I never feel luckier to be English than I do when I walk through the countryside. The green, rolling farmland, wildflowers, ancient buildings and old church spires just touch me like no sandy, palm-lined beach can. I love Birmingham deeply, but when the weekend comes, I take the opportunity whenever I can to escape the hustle and bustle to get some fresh, country air.
We're lucky to be surrounded by unreal natural beauty (and some bostin country pubs ) and you don't have to travel far in any direction to see some desktop background-quality sights. So on Sunday, I jumped in the motor and drove the half an hour down the road to Warwickshire. My Google Maps directions were taking me to Sims Vintage antique centre, given it's set within a farm courtyard; I'd had great luck with one of those in Staffordshire a few weeks back, where I found a Hobbity little spot with an exquisite cheese shop and tea room .
Read more: I walked along the stunning Birmingham street that has the worst vibes in the city Sign up for the Brum Food Club free weekly newsletter for updates on what's happening in the city's food and drink scene . This one was a great destination. In Sims, I nosed in the cabinets, on the search for nothing in particular and ended up buying a Birds & Sons lemonade bottle from the old Digbeth factory and felt like it was worth the trip just for that.
Elsewhere in the Yew Tree Farm Craft Centre, I popped into Warwickshire Artisans, a really brilliant little nook in an old farm ou.