On the border of the Cotswold region lies Malmesbury.
The mellow hilltop town of Malmesbury is peppered with ancient buildings constructed out of honey-coloured Cotswold stone. It’s the oldest borough in England, having been awarded that status in AD 880, and boasts one of the county’s finest market crosses – a 15th-century crownlike structure built to shelter the poor from the rain.
The most recognisable icon is the famous Abbey. A mixture of working order and ruins a sight seen from most aspects of this small village. It is gorgeous and impressive.
Malmesbury Abbey (St. Mary), Benedictine, founded in the 7th Century. The photograph above is of the east elevation and the location of the west town including the remains of the south transept.
The Abbey Gardens
First things first, it was the Abbey Gardens that we needed to visit.
I say “we” in a very loose way, though we both admire gardens, I am the one that has a love of all things flowery. Gardens are still such a passion of mine. Very much from a spectators view.
Though I don’t need to see the more public ones on a regular basis to appreciate nature in a more structured way as I have mentioned before, we have been fortunate enough to have wandered around attractive neighbourhoods. Full of colour and a quintessentially English design.
Lucky for us or unlucky depending on how you view it, the day we visited The Abbey Gardens, it was not an optional clothes day.
Places and gardens to have “Clothing Optional Days”
Time for a Cuppa
Some places have a wonderful indelible feel to them, Malmesbury was one such place. The cafes on the day we visited were heaving with visitors, most looking like walkers who have placed themselves down to replenish their energy levels.
Us two included in that description.
Surprisingly the cost wasn’t eye-watering as most Cafes have been while exploring around the UK in the more popular areas.
There ends another great day out, skipping from one county to another though still staying in the Cotswold region.
For more information before you visit:
Life at No. 22 
Nudist days wowzers. That cake looked nice!
Rachael | https://rachaelstray.com/
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Rachael it was 🙂
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Gorgeous Suzanne and thanks for sharing your photos. I could sit in that garden for hours. Have a beautiful week and enjoy!
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Well, that’s a beautiful garden but i’m so glad there were no naked people in it. The mind boggles! Apart from anything else, it’s been so hot this summer there must be a danger of sunburn in sensitive places …
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So sorry Anabel that I never replied to your welcome comment. Some how got lost!! Anyway, never thought of the sensitive places getting sunburnt!! The mind does boggle now!
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😀
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Good grief! I had no idea The Abbey had optional nudist days! I would be quite boggled if I met a naked person wandering, I think. Not my cup of tea but that slice of cake looks very attractive indeed!!
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I did mutter something similar when I found out about it. Yes, not my cup of tea either.
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Chacun à son goût I guess but I find myself feeling there are limites to my freewheeling free spirit!
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Haha 😊 I used to train along a local beach back in NZ I had to go past a few nudists. At 7am in the morning I’m not kidding. It was my motivation to walk faster than have any more images of nude chubby elderly men!
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I always think of Grouch Marx who, invited to the opening night of ‘Hair’ on Broadway wandered into his bathroom at the Waldorf Astoria which was entirely mirrored – catching sight of his own naked form, he promptly rang and gave his apologies ‘I have no desire to see all that dangling flesh exposed’ he explained to the Secretary. I concur!
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Well said 😊
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Looks like a beautiful place to relax and there’s always time for a cuppa.
I know what you mean about the eye-watering prices for a cuppa and slice of cake. On the Ozzie dollar, the UK is very pricey.
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Nilla, we have found it more expensive this year than previous ones. Less than a week to go before we leave. Italy in December. Marches area for Christmas 😊
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I haven’t been since July last year and found it expensive then also…not sure how locals survive really.
Exciting! 🙂
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The gardens are pretty, but I did shudder at the thought of ‘clothing optional days’.
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April, I found it quite strange. I can understand beaches in a secluded areas.
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I just kept thinking about people who don’t know they have to check and just turn up to find naked people wandering around.
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I’m sure when people turn up that they would be informed if it was a clothes optional day! I hope they would be!
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You never know…
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I would be very embarrassed to visit on an ‘optional clothes day’. Must remember to check if we go there.
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Jude, you are not the only one!! I only found out about it afterwards.
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Lucky escape then!
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Looks like a great place to explore! Your photo of the garden is so beautiful. I would be just as captivated by the remains. It’s amazing to be able to walk through a place with so much history. If only the walls could talk!
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Thanks Celia, if the walls could talk I have a feeling that history would need to be written again. It is extraordinary that people in our time can walk around the same area as another community did hundreds of years ago. That’s one of the things we love about being over here in the UK and Europe is the history. Something we don’t have in NZ, well, not as ancient as here!
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Yes, for sure! That’s one reason I like living in Japan as well.
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I’m really enjoying seeing the UK through your eyes 🙂
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Thanks Cathy, it has been a real pleasure exploring the country this summer 🙂
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Malmesbury is so beautiful! A great place to visit x
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Thanks for commenting. Yes, it is a worth a wander around 🙂
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No problem Xx
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