before Christmas and begin to bottle up my Blackberry Vodka as gifts and just generally partake in some major pottering – in my pyjamas of course. I can’t get enough of nestling into my home and enjoying the simple pleasures. In Denmark and Norway, they call it ‘Hygge’. Hygge is a way of life that promotes a sense of cosiness, simplicity and being present. It feels like a nourishing and wholesome philosophy for living in general. Anything that encourages us to put down our phones and engage in the reality of our lives and the people around us seems like a good thing to me. However, like all good things there’s
got to be balance and getting outside in the winter is vital to our wellbeing – for inspiration turn to page 4 to find out more in ‘Practical Steps to Winter-proof your Wellbeing’. To keep yourself and your dog safe and seen on the dark nights turn to page 26 for ‘Dog Safety Lights for Winter Walks’. For my warming ‘Easy Chicken Soup Recipe’ turn to Page 16 and to enjoy the magic of autumn turn to Page 10 for the very best of ‘Woodland Walks in the Cotswolds’. I hope you enjoy this issue and the month ahead. Take care, Mide x
PRACTICAL STEPS... TO WINTER-PROOF YOUR WELLBEING The winter can be hard on all of us,
both mentally and physically. The short
1. Get enough light
days, low temperatures and seasonal
Our internal biological clock, or circadian
Combine this with tumultuous weather
dictates all of our physiology – that’s
sickness can really take their toll.
and the cold season can be a difficult time.
We can ease the burden by taking practical and assertive steps to
rhythm, is the internal mechanism that every single process that our body
performs in order to stay alive. It’s mind boggling really.
strengthen our bodies, immune systems
Our circadian rhythm works on a 24-
ahead.
match our physical functions for specific
and minds during the darker days
hour cycle, releasing vital hormones to moments in the day.
All of the active processes in our bodies
We don’t all have to run marathons but
the day and the restorative processes
everyday our minds and our bodies will
are compartmentalised to happen in
happen at night. The different levels of light in the day are vital signals to our
circadian rhythm for our next physical
process. In short, every aspect of how we function is controlled by the rising and
falling of the sun and the light it produces. If we don’t get enough light – particularly
if we push ourselves a little bit more
reap the benefits. Setting realistic goals is vital and there’s a range of apps and
websites out there that can help with this. Joining local exercise groups for
support and motivation can be really effective too.
morning light – then we become sluggish
3. Cut back on the booze
into disarray. With this, our minds and our
we drink is sensible at any time of the
as our physical processes are thrown
bodies become vulnerable, we become
prone to illness and injury, and our mood can take a downward turn.
Light is a crucial and underrated element
Again, we all know monitoring the alcohol year. But in the winter, when our bodies
and minds are more vulnerable, and we
might be looking for quick fixes to difficult days, it pays to be mindful.
in keeping us healthy and happy –
Alcohol can contribute to an array of
having my morning coffee in the garden,
a brief high and then a longer low as we
especially in the winter. I’ve taken to even when it’s cold, to soak up that
morning light. Early walks are an excellent way to soak up the light but just getting
outside as much as we can in the winter is an essential step we can take to help safeguard our wellbeing.
2. Exercise
serious health concerns. It can also give essentially repair from the effects of the alcohol. It can cause an imbalance in
our gut bacteria which can contribute to
inflammation and low mood. Plus, as our bodies recover from over indulgence we are more vulnerable to seasonal bugs and viruses.
Exercise is obviously important at any
Try to have a good chunk of alcohol-free
can be helpful in supporting us against
paying attention to finish your drinks
time of the year. But in the winter, it
seasonal vulnerabilities. For example, if
we exercise every day then we become less likely to succumb to seasonal
viruses. Exercise also releases endorphins that can help manage SAD (Seasonal
Affective Disorder) and keeping our body moving at a time of year when there’s a tendency to over eat and under-move can only be a good thing.
days and when you do drink take it easy, more slowly and drink less overall. We
often kid ourselves that we need more booze than we actually do to have a
good time and our bodies and waistlines will thank us if we limit our intake.
If you’d like to chat to someone about your drinking, you call the national alcohol helpline, Drinkline on Tel: 0300 123 1110.
4. Eat well
Use my list below to kick start some connections;
help our minds and our bodies through
1 - Join a walking group
It’s a no brainer really that eating well will the tough bits of winter and contribute to
our overall wellbeing and health. I’m a fan of the Mediterranean Diet and its benefits are proven. However, I always make a
little space for indulgences because life is pretty boring if we don’t have treats.
I think www.mymediterranean.diet is
an excellent website for inspiration and motivation.
5. Make Connections
Winter can feel long and lonely and we
know that loneliness can seriously impact our health and wellbeing. It can feel
exhausting making the effort in winter but if we’re paying attention to all the
elements I’ve mentioned above it will be easier and it will be worth it.
If you’re struggling with persistent low
mood, then talk to your GP. You will never, ever, be wasting their time and they will be happy to listen and discuss lots of
options with you. They may additionally
signpost you to places that can also help and support you. This is what they are there for.
www.ramblers.org.uk
2 - Download the ‘Meetup’ app to find
people near you who are doing things you love.
3 - Create a WhatsApp group with friends and acquaintances and explain that
you’re looking to combat the winter blues by creating events that don’t centre
around the pub. Propose a film night,
encourage others to make suggestions. 4 - Google local night classes and try
something new that will help you make connections and expand your mind www.findcourses.co.uk 5 - Join a running club
www.runtogether.co.uk
6 - Train for an event www.letsdothis.com 7 - Individually message all your close
friends and get dates in the diary to see them.
8 - Learn a musical instrument www.takelessons.com
9 - Join a choir www.somevoices.co.uk 10 - Volunteer. It’s great way to meet
people and give something back to your
community – google your local volunteer centre. www.tcv.org.uk Words by Mide Carter
You can also call the Samaritans anytime day or night on Tel: 116 123 You can find information on depression and mental health at www.mind.org.uk or www.depressionuk.org - they can also direct you to peer support groups where you can chat with people who might have similar feelings to you.
WOODLAND WALKS IN THE COTSWOLDS
It’s that time of year again when the end of autumn straddles the beginning of winter. Where mother nature gives us her final fiery autumnal blaze and we
the spectacular colours of the many Japanese Maple trees.
anticipate the colder and darker days
http://www.batsarb.co.uk/
and a wonderful time to explore some of
Westonbirt The National Arboretum
has to offer.
Marvellous Westonbirt The National
Find our list below for the very best
acre arboretum with over a staggering
ahead. It really is my favourite season
the glorious woodland that the Cotswolds
Cotswold autumnal displays and winter wanderings to warm your soul. Batsford Arboretum Where better to drink in the seasonal
delights than a garden devoted to trees. Batsford Arboretum near Moreton-
in-Marsh doesn’t disappoint; with a
spectacular range of trees, beautiful
views and a spacious wood clad cafe
it’s well worth a visit. I particularly love
Arboretum sits near Tetbury and is a 6002,500 species of trees. At Westonbirt
you can’t fail to get lost in the glory of
Autumn. Pre-booking is essential at this time of year.
Dogs are welcome. https://www.exploregloucestershire.
Woodchester Park- National Trust
With areas of open common land it
With an unfinished Victorian Gothic
family.
mansion, five lakes, stunning views and
an abundance of woodland and wildlife, Woodchester is mysterious and very
beautiful. It’s situated near Nailsworth in
Gloucestershire and you can take a whole day exploring all the nooks and crannies of the estate.
Dogs are welcome. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk Wychwood Forest – Charlbury Wychwood Forest is a protected nature reserve near Charlbury with acres
of glorious woodland and a rich and fascinating history. There’s also an
abundance of lakes, ponds and streams brimming with wildlife. If you’re feeling
fit, you can take it all in via the 37-mile Wychwood Way or you can opt for a
more leisurely pace and ramble through the reserve letting nature lead you on. Dogs welcome.
https://www.wychwoodforesttrust.co.uk Lineover Wood – Dowdeswell, near Cheltenham
Lineover Woods is a 123-acre wood, south-east of Cheltenham with the
Cotswold Way passing through. It lies on an escarpment formed by Wistley Hill giving really spectacular views –
definitely pack the binoculars. There’s
ancient woodland and a diverse habitat with an array wildlife for you to spot.
makes for a lovely day out for all the Dogs are welcome. https://www.woodlandtrust.org.
EASY CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE It’s the tail end of another glorious autumn and the gentle approach to the beginning of winter. It’s also, officially, peak season for comfort food. And for me there is no other comfort food that hits the spot quite like a hearty soup. My energy levels always begin to dip in November and I feel tired and thoroughly drained by 4 o’clock in the afternoon. I crave rest and hot deeply nourishing food, but I also need things to be really easy. Find my lightly creamy and very easy chicken soup recipe in this article for some deep winter comfort and tons of taste.
DIRECTIONS • Melt the butter and olive oil in a large
casserole dish over medium-high heat
INGREDIENTS - 30g unsalted butter - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1 medium red onion chopped - 1 clove of garlic chopped - 3 large chopped carrots - 3 large celery sticks - 1 tsp of salt - 22.5g of flour - 944ml of good quality chicken stock - 472ml of whole milk - 1 pack of linguine - Torn chicken from 1 large cooked chicken - 3 tbsp frozen peas - 2 sprigs thyme
• Add the onions and let them soften for 3-4 minutes
• Add the garlic, carrots, celery and salt,
stirring continually letting the veg’ soften for 3 minutes
• Then add your flour making sure to coat all the vegetables
• Stir in the stock and milk stirring thoroughly, then add the pasta and thyme and give a
couple of turns of the pepper mill into the pot
• Bring it to the boil, then turn down the heat a
tiny bit and cover for about 8 minutes or 2/3 of your pasta cooking time
• Stir in the chicken and peas, stir and bring
to the boil for about 3 minutes, garnish with
the parsley and serve immediately with some warmed bread if you fancy it. Enjoy!
- Words by Mide Carter
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DOG SAFETY LIGHTS FOR WINTER WALKS As the days shorten, walking our dogs in poor light or even the dark is a
winter-time reality for many of us. Dawn and dusk are dangerous times for dogs
and as owners we want to do the best we can to keep our pets out of harm’s way. Dog safety lights are a really effective way to do this.
Find our pick of the best safety lights on the next pages
- Words by Mide Carter
This rechargeable
1 - PETBRIGHT LED RECHARGEABLE COLLAR
super-bright collar by
PetBright gives a good ten hours run time from a
single charge, making it cost effective and
Priced at £14. https://petbright.co.uk/ products
environmentally friendly.
It’s also weatherproof with
1,000ft visibility and comes in a variety of sizes. The
collar is ideal for shorter haired dogs as it sits snuggly on the neck.
2 - ULTRA LED LIGHT UP DOG LEAD Available for £17.99. https://www.therange. co.uk/petS
Ultra’s 120cm rechargeable light up dog lead is
intuitively illuminated its
full length. There’s three
settings of static, slow
flash and fast flash giving excellent visibility. This Ultra lead is a really practical and
environmentally friendly bit of kit for your dog. Good for walks on dark roads and pathways.
For harness wearing dogs,
3 - KOSKILL LIGHT DOG SAFETY HARNESS
the KosKill is ideal for dark
winter walks. In a variety of sizes, waterproof and with visibility of up to
Priced at around £20
nearly 1,000ft, it offers
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ KOSKILL-Harness
protection for your pet. It’s
excellent practical
also rechargeable with
around a 5-hour battery lifespan.
5 - NITEHOWL LED SAFETY NECKLACE Available from £14. https://www.amazon.co.uk
This LED dog necklace by NiteHowel has universal
sizing and can be cut to
size to fit your dog. It’s also weather-resistant with 1,000ft visibility. Add 60
hours battery run-time and this equals a simple yet
really effective protection
for your dog. Ideal for town walks and particularly
useful if your dog has a
fluffy coat as the necklace can sit on top for more
visibility, unlike a collar.
6 - ORBILOC DOG SAFETY LIGHT
The Orbiloc dog safety light is hardcore. It comes with visibility of up to a
staggering 5km, waterproof Prices start at £18.99 https://www.traininglines. co.uk
to a depth of 100m, and
impact resistance of up to
100kg. It’s more than able to take a few knocks here and there. It also conveniently
and securely fastens on to a harness, lead or collar. For dogs joining outdoor enthusiasts or all terrain
long-distance walkers, the
Orbiloc safety light really is a must.
A WALK AND A PINT AT THE BAKERS ARMS BROAD CAMPDEN. The Cotswolds remains a rural place
very much through-out. Subsequently you can usually find new walking
routes close by relatively easily. We
love to drive just a few villages over and find paths that might lead to
unfamiliar nooks of nature or views we’ve never set eyes on before.
We feel like explorers and I think
that’s something all humans love to experience.
On Saturday, as always, we used
the website ‘U.K. Footpaths Map’ and
found a new route. We knew vaguely where we wanted to begin our walk
and where we wanted to end up – at
The Bakers Arms and roughly a couple of hours walking. We parked up off
road a little way up from the entrance to Stanley’s Quarry on the B4018.
We walked around the gate as there’s a gap on the right not quite visible in the
picture. Then we walked straight ahead along the marked bridleway.
We were flanked by endless fields and
hedgerows – it was delightfully quiet with no obvious signs of footprints to indicate that it’s a path with high foot and paw traffic.
When we reached the sign below, we
turned right and walked beside another We entered the path here and walked down towards the gate ahead.
field. Already too hot we flung out coats around our waists and across our shoulders -what a day!
We reached another gate and carried on.
We reached another gate and went through turning left.
The path was narrow and carved into
the side of a hill. It wasn’t too steep but
steep enough to feel a little different and gave lovely sweeping views. I imagine
this path might feel a little precarious on a muddy winters day but on Saturday it was a joy.
There was superb scenery against a
brilliant blue sky and the path rising and falling with the hills was easy to follow.
It led us past some railings on the right We followed the path which led us
through bushes still laden with plump blackberries.
and into another field where we could see Broad Campden below.
Then through a field and over another
stile and into the final field down that led down into the village. The path brings you out directly opposite The Bakers Arms, but we wandered around the
village first taking in the particularly
lovely St Michaels church and the bench perched on a hill beside it.
WALKING GRADES:
1
Relaxed pace, stopping along the
2
Good paths and walks are a bit
way. Walking experience isn’t necessary.
longer. Some walks, particularly mountain areas may have areas over rough or steeper terrain. Then we headed ravenously to The Bakers Arms for some lunch and a pint.
It’s a traditional old pub inside and out. It’s charismatic, cosy and delightfully unpretentious interior draws you in
easily. It’s clear to see why locals and
tourists flock here. It’s retained a sense of simplicity and history that people crave. I ordered the veggie burger and my
other half ham, egg and chips. It was
delightfully tasty well-made English food. His pint was aptly named Hill Climb and he thoroughly enjoyed it.
I won’t lie the walk back was harder. Our bellies were full and our heads a little
sleepy and who wouldn’t want to stay
nestled in the Bakers Arms whiling away a Saturday afternoon. But once we were
on our way, retracing our steps it was just lovely.
I’d give this walk a 2- walking grade. - Words by Mide Carter
3
Walks follow well-defined paths,
though often in hilly or up-land areas or along rugged coastal footpaths. These may be rough or steep in sections and will require reasonable fitness.
4
Long distances in remote countryside
and on rough terrain. You can expect
some ascents and descents; there may be occasional sections of scree (loose mountain stone) and steep ground.
5
Good fitness and stamina required.
Expect rocky terrain with sustained
ascents and descents. Walks may include high summit and ridges.
6
Most challenging walks where high
levels of fitness and stamina are required. Walks will be long and strenuous in difficult mountain terrain.