“How do you know each other?” was the question both Greta and I received quite a bit prior to embarking on this fall’s Women’s Walking Retreat through the Cotswolds. “We don’t!” was our common reply.
And yet, God saw fit to bring us together to lead a group of women from all over the United States through the heart of the English countryside on daily walks and village explorations, across farmer’s fields and ancient churchyards, amidst dappled woodland and alongside tranquil rivers. Even through a sodden, recently harvested field in a torrential thunderstorm! This series will explore my 5th Women’s Walking Retreat in the Cotswolds co-hosted by Greta Eskridge and me, and will feature photos and anecdotes from our adventures.
You can find travel tips and all of my Cotswolds favourites in my upcoming Cotswolds Guide being released later this fall. Read on to discover just how Greta & I came to find ourselves striking out one morning in late August from the ancient market town of Stow-on-the-Wold on a quest to find a vending machine set in the middle of the Gloucestershire countryside.
Before I dive into our adventure, I should provide a bit of background for how this particular retreat came to be…
Several years ago, I jotted down a list of authors and speakers I wanted to meet while attending the Wild + Free homeschool conference in San Luis Obispo, California. Greta Eskridge, an avid proponent of adventuring with your kids, building meaningful connection as a family, and protecting children from the dangers of pornography, was one of the women I was eager to meet. I’d been following Greta via Instagram for years and appreciated the warm, authentic presence she was able to convey through her content. After waiting in a book-signing line up, I had the pleasure of a quick meet-and-greet with Greta, who also graciously agreed to having our photo taken together. Years went by and I continued to follow Greta’s delightful adventures, meaningful posts, and helpful insights all online.
Then last fall, I noticed that Greta had tagged someone in one of my Instagram reels featuring the Cotswolds. As I’d recently had the pleasure of having author and homeschool podcaster Leah Boden share at one of my Cotswolds retreats, and had been doing some writing for Wild + Free, I wondered if Greta had somehow come across my content via one of these connections. In fact, it was her own interest in the Cotswolds that lead Greta down the rabbit hole to my retreat reel. I decided to reach out and drop into Greta’s DMs with an invite to collaborate on a future retreat. We exchanged a series of emails, both spent time praying about the possibilities, and met up on Zoom. It quickly became clear to us both that God was opening up a door to plan an adventure together and we excitedly moved forward with designs for a Women’s Walking Retreat in early fall 2025. I love how God brings people together for His glory and purpose!
Fast forward to late August 2025 on the morning after Greta and I met up in the ancient market town of Stow-on-the-Wold, and the two of us found ourselves in search of a vending machine purportedly set in the middle of the Cotswold countryside. One of our guests had shared their interest in finding the Fir Farm vending machine, and so I reached out to the walking outfitter I work with (Cotswold Walks) for the route. They shared the route to the app I use on my retreats, and so Greta and I ventured out of town and into the dewy fields and footpaths that would lead us to the Fir Farm vending machines.
At first, the route lead us along paths I’ve previously walked from Stow-on-the-Wold to the villages of Lower Slaughter and Bourton-on-the-Water. The our maps had us veer off onto another track, which was territory that was new to me. I love exploring the footpath system that grants adventurers access to public rights of way that have been used for centuries. England and Wales alone contain over 140,000 miles of public rights of way, a network unlike any other throughout the world.
I hadn’t been to the Cotswolds in autumn since 2017, (my past retreats have been held between May and June) when I explored the Cotswolds on foot for the first time. The recently harvested fields, blackberries ripe for picking, and crisp morning air were a delight for the senses that I had missed. I am fascinated by nature’s cyclical rhythms and how different a setting can feel just months apart. I also found it surreal to be experiencing this fresh fall walk with someone I’d followed online for years and only met briefly in a book signing line-up! Getting the chance to finally walk and talk after all of our planning confirmed what a beautiful partnership God had ordained.
When we finally found the Fir Farm vending machine set smack in the middle of nowhere, I was disappointed to discover the vending machine that contained ice cream (along with brisket and pork roast) was out of order. After all, the thought of hiking to ice cream first thing in the morning was a novel idea I found quite appealing. However, Greta’s palpable delight at retrieving the glass bottle she purchased and then witnessing the dispensing of organic, farm fresh milk into the vessel was contagious, and I was happy to document the proceedings and enjoy a sip of milk. It was delicious and very much worth the walk.
Our hike back to Stow-on-the-Wold took much less time as we knew a hearty breakfast (courtesy of our hotel, Old Stocks Inn) would be waiting for us, along with our newly arrived and jet-lagged guests, all looking forward to officially kicking off the retreat later that evening.
For the full inside scoop on this fall’s Women’s Walking Retreat, featuring more photos and stories, subscribe to my weekly newsletter HERE. This is also where future retreat offerings are posted first, so if you’d like first dibs on limited spaces available, make sure you’re in the know!
For more blog posts on the Cotswolds and past retreats, click HERE.