Ellenborough Park in the Cotswolds – fit for a royal!
Ellenborough Park in the Cotswolds (UK) is situated towards the summit of Cleeve Hill and just outside of Cheltenham Spa, this 16th century manor house also overlooks the famous Cheltenham racetrack. The entire building has been restored to the beautiful English country house it is today, offering guests the epitome of English elegance. Many “royal” activities are offered at Ellenborough Park, including polo, archery, and shooting. The property is also located in a supreme location for those who love history, as the Cotswolds is full of ancient castles and quaint villages. Downton Abbey anyone?www.ellenboroughpark.com
There are many activities on offer at Ellenborough Park, fit for a royal! Shooting is one activity that is of great interest! Complete with a fully stocked gun and drying room, Ellenborough Park is perfect for corporate or private game and clay shooting parties. You can view more information here: http://www.iancoley.co.uk/iancoleybio.html
Polo is one of the fastest, most exciting games in the world. Commonly called “The Sport of Kings,” polo is a royal tradition and a wonderful skill that any luxury traveler would love to learn. At Ellenborough Park, guests can learn the noble sport of polo in a mere 90-minutes from Hurlingham Polo Association qualified coaches. Longdole Polo Club offers excellent playing faculties and well-schooled ponies, with the promise that any student will be able to play in a game of polo at the end of their lesson. http://www.longdolepolo.com/index.html
With over 5,000km of footpaths and rights of way, the Cotswolds is also perfect for serious walkers and for the less energetic. The hotel is very close to the Cotswold Way, a 100 mile footpath which passes close to a significant number of historic sites. There are also many local walks to nearby places which have links to Ellenboro ugh Park, for example:
• Pigeon House, which was the original Southam Manor and was once owned by Henry VII
• St Michael's church in Bishop's Cleeve, which has a magnificent memorial to past owner Richard De la Bere
• St John the Baptist church in Oxenton, which is home to Earl Ellenborough's mausoleum and a memorial tablet
• Sudeley Castle near Winchcombe, where Sir John Huddleston was constable when he bought Southam House
In addition to the above activities, guests of Ellenborough Park have the opportunity for fantastic golf outings and to explore the Cotswolds in their entirety. There are also many festivals and events that take place in the Cotswolds, you can view a list of events here: http://www.cotswolds.com/whats-on/festivals-events
Of course, there are many race events throughout the year at the Cheltenham Race Course, and guests of the hotel have private access to the race course. Although the Cheltenham Festival is usually sold out, there are other events available: http://www.cheltenham.co.uk/