Travel review: Woodstock, Oxfordshire

It was with a hopeful outlook that we zoomed down the M40 for a trip far enough away to feel like a mini holiday but close enough not to require petrol tank refills. Call me tight, but I'd rather spend my cash on having fun and not refuelling the motor.

It took less than two hours to get to Woodstock in Oxfordshire. The picture postcard market town drew us in like the time that Burt and the children accompanied Mary Poppins into a painting. It was still raining, but that just made everything watercolour, instead of chalk.

Our first port of call was the Macdonald Bear Hotel, and it looked stunning as we drove towards it. Situated on a pretty street opposite the Oxfordshire Museum, The Bear is one of England's original 13th-century coaching inns. The stone walls are covered with ivy, and the authentic vibe is something that simply cannot be replicated. It's a four star hotel, and if first impressions counted, it'd surely be a five.

We drove through the arch and parked in one of more than a fair share of spaces behind the main building before heading to reception. The staff were welcoming without being over-friendly, checking us into an executive room. The suite was lovely, and very homely. There were traditional wall hangings and a huge fireplace to sit in front of on the plush sofa.

We nibbled on complimentary chocolates as we mooched around the duplex room. Upstairs, there was a large, comfortable bed, while the bathroom and living area were downstairs. We made a mental note not to drink too much wine at dinner and headed off into Woodstock.

Our first port of call, on the demands of my tea-loving fiancé, was the tea room in the museum. Though there's an impressive dinosaur garden with a life-size Megalosaur, we were more enamoured by the Victorian Oxfordshire garden café, where we sat happily waiting for the rain to stop. Afterwards, we popped into one of the many pubs, the Kings Arms, to enjoy a quick lunch of Daylesford organic cheddar and homemade pickle granary sandwiches to fuel our first adventure.

One great thing about The Bear is that it backs on to Blenheim Park, and has on-foot access to the palace. Blenheim Palace is a World Heritage Site, and for good reason. The grounds are home to 2,000 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parklands, with a great lake and stunning gardens. Sir Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim and it's where he proposed to his future wife, Clementine, so there's a real sense of romance as you explore.

We'd heard that The Young Victoria and Gulliver's Travels were filmed in the grounds, and it makes sense. It felt like being thrust back in time, in the best of ways – charming and quintessentially English.

Outside of the palace is beautifully kept too. The team behind Woodstock in Bloom have ensured that even the roadsides are stunning, laden with spring flowers. We followed the roads to Bladon – it felt like a natural next step.

Bladon is a 30-minute walk from The Bear, and is home to St Martin's church. St Martin's is where Winston Churchill is buried with his wife, alongside other members of the Spencer-Churchill family. We decided to make the journey to see his final resting place.

When we arrived at St Martin's, the sun came out. It's a beautiful, peaceful church – small and unassuming. The yard is filled with graves dating back many hundreds of years – it was originally a 11th or 12th century church before being rebuilt in 1891.

Inside, there's a makeshift Churchill exhibition, displaying photos of the wartime leader. From the church we walked around and came upon Sir Winston's grave almost by accident. There's nothing overt about it – it's a rather plain stone, facing the path. In understated contrast, the other graves face the other way, towards the church yard. Benches line the walkway at the foot of the grave, to offer a few moments of quiet reflection. We took them.

Churchill wanted to be buried in Bladon, and his body was taken there on January 30, 1965 after his state funeral service at St Paul's Cathedral, London. We headed back to The Bear to prepare for dinner. Our reservation was for 7, but still pretty comfortable after our Kings Arms cheese doorsteps, we asked if we could rearrange for later. Despite the hotel being busy, the staff were a great help, and rearranged with no hassle. We're glad we did – we couldn't resist three courses or that extensive wine list.

Stay at The Macdonald Bear Hotel from £210 per room per night. Accommodation in a classic double or twin room; full English breakfast; one adult ticket per person to Blenheim Palace.

The starters were by far the highlight. I opted for a spring salad, and it was a great decision. There were no boring, wilted leaves to be seen. I was instead presented with a wonderfully bright mix of tiny, delicate veggies – some cooked, some cold, all delicious. Some of the veg was pickled, and other morsels looked like they had been hand plucked from an Oxfordshire garden that very day, and it probably was. Carrot, baby violet artichoke and a number of small root vegetables sat atop a delicious swoosh of cauliflower purée, adorably adorned with a few charming, edible flowers. I ate the good-sized portion and wished I could have had 10 more platefuls.

My fiancé went for the cauliflower soup, which was hot and plentiful. Creamy without being overbearing and sickly, it came with a drizzle of truffle oil to finish it off. Cauliflower has never been so delicious, and, leaving a couple of spoonfuls in the bottom of the bowl, Andrew commented that it was 'one of the best soups I've ever eaten'. So I picked up his bowl and finished it. He was right.

The mains weren't as exciting. I went for the cep risotto but had to ask them to hold the Parmesan, given I'm a veggie. They were great about it, nothing was too much trouble. I think that holding the cheese ruined the dish, as it had no tang and was rather bland. Crunchy dried mushrooms scattered the top, which added texture. My veggie other half opted for the other suitable option, the white onion tart, made with blue cheese, grilled spring onion and rocket. It was much tastier than mine, open on a light and flaky base. The maître d' told us that the menu is ever changing with the seasons, so the next time we go (and there will be a next time) we can expect something different.

For dessert I enjoyed a slice of almond cake and the boy went for banana with salted caramel and peanut brittle. Both were just enough, and a pleasant end to the meal.

Back in the room, we found tiny Lindt chocolates on our pillows and enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep. It was a struggle to get out of bed in the morning – we really should have made plans to stay for longer and enjoyed a lie-in. Instead we headed to breakfast and enjoyed a veggie fry-up before embarking on another day exploring beautiful Oxfordshire.

By Kirsty Bosley