The second half of Rivals season two arrives on Disney+ on 11 November 2026, and the show's real-world muse is ready for its own wintry moment. Jilly Cooper set her Rutshire Chronicles in the Cotswolds she knew from home, and the region's tweed-and-polo spirit is still easy to find - arguably best enjoyed in the colder months, when the crowds thin and the fires are lit.
The first six episodes of season two ended with a shocker: Lady Monica Baddingham killed by a falling tree just hours after discovering her husband Tony's affair and deciding to leave him. The new episodes promise Bonfire Night parties, the Hampshire Hunt Ball and a turbulent Christmas, so a frosty countryside break slots neatly alongside your viewing schedule.
Cooper lived in the village of Bisley, but it was market town Tetbury that inspired the fictional Cotchester. Its Beaufort Polo Club shaped much of her plotting - and the rogue Rupert Campbell-Black himself. The main polo season runs May to September, but winter arena tournaments run through the colder months, free to watch (except the Beaufort International), with lessons available year-round.
A little further north, the Bathurst Estate at Cirencester offers dog-friendly winter walks and riding routes through its 1700s parkland, plus guided November walks covering its Second World War history. At the Old Kennels, the Corinium Ales micro-brewery pours pints in its taproom and hosts festive events including a Christmas sing-along in December. Down in Sussex, the Goodwood Estate channels the same set: clay shooting, Land Rover off-roading, December carols outside Goodwood House and farm-to-fork restaurants using produce from the estate's own farm.
For quieter villages, skip the Broadway and Stow-on-the-Wold crowds and head for Snowshill, Painswick or Upper Slaughter - honey stone and crisp mornings followed by a pub lunch is the whole point. Festive extras include Broadway's late-night shopping evenings and Painswick's Rococo Garden lit up on selected winter evenings.
On the sleeping front, Calcot Manor & Spa near Tetbury has everything from family rooms to tree houses with woodburners and private saunas, plus a fireside outdoor hot tub (Highgrove House, King Charles' country home, is just around the corner). Coworth Park in Ascot is the only UK hotel with its own polo fields; winter brings horseback rides across 240 acres, festive afternoon teas and Michelin-starred dining at Woven by Adam Smith. For a full fantasy-rental, Temple Guiting Manor near Cheltenham offers beamed ceilings, log fires, a hot tub and a private cinema - and an outdoor tennis court, should you want to recreate a certain series one scene.
Eating-wise, The Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach does roaring fires and hearty classics with boutique rooms upstairs, while The Cat and Custard Pot in Shipton Moyne - King Charles' local and a post-polo favourite - serves Sunday roasts beside the fire (plus pizza and pasta in its Italian Chalet, with live music on Sundays). Craving Steak Diane or a prawn cocktail? London's retro institution Oslo Court delivers the full 80s time warp with silver service and ruffle curtains.
Anyone who's binged Rivals and fancies a winter break with horses, hunt balls energy and serious pub roasts will find plenty to work with here - check the polo fixtures and book festive dinners early. Thanks to Condé Nast Traveller UK for the original guide.
