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Happy Housesitter in the Cotswolds
It may surprise you to hear that Lamia the founder of HouseSit Match loves housesitting. In this article she remembers being a happy housesitter in the Cotswolds, caring for three dogs and 25 hens and chicks and a characterful cockerel. Read on to learn about the housesit assignment and all the activities that made her happy while housesitting!
Finding Myself a Happy Housesitter in the Cotswolds
The Happy Housesitter walking the dogsPhoto by Lamia Walker
As some of you may know on a few rare occasions when I can escape my office I love to go out and meet our members. I do this increasingly by housesitting and petsitting myself.
I have just returned from a wonderful petsit with added garden sitting. I am serious I love animals and gardening so for a week in June, nothing suits me better. Here is a little glimpse into my recent experience and what made me happy housesitting in the Cotswolds.
Studying The Housesit Advert – A First Glimpse of The Pets and Home
Before I apply for an advert, I usually look carefully at the housesit advert and like any reasonable housesitter I think to myself, what adorable pets! In this advert there had been only photos posted of the dogs so I realised that they are the heart of the home.
Brief for my Daily Housesitting Duties
Walking the dogs
The daily dog walks were fundamentally important for the dogs and their well-being. This would doubtless do me some good too as most of my week is usually spent seated at my computer or on the phone. Working, working, working to run HousesitMatch and help my clients.
We don’t have pets of our own at home, sadly. However, that means we might be available to hop into help with house and petsit assignments. So, the daily routine of walking the dogs, once, twice or three times a day is a great pleasure for me. I consider it an opportunity to shake a leg and breathe some fresh air. It’s also a good discipline for me.
Laura, the homeowner in the Cotswolds, showed me the nearest routine walk, and sketched out another longer one should I have time. Actually, I found that one walk in the morning and one in the evening through the stunning fields teaming birds, insects and smaller animals was an absolute treat.
We enjoyed extraordinarily warm weather on our dog walks. After a long-wet English Winter this was a huge boost for my computer jaded eyes and pallid skin. I felt I was coming back to life in the open air and sun.
Feeding the dogs
This family of canines were extremely well trained, and they were patient with me as I tried to learn the ropes. The dogs each took in turn to nose me into awareness when the clock approached 8am for breakfast. And heaven forbid I forget the bedtime biscuit treats.
Chick, chick, chick, chick chicken
One of the big and rather unusual treats for me was caring for week old chicks and seeing them grow every day at an almost alarming rate. The first couple of days they would scurry from their nest box to the feeding box and back to hide from me.
The young chicks were fun to care for. Their growth rate was simply incredible.Photo by Lamia Walker
Week old chicks – Fun, fluffy and very entertaining
After a few days they were more used to my presence and they began to approach the cage netting to inspect me, almost more fascinated than I was by my presence. After these tiny chicks I would check on and feed all the other hens and their little ones.
All the hens drank an amazing amount of water. Of course, we had warm weather but still, I was surprised at just how much water I would need to supply on a daily basis.
The Cockerel who lived with about 12 hens in ‘the Ark’ chicken coup was hilarious. He has marvellous plumage from a flicky crest all the way down to his slightly feathered feet. What is more if unchallenged he walked with a great and exaggerated stride.
However, for all his swagger I could see that if I was in the vicinity hovering with food or water for the hens he would wait until some of the braver hens would hop out of the chicken coup first then he would hop out afterwards.
The cockerel was a character strutting in front of the hens, and then ducking and diving when I appearedPhoto by Lamia Walker
Enjoying the beautiful kitchen garden with far reaching views
One of the really enjoyable aspects of this housesit is the get pleasure of simply being outside in this hard working yet utterly charming garden. It made my time pass very quickly as a housesitter in the Cotswolds.
When I say ‘hard working’, I mean the garden is divided into several areas, or rooms as the Edwardians would have it. There is an orchard full of apples, then there is a kitchen garden with all kinds of vegetables, plus a fruit cage crammed with all kinds of highly productive berry shrubs and plants. Raspberries were in season this month.
The chicken coups lay around the outer edges of the garden plot with the largest, called the Ark, sitting in a small copse of trees right next to their chicken run which sits on neighbouring farmland.
Watering the garden
There were vegetables and fruits that needed watering on a routine basis, and this was peak growing seasonRunner beans climbing up bean poles in a the potager.
While I was a housesitter in the Cotswolds on this specific housesit assignment, another daily duty was to water the garden, the greenhouse and all the pots. Plus the raspberries in the fruit cage were in peak season. The owner asked me to collect as many as I could to freeze. What fun!
Delphi the youngest of the dogs would wait impatiently for me at the kitchen doorI could see the question in Delphi’s eyes – ‘What sort of time do you call this?’
A happy housesitter is one who does that they love. And I love gardening so for me these activities gave me great joy. I also love seeing how other people manage their plants, how they feed and water their plants and arrange their work areas. All are fascinating to me and make me a very happy housesitter indeed.
Day Trips and Touring in the Cotswolds
One of the great pleasures of housesitting is the ability to discover new areas and locations whether in your own country or another. While I have driven through the Cotswolds on many an occasion. However, this is the first time I have had time to fully appreciate this stunning and immaculate rural landscape with sandstone-coloured dry walls neatly fringing cultivated landscapes, arable terrain, and some large estate properties.
Touring the beautiful villages
As a housesitter in the Cotswolds I was able to enjoy the most beautiful scenery wherever I went. A car was usefulPhoto by Vicki Hinks
The architecture particular to this county reflects the gentle colours of the sandstone and rich yet rugged landscape. From the location of my housesit I could visit a number of charming villages all within a short drive.
Visiting Tetbury as a housesitter in the Cotswolds
Tetbury was the nearest town for me, with shops and amenities. Also located in Tetbury is also near to Highgrove House, one of the King’s country estates.
The Gardens at Highgrove are definitely worth a visit, but you’ll need to book a couple of weeks ahead of time to secure tickets.
Visiting Cirencester as a housesitter in the Cotswolds
This ancient town is well worth a visit for many reasons, and ancient it is with the first mention in public records that go back to Ptolemy in 150 AD. The Roman name was Corinium. Cirencester has Roman ruins and a 12 century Church which feels like it was built on the scale of a cathedral not as a Church in a historic market town. I enjoyed my brief visit and want to return to do it justice sometime.
If you go don’t miss the cup that once belonged to Anne Bolyn made available to view.
An ancient Church built with the dimensions of a cathedralPhoto by Lamia Walker
A private garden on show
I was very fortunate during my visit to have been offered a private tour of a rather special private garden. My host, a fellow keen gardener herself, said that she has a friend who keeps a rather remarkable garden. If I like gardens and plants, it might be of interest.
After a short drive to this private home, I was stunned by what I found and the imagination and dedication of the gardeners.
Walking around this lovely garden is one of the things that made me happy as a housesitter in the CotswoldsPhoto by Lamia Walker
The Canal is framed with hornbeam hedges neatly trimmed as trees; a centre piece in the landscaped gardenPhoto by Lamia Walker
The large pergolaPhoto by Lamia Walker
There are so many aspects to this garden including a extraordinary pergola which housed all manner of climbing plants, roses and herbaceous shrubs.
What an incredible experience! Any gardener would be amazed by the dedication witnessed in the immaculate presentation of this beautiful garden.
A Happy Housesitter in the Cotswolds in Summary
In fact, throughout this wonderful house sitting in the Cotswolds, whether I was getting my fix looking after the animals, garden sitting and picking raspberries, or even visiting other recommended locations or gardens it all meant that I enjoyed this assignment tremendously. I have certainly resolved do more housesitting.
What is more, it gave me a wonderful therapeutic break from my desk work. I am a very happy housesitter.
Do you fancy housesitting to discover a new location? Join Housesitmatch today and find a new adventure.
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Further reading on housesitting for housesitters
At HouseSitMatch we like to share useful blogs and practical advice about housesitters, housesitting and pet sitting. We hope you find this small selection of our blogs on house sitters and house sitting in London useful.
Solo travel – Housesitting is a safer option
Cat sitting tourist sees London for free
