I visited the “prettiest village” in the UK – put off me as soon as I arrived | UK | Travel

According to the poet and artist William Morris, I stand in “the most beautiful village in England.” Morris founded the Arts and Crafts Movement in England in the 19th century, so we can accept that he knew what he was talking about in terms of beauty. And he's not wrong about Beverly, a small but surprisingly beautiful village in the Cotswolds, just northeast of Cirencester. Before we arrived, we looked at some pictures of the village and honestly doubted the camera tricks by skilled photographers.

That's possible. Imagine a typical British village crossed with Harry Potter. Or imagine an American looking at a rural village in England. You're thinking along the right line.

It has a strong claim to be charming, cute, fairy tale and a crown jewel in an area as beautiful as the Cotswolds. It is also featured in the UK passport.

The Corn River runs peacefully through the village centre, crossing several low stone bridges. The cows are grazing in the grasslands beside the road near the Swan Hotel, which dominates the village centre (and may have the UK's most beautiful beer gardens), and fish that are sold and eaten at restaurants across the Cotswolds (including Jeremy Clarkson pubs, farmer dogs – you can read here).

But Beverly's real shortpper is Arlington Row. This is a row of local stone cottages built in 1380 next to the Korun River, before being renovated into Weavers' cottages in the 17th century. It is probably the most photo-tall in the Cotswolds, and perhaps even in the country.

Walking along the narrow road (also known as the nasty hill) beside the cottage will melt the stress of life away, and first crossing a narrow stone bridge along the river. I tried to step into the tiny line between respecting the fact that these are people's homes and respecting the fact that they stare into their mouths at how gorgeous they are. Hopefully, those lucky enough to live here enjoy the fact that thousands of people take photos of their homes every day, like Buckingham Palace.

And that brings me to something a little uncomfortable about Beverly. The number of tourists here is not proportional to the size of the village and the ability to deal with them. Around 600 people living here share these narrow lanes and clean fields with coaches, tour groups and daytrippers every day.

One resident, Lynn Edward, who lived in Beverly for six years, told the Guardian earlier this year. “We have such a beautiful place we want to share, but the level of tourism and the hordes of people coming makes it totally uncomfortable and the infrastructure really doesn’t respond to it.

“All they want to do is take photos. They don't stay in the village. They don't have enough left to really take the beauty and historical value of the place. That's literally taking a selfie.”

I knew Beverly was a tourist attraction. That was why I was here as a tourist. However, I was not grateful for how many people there were on a weekday afternoon. But the signs were there quickly, with some who didn't even bother to see a group of tourists strolling in the middle of the road, a long line of parked cars next to the river, a few different languages ​​from around the world, and people of all nationalities standing to grab a selfie.

In fact, some argue that the number of visitors to Bibury depends on the boom in travel and tourism influencers on social media, particularly on the relatively new platform Tiktok.

There is also a large parking lot on the outskirts of the village. Visitors will be charged £5 to park before a walk in the centre of the village. There is plenty of space for 300 cars, but business owners say this isn't enough. The narrow lane between the parking lot and the village squeezes tightly when trying to deal with all tourists on two-way traffic and walking.

Many people will be pleased with the economic benefits brought by so many tourists, but many in the villages don't seem to be sure that it is happening. “The (villagers) will say (tourists) won't let the money go into the village,” said Victoria Summerley, a journalist and author who has been living in the village since 2012.

That's clearly a difficult balance. Tourism can benefit and people are often proud to share the beauty of the place they live with their visitors, but the villagers who call Beverly a home can understand that Beverly is so frustrated that he has now become a tourist attraction.

It is undoubtedly an incredibly beautiful place, and it meets its bill as “the most beautiful village in the UK” considering the amount of competition in the Cotswolds alone. Therefore, if you are visiting, try to give as much respect as possible to those who live here.

Arlington Row

The cottage line, built in 1380 with local stones next to the Korn River, is perhaps the most photo-picked street in the Cotswolds, and perhaps even the country. A short circular route runs from the Swan Hotel to the cottage and follows the track back to the hotel.

Beverly Trout Farm

The Bibury Trout Farm is one of the oldest trout farms in the UK. Founded in 1902, there is a mass on the menu of restaurants around the Cotswolds. It is open to the public while being a working trout farm that produces hundreds of thousands of trout (brown, blue, rainbow) a year. Also available on-site smoking. You can buy trout at the property or at the village store. Admission to the farm is £9 for adults.

Swan Hotel

The beautiful swan hotel is perhaps the most prominent building in Beverly, with its walls covered in greenery. You can stay here or simply book a table for lunch or dinner. It also has arguably the most beautiful beer gardens in the UK, with deck chairs placed almost on an island surrounded by quiet river corns.

Eleven Beverly

With interiors designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Eleven Bibury is a mix of cafes, restaurants, art spaces and shared work spaces across from the river. Grab brunch, cakes and coffee slices and escape from the crowds of tourists outside.