Top 10 hotels in Oxfordshire

Ellie Cox

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Ellie Cox

Taking a tour through Round & About county, here the Good Hotel Guide invites you to explore 10 of the top hotels in Oxfordshire.

Offering warm and welcoming places to rest, relax, wine and dine as we head into the autumn months, from pubs with rooms to Michelin Star dining destinations, romantic trips to getaways with friends, here’s to hotel stays from picturesque villages to the city centre.

The Feathered Nest, Chipping Norton

The Feathered Nest Country Inn – Cotswolds Pub, Restaurant & Rooms (thefeatherednestinn.co.uk)

Sitting proudly overlooking the Evenlode Valley, The Feathered Nest is an enchanting restaurant-with-rooms in a former 18th-century malthouse. The gastropub-with-rooms is well known for its food courtesy of newly promoted head chef Rene Pinedo, who takes inspiration from his Caribbean roots with a special focus on seafood and open grill cooking. Interiors offer a cosy atmosphere is keeping with the best of pub experiences, with a crackling fire to enjoy when the weather is cold. Guests staying overnight are treated to welcoming details including home-baked biscuits, an espresso machine and Bramley toiletries and individual style.

The Double Red Duke, Bampton

Double Red Duke | Cotswolds | Country Creatures 

The Double Red Duke is owned by Georgie and Sam Pearman – a 17th-century Cotswold stone inn turned pub-with-rooms. The Duke combines heritage architecture with country-chic style, including carefully designed rooms that feature luxurious fabrics, hand-blocked wallpaper and wooden furniture. Food is not your average pub grub – they grill meat and fish over charcoal, cherry and apple wood to add that little extra flourish.

Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton

Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons | Raymond Blanc, Oxford (belmond.com)

The 15th-century manor house where Raymond Blanc has held two Michelin stars since 1984, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons is the epitome of good taste. Now with a green star for sustainability as well, it’s surrounded by magnificent gardens where many of the ingredients for their cooking are grown. The hotel is an enchanting honey-stone building framed by lavender-fringed pathways. The grounds are delightful and inside the rooms are opulent details that range from four-poster beds to silk wallpapers and a decanter of Madeira. The menu is an ever-changing feast of gastronomic delights – with dishes such as roast pigeon, celeriac and prune ketchup or Jerusalem artichoke, leek and truffle.

The Old Parsonage Hotel, Oxford

Old Parsonage Hotel | Luxury 5-Star Hotel in Oxford

In a 17th-century stone manor house, the Old Parsonage is an intimate hotel that sits behind historic gates and welcomes you with open arms. Inside guests find sophisticated and immaculate interiors, with some rooms featuring a Juliet balcony or private terrace. There’s always a hand-written welcome note and a beautifully presented collection of stories by the shortlisted entrants to the annual Mogford Prize, as well as details such as a marble-clad bathroom with under-floor heating and Noble Isle toiletries. At meals, settle into the cosy restaurant and dine on sophisticated dishes such as crispy potato terrine or lamb rump with wild garlic sauce.

The Lamb Inn, Burford

https://www.cotswold-inns-hotels.co.uk/the-lamb-inn

The Lamb Inn is located in the historic market town of Burford on the River Windrush, and has been welcoming guests since the 1750s. Once a collection of 16th-century cottages, it retains plenty of nods to the property’s history with mullioned windows and a log fireplace sitting alongside beautiful interiors that envelop you as you walk in. Luxury touches such as artisan coffee and Molton Brown toiletries are ready and waiting in your room. Meanwhile, food and drink range from a sumptuous dinner menu to light bites throughout the day, sharing platters and a delectable afternoon tea.

Artist Residence Oxfordshire, South Leigh

https://www.artistresidence.co.uk/oxfordshire

An idyllic retreat at the gateway to the picture-perfect Cotswolds, the Artist Residence Oxfordshire is part of the boutique Artist Residence collection of destinations serving up immaculate and individual style. Fun and welcoming, at first it appears as a classic pub, but on entering you discover a world of original inglenook fireplaces and flagstone floors flanked by House of Hackney wallpapers and contemporary art. Food and drink consist of pub grub and a ready supply of local ales, all served under an unassuming thatched roof.

The Wild Rabbit, Chipping Norton

The Wild Rabbit: Award-Winning Restaurant, Pub Rooms & Cottages

An award-winning pub-with-rooms, The Wild Rabbit is an enchanting destination that’s been tastefully styled. Warm and welcoming but with an undeniable elegance, food is at the heart of the experience, serving up seasonal fare on an ever-changing menu depending on which produce is fresh from Daylesford’s organic market garden. The bar and terrace are popular places to relax with a drink, while guests staying overnight can enjoy creature comforts in the stylish rooms above the inn. The colour palette draws on the natural world outside, featuring soothing hues such as a bay-coloured bridle leather and rust-coloured hemp and linen.

The Old Bank Hotel, Oxford

Old Bank Hotel | Luxury Five Star Hotel in Oxford

Close to the Bodleian Library, this five-star boutique hotel is beloved for its high standards and lively restaurant. A three-story stone building in a converted bank, it cuts an impressive figure on the Oxford landscape, delivering unrivalled views of the city’s world-famous landmarks, while inside are high ceilings and an art collection including works by Stanley Spencer. The sense of traditional grandeur is juxtaposed by inherently modern hospitality and aesthetic updates. Amongst its many noteworthy features is the Quod restaurant, a lively ground-floor hub serving up European classics, afternoon teas, and sundowners on the Italian garden terrace.

The Harcourt Arms, Witney

The Harcourt Arms – The Ultimate Village Pub Experience

A charming 17th-century inn, close to Oxford and on the cusp of the Cotswolds, The Harcourt Arms serves award-winning food and is wonderfully stylish. The social hub of the villages, visitors instantly feel a sense of conviviality, whether popping by for dinner, to visit the deli or to enjoy a drink. Contemporary updates are offset by retained historic features and for all its elegance it’s also warm and welcoming. Some elements are particularly grand, like the four-poster bed and a stand-alone copper bath in The Blenheim Suite. The restaurant meanwhile serves pub classics alongside its more elaborate offerings, and it’s surrounded by a half an acre of gardens, so you can sit outside with your drink when the sun shines or simply enjoy the view.

The George Inn, Banbury

The George Inn | Barford St Michael | Near Oxford (thegeorgebarford.co.uk)

In a honey-coloured stone, well off the beaten track, The George Inn is a renovated 17th-century thatched inn turned gastropub-with-rooms. A hub of the community, with eclectic style, it combines beams, inglenook fireplaces and flagstone floors with Buddy Holly prints, fifties film posters and an image of George V in ermine. There are three chic bedrooms above the pub and six in converted stables, complete with underfloor heating, a coffee machine, handmade truffles and botanical toiletries. Dining at the inn is a sensory feast, with details ranging from delicious home-made brownies to breakfasts of fresh pastries, butcher’s sausages, sourdough toast, local jams, porridge with Transylvanian acacia honey.

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All-round support

Karen Neville

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Karen Neville

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Join The Big Oxford Hike of Menopause and Cancer this month

Dig out your hiking boots and get outdoors this September, all for a good cause. Menopause and Cancer’s Big Oxford Hike is back!

Join the Move with Menopause and Cancer Challenge for a two-day marathon hike through the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, raising money and making friends along the way.

The hike will start at Aynho Wharf and finish in Oxford – everyone is welcome and you can join for both days or just one on 28th and 29th September.

The hike will raise money to support the thousands of UK women each year who experience cancer-induced menopause. Many women experience debilitating mental and physical symptoms and many say they have had no help in managing this.

One in two women get a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives. For 90% of women over 40 and 40% of those under 40, cancer treatment will push them into menopause.

Menopause and Cancer helps to ensure no one goes through this alone and works to help improve cancer survivors’ quality of life and health outcomes.

The patient-support organisation helps to support the thousands of UK women each year who experience cancer-induced menopause. It was founded in 2022 by Dani Binnington after she was pushed into a surgically-induced menopause at 39 as a result of her cancer treatment. She quickly realised that there was little or no support available.

They partner with Macmillan, Maggie’s, Breast Cancer Now, Trekstock, FutureDreams and Peaches.

Find out more and book your tickets on Menopause and Cancer’s website: Menopause and Cancer with Dani Binnington

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Young talent at South Hill Park

Karen Neville

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Karen Neville

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Alistar Jones tells us about a beautiful space to enjoy beautiful music at South Hill Park with the Conservatoire International Concerts Series

Have you ever visited South Hill Park, our local centre for performing and creative arts? It is a wonderful, thriving centre offering so much to Bracknell’s community – shows, plays, comedy, an annual panto, Bracknell Jazz, a cinema and music of all kinds.

In the midst of all these activities, in the house’s Old Library, now called The Recital Room, there is a Steinway concert grand piano. This is the home of the Conservatoire International Concerts Series. It sounds very grand, but it is simply a beautiful performance space for the centre’s classical concerts.

About to enter its 12th season, these concerts were set up 11 years ago to offer a venue, audience and concert opportunity to the talented young musicians graduating from the UK’s international conservatories.

“Talented” hardly describes the young musicians who have, over the years, entertained audiences with their music and skills. Eleven years ago, the first audience was tiny to hear Ji Liu, a Chinese pianist from the Royal Academy, give the first recital. Since that first concert, audiences have grown, and we have heard almost 100 stunning young performers.

The musicians come recommended by their professors as the leading pianists in their class at the conservatoire. The professors send me a name and I can hear them on YouTube, by way of audition. I have never turned down anyone down. I offer them a concert date and ask for a publicity photo and a programme that should last 2 x 40 minutes. The choice of music is entirely up to them and as a result, we get seriously thrilling concerts that show off music by the great composers, played by enthusiastic and technically brilliant young pianists. In addition to pianists, we have had duos with violin, cello, clarinet and singers. Never a dull moment.

Our 12th season begins on September 27th with an internationally renowned violin and piano duo playing Beethoven, Sir Malcolm Arnold and Elgar. Book tickets at Conservatoire: Foyle-Stsura – South Hill Park Arts Centre. This is the first in a list of 15 concerts that includes annual visits from the UK’s leading music school, The Purcell School, and for the second time, young musicians from Wellington College in Crowthorne.

In the middle of all this is, and most exciting, an orchestral concert in the Wilde Theatre on Sunday, 13th October. The programme includes Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto with pianist Amit Yahav, some orchestral songs by Alistair Jones and Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony. You should definitely not miss this one! Tickets at Orchestral Chamber Concert – South Hill Park Arts Centre

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Six great Lugana wines

Round & About

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Round & About Magazine’s resident wine columnist Giles Luckett rediscovers with white wines of Lugana, and finds beauty and value

When it comes to naming your favourite Italian white wine, you’d be forgiven for not saying Lugana. Other Northern Italian wines such as Soave are far better known even though the quality of Lugana is often superior and significantly better value for money. I must confess, that until my recent attendance at a Lugana tasting, I’d pretty much forgotten about the region’s wines. The first wine shop I ran had a couple of Lugana’s, and whenever someone came in looking for a good value, easy drinking white, they were my default recommendations. They were fruity, uncomplicated and fun. They weren’t fine wines in the serious sense of the word, but they were, well, fine.

At the tasting it quickly became clear that the wines of Lugana have come a long way in the past 30 years. There are now Riserva level wines and wines that have been aged in oak. Across the board they seem to have become more serious and complex yet have retained the joyous citrus, pear and peach fruitiness that so impressed me all those years ago.

To celebrate my reacquaintance with this pearl of a wine, here are six Lugana wines that any lover of great value, elegant white wines should seek out.

About the Lugana wine region

OK, notebooks open, please, I may be asking question later. To give you a little context, the Lugana region lies in Northern Italy and straddles the provinces of Brescia in Lombardy and Verona in Veneto. It’s unusual to see a wine region across over into another province, but Lugana is an unusual wine. It’s made from the Turbiana grape, which was formerly known Trebbiano di Lugana even though genetically it has much to do with the Trebbiano family as I do the Royal Family. The name was changed to distinguish it from Trebbiano wines which tend to be about as engaging as a health and safety video. 

Turbiana gives fresh whites with fruit notes of pears and peaches, a lemon acidity and a distinctive mineral edge that comes from the glacial soils on which they are grown. This profile lends itself well to the production of sparkling wines, many of which, such as the excellent Ca Maiol (Svinando £19.90) are serious and stylish. Recently, however, there’s been a push for higher quality, age worthy wines. Many critics and producers have long suspected that this wonderfully sited region could produce world class whites, and as the following shows, their suspicions were well-founded.

Six great Lugana wines

First up, a surprise wine. I was surprised to see a Lugana in ASDA and was surprised that they were selling a wine of this quality for just £11. The imaginatively named Lugana Italian Wine is classic example of Lugana. White gold with a hint of emerald green, the nose is a lovely mix of pears and peaches with a shot of lemon freshness. Medium bodied and nimble, mouthwatering flavours of citrus

Next up is the Nunzio Ghiraldi (Majestic £14.99). Crafted using organic methods on vines that are a stone’s throw from Lake Garda, this balances freshness and depth to give a more serious style of Lugana. Produced from ancient vines, the nose is somewhat more complex, conveying notes of white blossoms and wet clay alongside the green and white fruits. The palate is generous and fruity, with peaches and pears joined by apricot, minerals and a clean lemon acidity. Try this with game birds or a creamy risotto.

Showing Lugana’s stylistic diversity we have the Lugana Bertagna 2023 (£9.67 Vivino). This is a fresher, more intense wine which is evident from the bouquet which has lemon and grapefruit mingling with zesty apricots, honeydew melon, and just-ripe kiwi fruit. These notes are mirrored on the palate where they are joined by limes, white pepper, yellow plums and a peach stone bitterness to the end. Try this with fresh pasta with mushrooms, seafood, and vegetarian dishes such as couscous with roasted artichokes.

My favourite wine of the tasting was probably the Alberto e Mauro Zenegaglia Luna del Lago Lugana Riserva (Vivino £14.72). Riserva level wines are relatively rare and must be aged for at least two years before being released. This spent 18 months in large old oak barrels and this has had a dramatic effect on it. More golden in colour, the effects of oxidation are present on the nose which is rounder and fuller, with scents of honey and lemon, apricots and jasmine coming the fore. In the mouth it has a creaminess to it, and the fruit profile is more autumnal – plums, green figs, and pears – but it is still fresh and tangy. A lot of wine for the money, this was delicious on its own, but I could see it going wonderfully well with gammon, roast chicken, or smoked fish.

If you’re looking for a white wine that combines richness, weight and delicacy, then the El Citera Lugana L’Artigianale (Vivino £23.64) is for you. I tasted the 2018 which was fantastic and goes to show how Lugana can improve with age. Having been macerated for 24 hours on its skins, this wine had notably more texture to it. It’s also given two years to mature in vats before release. All this adds up a richer, yeastier wine, one that has plenty of lemon and lime freshness, but has notes of baked apple, toasted almonds, green herbs and chalky minerals too. I loved this on its own, but I plan to try this with roast pork or meaty fish such as sea bass in a cream and herb sauce – not that I’m menu planning or anything.

I’ll finish with a step up in quality (and price) with the Ca’ Lojera Lugana Riserva del Lupo 2018 (Vinissimus £33.50). Once-upon-a-time a Lugana at over £30 a bottle would have been virtually unheard of, but the quality of this wine more than justifies the price. Straw gold in colour, the bouquet offers notes of herbs and honey alongside the usual citrus and green skinned fruits. On the palate there’s an extra degree of richness too. Honey, almonds, plums, and red apples sit alongside baked lemon and spicy vanilla. The finish is long and firm making this the ideal wine for river fish, salt cod, pheasant or turkey.

Well, I hope this has whetted your appetite for the wines of Lugana. There are many brilliant wines to be had and they’re still (for now) cracking value.

Next time out, I’ll be looking at some rather fine Champagne – yes, it is a tough life!

Giles

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Single sex or co-ed school? 

Round & About

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There’s no one answer to this question; there are staunch defenders and outspoken critics of both systems. But it’s an important factor when deciding on your child’s education… 

Single-sex or co-ed… Many experts believe single-sex education is obsolete while others regard it as an essential step towards equality of the sexes.  

But while this dispute rumbles on, it is universally accepted that boys and girls develop at different rates and have different interests and motivations. Not surprisingly there are many people who believe that a curriculum and teaching style devised specifically for one sex is more likely to produce favourable results than a system which needs to cater to both sexes. But this is just one factor when considering which is better for your child.  

Grace Moody-Stuart, director of The Good Schools Guide Education Consultants advises parents: “Always consider your child’s individual character, likes and dislikes and family situation. Logistically, can parents manage having their son and daughter at different schools? Might girls with multiple male siblings, prefer an all-female school setting?  Some parents with all-boy families may specifically choose mixed schools so their sons learn to work alongside and co-operate with girls – they’ll have to in the real world, after all! 

“When at it comes down to in the end is whether the school is a good school and whether it’s right for your child. As the world becomes more complex, schools do too. Gender is part of this complexity and so creating a wholly single sex environment is becoming increasingly challenging. Our advice for parents is to focus on the simple things. Is the school well run, with strong pastoral care and inspirational teaching? If you get that right everything else will follow.” 

Although the majority of UK grammar schools are single sex, single sex schools account for only 10% of mainstream state secondary schools in England and are practically unheard of at primary level. In Bucks there are some notable state senior schools reviewed by The Good Schools Guide including Dr Challoner’s High School and John Hampden Grammar School.  

The Good Schools Guide describes John Hampden Grammar School as: “A purposeful school where pupils can be themselves and achieve personal bests in a focused but supportive and friendly environment…not overly macho, celebrates pupils for everything from sport to debating.” 

All-girls grammar Dr Challoner’s High School is summed up as: “An outward-looking school that supports and inspires, stretches and challenges, and frees up bright minds.” 

In the private sector 19% of fee-paying schools are exclusively for boys, or girls, including more than 200 junior schools.   In Bucks the independent offering has a distinctive female slant with two of The Good Schools Guide reviewed school offering all-through education from 3-18 years. One, St Mary’s School is described as: “A busy, happy school where results are impressive but even more so is the unequivocal attention to each individual child. Pupils are encouraged and supported to run their own best race, having great fun and making life-long friends along the way.” 

Do girls do better at all girls’ schools?

Advocates of single sex girls’ education talk about a nurturing, less boisterous environment that’s more likely to lead to girls choosing subjects such as science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) when compared to girls at co-ed schools.   

And there is research to back this up. Analysis by the Girls’ Schools Association in 2021 of data published by the Department for Education from 2018-2019 revealed that when compared to peers at co-ed schools, pupils at girls’ schools were twice as likely to take maths A level and 2.5 times as likely to take further maths and physics. They were also more likely to take A levels in other STEM subjects. The same research reported better levels of academic attainment at all girls’ schools compared with co-ed schools.  

A separate study from AQR International – an organisation which provides psychometric evaluation – looked at attributes relating to ‘mental toughness’ in school children. Its findings indicated that pupils educated at all girls’ schools possess ‘higher mental toughness scores…particularly for emotional control and confidence’.  

Among other research highlighting the advantages of all girls’ school it has also been concluded that girls are more likely to take part in sport and exercise in a single sex environment and go on to earn more during their careers.  

Do boys do better at all boys’ schools?

It may feel like a fundamental part of the British make-up – King Charles III at Gordonstoun, Churchill at Harrow…even James Bond got expelled from Eton – but single sex boys’ education does not elicit the same passionate defence applied to girls’ schools. A steady trickle of boys’ schools, state and private, have become co-ed in recent decades (examples include Charterhouse, Winchester College and Bishop Wordsworth’s Grammar – the latter two just in the sixth form) and there are now only three all-boys full boarding schools left in the country.  

However, there are studies that suggest boys do better academically in single sex schools. In fact, the same study cited above, in which the GSA demonstrated the stronger A level performance of girls in girls’ schools, shows that boys in boys’ schools likewise do better than their co-ed peers. Although, elsewhere an in-depth analysis of GCSE performance data by education data blog School Dash, suggests that the difference between single sex and co-ed educated boys is negligible.   

Another study in 2016 which looked at data from the PISA study, actually found that boys aged 15 performed better at reading when sharing classes with girls. This tallies with the general perception that the presence of girls helps boys do better at school.  

While there may be fewer datasets available to support single sex boys’ education, its defenders are adamant that modern all boys’ schools provide the ideal environment for boys to learn, develop and engage with their interests.  

The argument against single-sex schools

There are people who claim that single sex education in the 21st century is no longer fit for purpose; a good school prepares children for the real world and the real world is populated by both sexes. But the consensus on single sex education waxes and wanes.  

In the past, segregation of boys and girls was absolute but these days single sex schools maintain links with schools of the opposite sex and join forces for extracurricular activities or even niche academic subjects. Single sex boarding schools hold ‘socials’ with such schools to ensure the opposite sex does not resemble an alien life form. Despite these modern-day concessions, many still argue that single sex schools create an unhealthy environment that leads to bullying, poor mental health and not being prepared for the workplace.  

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Comedian Bill Bailey spills the beans… 

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to comedian, author & dad Bill Bailey about the release of his new book My Animals & Other Animals, his upcoming Thoughtifier comedy show tour & more 

Q. Hello Bill! Your Thoughtifier show sounds a bit like a celebration of flawed humanity… so are we doomed?
“Well, yeah, obviously, at some point, because we’re gradually drifting towards the sun. But we don’t have to worry about that! That’s a long way off. But I think there’s been this general worry, this panic about AI and that robots will take over and we’ll be rendered helpless husks. All our jobs will be replaced and there’ll be no more films or art or music or books or literature: all of that will be replaced and we’re essentially redundant. This show is very much a rebuttal of that! Because we are capable of extraordinary things. The Olympics, for example, makes you think, wow, humans are amazing, we’re capable of incredible feats. And this show is very much about that. Not maybe sporting feats, but in terms of artistic, intellectual thoughts, you know, consciousness, music, that, you know, the way that we able to create music is something I just find amazing. And in the show, I invite the audience to create something on the spur of the moment. We create harmony, rhythm, the building blocks of music right there. And then I compare that to how AI might do it. And so it’s really, as you say, a celebration of us as a species. Rather than panic about AI and worry about how much it’s going to take over, I just think we ought to celebrate ourselves a bit more, revel in human achievement and creativity.”

Q. Absolutely! You mentioned music there, Bill… What’s your first memory of music?
“At home, listening to my mum singing along to the radio, because she had the radio on all the time. She’d sing along to hits of the day; one that sticks in my mind is a song by Perry Como called Magic Moments. It’s got a jaunty whistling solo in it and a clarinet solo… I mean, how many songs can you say that about!? None. No, there aren’t any. And I have thought about it! Despite not being able to play, I picked out tunes on the piano as a result of hearing them on the radio. So I think just hearing music around all the time was an influence.”

Q. You’ve been called ‘one of comedy’s most twinkle-toed talents’. Do you still dance about a fair bit now after that Strictly win?
“Yeah. I do incorporate dance into my live shows. There’s a bit of Paso Doble in there and, actually, I recreate the UN Charter in dance form and I put a bit of Charleston in there as well. But the thing is about when you’re on that show [Strictly] is that you get to dance to all these things that I would hitherto never have in my wildest dreams thought would be appearing on a ballroom dancing show… Like Metallica’s Enter Sandman or, you know, Rapper’s Delight or Blondie. It’s not really about the rhythm itself. It’s about the upper section of those songs. It’s sort of thinking, well, those are rock songs, metal songs, rap songs, whatever, but dance is very specific. It’s very precise. It’s about numbers of beats. If you look at it in its basic form, it’s rhythm. It’s about, you know, tempo. When you realise that, it’s like a huge door opening, a big light bulb going off thinking, wow, there’s all this music out there which can be attributed to all these different dances. So after I did Strictly, I’d be walking in the supermarket listening to a bit of music thinking, oh, this could be a tango. Music is amazingly adaptable.” 

Q. You played at Sonisphere: you like a bit of metal, don’t you? Who’s your favourite band?
“Yeah, I like metal. It’s difficult to choose my all-time favourite band but probably Talking Heads. I was a huge fan of them when I first heard their album Remain in Light. That’s a long time ago now. I mean, that’s when I was 15. But I mean, I like a lot of metal bands purely for their musical ambition. They’re technically incredibly proficient, they’re brilliant players, musically really ambitious. Lots of time signature changes, tempo changes. I love bands like Opeth; they’re a Swedish metal band, they’re more like a melodic metal band now, they have an enormous range of music, from growly metal to incredibly lyrical, melodic metal. The lead singer Mikael [Åkerfeldt], who I know, now writes music for Netflix series and so on so he’s a composer. There’s a lot of bands I love: a current favourite is a band called Heilung – they’re a German/Danish/Norwegian pagan metal outfit and they do amazing shows, very theatrical. They’re wearing robes and antlers and a shaman comes out and brings incense on the stage and they bang tribal drums and they play traditional instruments and combine that with music and electronics and sampling. They’re just like nothing else I’ve seen: they don’t even call them shows, they call them rituals. The music is monumental and delicate and powerful and ancient and contemporary all at the same time, they defy description.”

Q. I will check them out! Your memoir My Animals and Other Animals sounds like a right treat. So who’s in your menagerie at the moment? I can see you in your conservatory there. Do you have pets at home with you now?
“Yeah, we’ve got three dogs and we’ve got four parrots and that’s our core, that’s the main game. And then we’ve got various others which are not really pets, they’re animals that we’re looking after, rescue animals. So we’ve got a few frogs, sort-of tree frogs, and we’ve got some lizards, pheasants, armadillos. Armadillos are great: when you put them down, they just sort of, they scuttle around, but you can’t see their feet. So it just looks like they’re weird remote control lawn mowers.”

Q. No one seems to have a bad word to say about you, Bill. You definitely cheer people up, but I’m wondering: do you ever get grumpy? Does anything get your goat? Go on…
“Oooh [ponders awhile], I don’t like it when you’re in the supermarket and you put some fresh herbs, coriander, say, in your basket and then you put your basket down and you go and get something, come back and somebody’s… TAKEN THE CORIANDER!”

Q. Where does this happen!? And what do you do: properly kick off?
“I just go, WHAT THE S&*^! and smash all the food off the shelves. No, not really. But maybe I should start smashing jars of pickles, shouting ‘GIVE ME BACK MY CORIANDER, YOU BASTARD!’ But no, I just go and get some more. It’s rude, but it’s not technically theft as you haven’t actually bought it so it’s not even technically yours. Ummm, what else? I don’t like rudeness, poor manners. Litter, GRRR! I actually risk life and limb, sometimes, chasing after people because I see somebody dropping something, and I pick it up and go after them, going ‘Excuse me, oh sorry, excuse me but you dropped something’. People are so shocked that they usually take it and bin it. But it might go wrong one day and someone will tell me where I can stick their Nando’s wrapper. It’s a very British approach, a little bit passive aggressive…”

Q. I grew to love you on [the iconic TV show] Spaced which I’m still obsessed with… I mean the cast on that! Do you keep in touch with any of them? I’d like to think you’re all pals…
“Spaced is brilliant, yeah! Do you know what? It’s very bad, but we haven’t really kept in touch. And although I did bump into Jess [Hynes] at Chelsea Flower Show, which was a joyous, unexpected Spaced reunion!”

Q. You performed for the King, haven’t you, and you’ve met him several times. Are you mates, maybe WhatsApp buddies?
“Yeah, yeah, there’s like a big crown symbol in my phone and I just press that… No! I haven’t got his number! He watched my show which had a section with cowbells in it and he loved that. Afterwards he said to me [adopts Charles voice]: ‘Um, so how do you get the cows to nod their heads in the right order?’ There I was thinking, ‘am I getting trolled by the by the monarch!?’ And then he started asking me about my six-neck electric guitar. He was going: ‘how do you play a six-neck guitar? Do you to have a false arm or something?’ And I was like [patiently]: ‘Er no, you don’t need a false arm.’ But then afterwards I thought, that’s actually not a bad idea! I should just get a false arm.”

Q. Maybe he’s got one?
“Maybe! I think, if anyone in the land is going to have a false arm, it’s the royals, isn’t it? All that waving. Maybe that was just a false arm in the carriage when we thought the Queen was waving. She was probably on her Game Boy or something. Maybe doing a bit of knitting out of sight.”

Q. You’re off on another tour. What’s your favourite venue & do you mingle with the fans?
“Do you know what? I’ve been around the world and I… hang on, that sounds like a song, doesn’t it!? But yeah my favourite is the Hammersmith Apollo at the end of my road. Honestly, it’s one of the best. It’s a brilliant venue for comedy. And being able to cycle round there in five minutes is a massive plus! Yes, when I come out the theatre there are crowds of people and I’m like: ‘Get away from me!’ No: I always say hi to people. Some people have this ludicrous tiered system: you know, there’s the bronze meet-and-greet and then there’s the silver VIP and then the gold one where you can touch his sleeve for four seconds. But I just think it’s all bollocks. I just come out and say hello and take a picture. I’m talking about after the show, you understand, not inviting them on stage to be in a skit with Bill Bailey. I always try and make time for people if I can. I hang around, you know, behind the theatre, at the stage door. Even if there’s no one there…. Hello, anyone? Selfie, anyone?!”

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Half term horrors

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls

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Halloween and half term are on the horizon. Luckily, Buckinghamshire is a county that’s (witch’s) brimful of great family-friendly fun! 

From 25th October to 3rd November you can enjoy an intriguing Aesop’s Fables interactive trail at Hughenden. The same week, there’s a nature trail at Cliveden; nationaltrust.org.uk

The Pop-up Pumpkin Patch has popped up again in Stokenchurch, HP14 3YF, for its third year, 23rd -31st October. Pick a pumpkin from £2, and enjoy the PTA cafe. For more info please follow @Thepopuppumpkinpatch

The fun-packed Odds Farm in Wooburn Green, HP10 0LX, also has a pumpkin patch, carving corner, arts and crafts and spooky surprises, 26th October-3rd November; oddsfarm.co.uk

Over at wondrous Wendover Woods in Aston Clinton, HP22 5NQ, pick up your £4 party pack from the information point and set off on the The Gruffalo Party Trail! Find out more at forestryengland.uk/wendover-woods

The Halloween spectacular and bonfire is back at Chiltern Open Air Museum in Chalfont, HP8 4AB, 5-9pm on Friday, 1st November, promising an evening of spooky fun for all ages in the atmospheric historic buildings and woods. Enjoy spine-tingling stories, marshmallow-toasting and scary woodland walks. For more info please visit coam.org.uk

Enjoy Hogshaw School of Witchcraft & Wizardy at the farm & wildlife Park, MK18 3LA, 26th October to 1st November with pumpkins, potions, creepy crawlies, owls & extra fun! Visit hogshawfarm.co.uk to find out more.

Gorgeous Peterley Manor Farm in Missenden, HP16 0HH, will sell pumpkins in the farm shop, or PYO. Visit peterleymanorfarm.co.uk

Majestic Waddesdon Manor, HP18 0JH, will welcome you for an autumn adventure trail, 2nd-27th October. You can also enjoy Creepy Critters with the ZooLab animal-lovers on 19th, 20th, 26th & 27th October. Or why not book in for a spooky afternoon tea, for children or adults, on 26th & 27th? waddesdon.org.uk

The Spookfest Family Fun Day at Haddenham village hall, HP17 8EE, 12-4pm on Saturday, 26th October, will offer lots of free fun including owl-handling, slime-making, biscuit decorating, arts & crafts, as well as a pop-up cafe. Get your free tickets at eventbrite.com

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Windsor Photographic Society’s upcoming exhibition

Round & About

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Round & About

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Windsor Photographic Society Exhibition will run from Tuesday 1st to Thursday 31st October

The Windsor Photographic Society (WPS) annual exhibition showcases the variety of photographs taken by its members and is also an opportunity for them to see their work exhibited. Some photographs may be available to purchase.

Members are holding a special opening night on Tuesday, 1st October, and hope you can join them in The Old Court licensed bar and upper areas.

You can view their photographs and meet members who would love to tell you more about their club!

WPS meet at The Old Court at 7.45pm on Monday evenings and fully welcome new members. They offer a full and varied programme that includes presentations, practical workshops, photo walks and competitions. There are members at every level of expertise (from beginners through to professionals), using all kinds of cameras and phones, willing to share a wealth of experience.

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Tucking In! Recipes by Sophie Wyburd

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls

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We’re sharing a taste from Tucking In by Sophie Wyburd who is the star chef at this month’s Wild Feast in Otmoor Farm in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire

Chocolate & cherry meringue tower

Jeremy Lee is the executive chef at Quo Vadis in Soho, the first and only proper restaurant I ever worked in, and he is famous for making the most fabulous puddings in London, if not the world.

Working there, I assembled many enormous meringue towers, rich with cream, fruit and toasted nuts. This pud is inspired by my time there. It features Black Forest flavours; my dad is passionate about chocolate, cherries and cream as a combination, so when making him a pud, I often use these flavours. This one’s for you, Dad!

This is a proper show-stopping dessert – expect oohs and aahs as you wheel it out of the kitchen.

“Expect oohs and aahs as you wheel it out of the kitchen.”

Serves 8-10 | Cooking 90 minutes, plus cooking
Ingredients
• 40g dark chocolate, plus 15g for grating on top
• 4 large egg whites (save the yolks for another occasion)
• 230g caster sugar
• 450g frozen cherries
• 2 tbsp kirsch (optional)
• 300ml double cream
• 25g icing sugar

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 140°C/120°C fan/gas mark 1 and line 2 large baking trays with baking parchment.
2. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, and microwave it in bursts until it is melted. Alternatively, pop the chocolate into a heatproof bowl set over a simmering pan of water, and let it gently melt. Allow it to cool slightly.
3. Tip your eggs whites into a large mixing bowl, and weigh out 200g of your sugar in a separate bowl. Using electric beaters, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add a couple of heaped spoonfuls of the sugar, then whisk again until you get stiff peaks. Continue adding the sugar like this until all 200g has been incorporated, and you have a thick, glossy mixture in the bowl.
4. Pour your melted chocolate into the bowl, and gently fold it through as streaks. Take generous spoonfuls of the meringue mixture, and dollop them onto the prepared baking trays in glossy heaps, spaced well apart. You should get about 10 meringues. Place both trays in the oven, and bake them for 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, add your cherries to a saucepan over a medium heat, along with your remaining 30g of sugar. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the liquid has a thin, syrupy consistency. Stir in the kirsch, if using, then leave it to cool.
6. Pour your double cream into a medium mixing bowl, and add the icing sugar. Whisk with electric beaters until it thickens into soft peaks. Be careful not to overdo it – you don’t want it to look fluffy.
7. Allow your meringues to cool completely. When ready to serve, spoon a little cream onto your chosen serving plate. Add a few meringues on top, and dollop over some cream and cherry compote. Continue to stack meringues, cream and compote on top until they are all used up. Grate over a little more chocolate, then serve.

Spiced blackened salmon tacos with orange salsa

There’s a reason why fajita night had every family in a chokehold in the 2000s, and it is because it is a really fun way to eat. Popping lots of things in the middle of the table and getting people to help themselves is relaxed, a little chaotic, and ultimately communal – the way I like all my meals to be. These tacos look much fancier then they are, but in reality this meal involves very little cooking; all you need to do is make zingy salsa, and grill chunky sides of salmon in spices until the flesh is charred. It would make a brilliant dinner on a weekend, on a weekend, but it is also easy to bang together on a Wednesday night after work.

Serves eight | Takes 45 minutes
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp soft light brown sugar
• 2 x 600g sides of salmon
• 24 corn tortillas
For the salsa
• 1 red onion
• 2 red chillies
• small bunch of coriander
• 6 oranges
• salt and olive oil

Method
1. Spoon the paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, dried oregano and soft brown sugar into a bowl, along with 2 teaspoons of salt and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until you have a paste.
2. Place your sides of salmon in a large baking tray, skin-sides down, and rub the spice paste all over the flesh.
3. Preheat your grill to high.
4. To make the salsa, peel and finely dice the red onion, and finely chop the red chillies. Mix together in a bowl. Roughly chop the coriander, and set it aside. Slice the top and bottom ends off the oranges so that you can stand them up flat, then work your knife around them to peel off the skin. Cut the flesh into 2cm rounds, then dice them into 1cm chunks.
5. Add the diced orange to the bowl with the onion and chilli, along with any juices, then give it all a good mix to combine.
6. Place your salmon under the hot grill and cook for 7-8 minutes – the top will char and get a beautiful crust, while the flesh will stay tender and soft.
7. While your salmon cooks, heat your tortillas. Turn a small burner on your hob to high and place your tortillas one at a time on the grate above the flame. Cook for a few seconds on each side, turning them over with metal tongs. Keep them warm by wrapping them in a clean tea towel while you cook the rest. Alternatively, cook them for about 20 seconds on each side in a hot, dry frying pan.
8. Stir the coriander into the salsa. Pop your tortillas onto plates, and bring the salmon and salsa to the table, then let everyone serve themselves by flaking off the salmon, and adding it to their tortillas with a spoonful of salsa.

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Venison: for deer life & woodlands

Liz Nicholls

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Image: Ben Wright Photography

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to Geoff Wickett, founder of Chiltern Venison, who helps protect local landscapes and is on a mission to encourage us to eat sustainable, ethical venison, year-round

Twilight is a magical time in the deep, dark woods. As the autumn mist rises and sunshine dapples the undergrowth at dawn and dusk, you’re most likely to catch a glimpse of the fallow deer, even if it’s only a twitch of its distinctive white tail.

But, as Geoff Wickett knows all too well, this majestic, mystical creature is likely to have spied you first… “Deer are truly astonishing creatures,” he says. “They’re beautiful, sentient, and their hearing is exceptional: their ears operate independently, alerting them to any danger. Their ability to register visual changes around them is astonishing, it’s as if their eyes take a series of pictures, with the brain then overlaying them for any changes.

“When you’re sneaking up on a herd of fallow deer, say, and there are 100 pairs of ears and eyes, it doesn’t take much for them to notice you. And the wind swirls swiftly around these hills; one can sniff you out, and they’re off!”

Roe deer are a native species; they’ve roamed this land since the Ice Age. Fallow deer were introduced by the Romans, extirpated and reintroduced by the Normans for the chase. You’ll also find smaller, barking muntjac who ancestors escapees from the Duke Of Bedford’s herd at Woburn, and Chinese water deer, whose forefathers scarpered from Whipsnade.

So, the question is, why kill these beautiful animals? The wild truth is that deer have become the single biggest threat to woodland in the UK, which is why Geoff is employed by land-owners and conservation charities, including the National Trust & Woodland Trust, to help manage their population. Deer, who have no natural predators, reproduce at a startling rate. In fact, numbers have doubled since Covid. Left unchecked, they will destroy the landscape, its distinctive flora and fauna.

“This deeply layered habitat is being trashed by deer,” says Geoff, who moved to Hughenden Valley ten years ago, leaving a career in tech accessories. “The shrub layer of most local woodland has been entirely eaten by the deer. Unlike other deer, muntjac eat the bluebells which won’t return the following year. This woodland provides nesting habitat, shelter, nectar, berries and nuts for a whole range of birds, mammals and insects. With the shrub layer gone, all life suffers and if a wood can’t produce young trees, it eventually dies. In larger numbers, deer need to go further for food and cause great damage to local farmers’ crops, as well as causing up to 74,000 vehicle collisions every year on UK roads, some fatal.”

Image: Piers Photography

Image: Piers Photography

Geoff’s mission is to encourage us all to eat venison, year-round. This natural, ethical, sustainable meat is showcased on menus at restaurants including The Oarsman in Marlow (pictured), The Nags Head in Great Missenden, White Oak is Cookham Dean, The Griffin in Amersham, Three Oaks in Gerrards Cross and Peterley Manor Farm (where it’s also stocked in the shop). In addition to firearms and wildlife laws, stringent food handling laws apply, as soon as a deer hits the ground. Geoff has just invested in a walk-in larder and processing unit to meet demand and is happy to sell direct. “We have this idea venison’s ‘posh’,” he says. “In the past you might have been executed for poaching a deer by the king, but venison’s not just for high days. It’s a great, healthy everyday alternative to beef or lamb, with high zinc and protein. My wife and I love a rump or chump steak. I love to sell to foodies, which means minimal food miles, unlike meat shipped from New Zealand which is crazy!

“I can trace every detail about the animal which is being enjoyed in a delicious meal instead of going to waste. Surprisingly, I’ve had one comment in a decade along the line of being a ‘bambi killer’. But people have been very supportive when they understand the bigger picture. I’ve even sold boxes to vegetarians who know that this is a food source that’s unprocessed, and that the animal has had a good life, unexposed to steroids or antibiotics.”

Importantly, each deer has also had a ‘good’ death, unlike the majority of animals reared for their meat and slaughtered in much more dystopian settings. Geoff is sometimes accompanied on his stalking trips by his cocker spaniel Artemis (pictured above) and he also has a young blue roan Skadi (named after the Norse goddess of the hunt). Both enjoy the odd bone (“nature’s toothbrush”) and Geoff takes his role and animal welfare very seriously. He learned to shoot at school and with the army is trained in “gralloching” as well as all the other handling processes which cost about £150 per carcass.

“I must be mad to do this as there’s not much money in it,” adds Geoff. “But I love this glorious countryside – I won’t go back to a desk job!”

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