Dinner with...cows?

Hmmmm....last night we went to dinner with a few friends outside of Cheltenham.  We were still in the Cotswolds (think The Holiday (MY FAV!!!!) and Bridget Jones' Diary)...just further outside of town and further up into the hills...well, on top of the hills actually!  We ate at a place called The Lodge.  It was actually Henry the 8th's old hunting lodge.  It was so beautiful up on the plateau.  As we drove (on the WRONG side) of a curvy, forest covered, hilly, damp, narrow (BARELY two lanes wide) country road I was reminded again of why I was super glad I wasn't the one driving...but being in the passenger's seat (where typically the driver is) on these narrow roads going...like...REALLY fast...was kinda a thrill!  :)  Dave knew better, I think, and gave me the front on purpose!  What.a.guy.  As we rounded the last turn we broke through the trees and were upon what they call the commons...which means the land is owned by the entire community and anyone can use it.  "For what?" you ask (because I know I did!).  Basically people can come and let their animals graze on the vast fields.  There were tons of cows!  Like everywhere!  :)

The sign for the restaurant 

The Garden

Dave and me out front...isn't it charming!

Close-up of the sign...

Cow! Read the sign...

I guess he got the idea...  :(

Insert my thoughts that I really should have been a veterinarian!!!  The cows were just there.  On the land.  Chowing away.  Some looked like they might have been friend (they would follow each other and they all had the same yellow ear tags) while others kept to themselves.  I guess (although I didn't see it right away) there are like fences so that the cows can only go so far...it's not like they can wonder down the road (insert funny image of the cows interrupting part of the Criterium du Dauphine in France (it's a cycling race...you should google it!  A few people did get hurt...but it was comical to see cows jumping onto the road and running alongside the cyclists!)).  But alas, the cows are safe.  The way I understand it is that the farmers can leave their cows there until October if they wanted...but from October to like April they can't...it's too cold or something.  

Closest to the pin?  The darker one!

Close up...putting green...and a cow!  

The tee box!  Unheard of! :)

I was still in a little bit of shock!  

Back to the Lodge.  As we drank a pint in the garden I noticed a a few golfers here and there along with a few golf bags and the telltale golf signs like a red flag and a tee box and quickly realized that we were on a golf course.  And there were cows.  On the green!  Can you imagine!  I can't even wear certain wedges when I golf because they leave marks on the green and this place has cows!!!  :)  I couldn't get over it!  But the chilly air and the wind forced us to take the party inside!  We continued to drink (wine and beers) and ordered baked cheese as an appetizer.  It was actually quite good (coming from a girl that is not a fan of "good" cheese).  As we ate and looked out over the course I noticed more cows!  It was crazy! I had to force myself to eat and ignore the cows as I'm sure I was beginning to look totally touristy with the amount of pictures I was taking!  It was nice because we didn't sit down to dinner until about 9 and it was still quite light out!  (Sun didn't set until about 9:30 and even then it remained light out well past 10).  As we were leaving I commented that it was perfect weather for kick the can or ghost in the graveyard!  Ah, childhood! 


Dave and I both had the deer burger and it, too, was delicious and very filling!  It came with tasty onions and lettuce and pickles (I may have picked those off) and of course chips!  Those WILL be the death of me this summer as they are like steak fries in the states and terribly yummy!  :)
  

Photo taken at 9:15pm...yup!  Sun still out!