Visiting Cotswold Lavender Fields

Flowers, nature, big skies and open fields – these are a few of my favourite things. So naturally, a lavender farm is my perfect habitat. I’m visiting Provence in September, just after the Lavender fields are harvested. Full of FOMO, I decided I needed to find somewhere a bit closer to home before the season is over – the row of lavender planted outside the front of my house does not count! Turns out the season is very nearly done, so if you have been meaning to go – now’s the time! Cue Cotswold Lavender – a beautiful farm set in rolling hills with lavender fields, wildflowers, a cute little shop, and a tea room.

I wish you could smell this! The air was thick with sweet country air and rich lavender.

It only takes about an hour to wander around the fields and have some fun with your camera. The shop and tea room are directly across from the farm, across a sleepy country lane.

The lavender fields usually come into flower in June and are harvested at the beginning of August, but this is heavily weather dependent. It’s a good idea to get in touch with your chosen farm before visiting. If you visit a farm when they are harvesting, you can often see the distillation process in action! At Cotswold lavender, they release the essential oils from the lavender using steam distillation. Rainwater is heated to steam and pumped into a purpose built trailer full of 5 tons lavender. The heat ruptures the oil glands and the essential oil is released into the steam, which rises and is collected.

If you’re as keen as I was to run up and down rows of lavender fields, plan a trip soon as most places are harvesting in the next couple of weeks! As this won’t take all day, while you’re in the Cotswolds, why not step back in time and check out the prettiest villages?

Lavender Fields in England

There are other beautiful looking farms I’d like to visit too:

• Mayfield Lavender, 1 Carshalton Rd, Banstead SM7 3JA
• Hitchin Lavender, Cadwell Farm, Ickleford, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 3UA
• Somerset Lavender, Horsepond Farm, Faulkland, Somerset, BA3 5WA
• Norfolk Lavender, Caley Mill, Lynn Rd, Heacham, PE31 7JE
• Yorkshire Lavender, The Yorkshire Lavender Farm, Terrington, York, YO60 6PB
• The Hop Shop Lavender, Castle Farm, Redmans Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN147UB