HUTCH • The Little Green Defender

17/03/2024

A patch of blue sky and a little green Defender are a combination sure to put a smile on my face ♥️.

Spring keeps hinting that it’s just around the corner. We left a local pub after a Sunday lunch and drinks with friends this evening to find that it’s still light outside. It’s wonderful to feel that the day hasn’t quite ended, after what feels like a very long winter of dark nights!

Finding happiness in the little thing is something I’m consciously focusing on getting better at… How about you?

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ukdefenders

13/03/2024

Tweed and timeless style.

I love to channel timelessness, and driving a Defender is part of this. To me, it means choosing classic pieces and not jumping in too heavily on trends, so that you never feel outdated, and can invest in a style that feels inherently ‘you’.

My wardrobe is increasingly filled with tweed and tailoring, so I can dial the formality up and down, whether it’s a work meeting, or an adventure in Hutch that ends in a Cotswold pub. I love that this means I can wear British brands, with Holland Cooper and Fairfax & Favor featuring heavily in the curated selection and still being worn regularly after many years.

Vintage finds and antique jewellery well and truly have my heart, too, so you might well see me wearing a Burberry trench from the 80’s over a Holland Cooper suit, carrying a Mulberry Bayswater from the 00’s, with a stack of Victorian and Edwardian gold around my neck… The fact that these can all be worn at once demonstrates their timelessness (to me, anyway) 🤍.

With today being ‘Style Wednesday’ at Cheltenham Festival, and the Slow Fashion awards celebrating vintage and borrowed items, as well as investment pieces that can be passed down through generations, I felt it was the perfect time for a short detour from our regular adventures, for a shout out to timeless style!

Amelia x

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Venue
Captured by
Wearing
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12/03/2024

Snowshill in the sunshine is like a tonic for the soul.

This tiny village punches above its scale in terms of beauty. Rows of cottages flank the steep hills, and of course, Snowshill Manor and garden, now under the guardianship of the National Trust, is nestled at its heart.

A marker of a great Cotswold village is the density of Defender ownership, and in Snowshill last weekend, the only vehicles parked outside the pub were Landys, so Hutch was in great company.

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Sidesteps
Panoramic glass

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10/03/2024

Old souls.

Hutch spanning two charming Cotswold cottages makes me think how much I love that our streets are filled with entirely unique buildings. The carefully piled stones that have been home to generations before us, and will host many more to come.

Even these two joined cottages have found their own unique identities over time. The left, with its smart, dark grey framed sash windows, and the right, with its stone mullions peacefully succumbing to the wonkiness of time.

The same is true of Defenders. Following today’s fabulous meet today, you see how our choices as custodians of these timeless beasts create individuality, in a way not many newer vehicles benefit from.

People say to me that Defenders feel like they have souls, and I think this is true of many old ‘things’. Perhaps it has to do with the time we spend with them, and the love we pour into keeping them going and looking great. Perhaps old things take on a bit of soul from all the people who have cared for them, which is why we get a ‘vibe’ when we walk into certain houses, and drive certain cars.

Perhaps I’m just a romantic with an old soul myself…

Amelia x

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08/03/2024

A Cotswold reset.

Bull is described as “the place to go if you have an itch to reset”. What a perfect way to put into words the feeling we all have from time to time.

Sometimes it’s not just an itch, it’s an urge, born from the pressure we put ourselves under to keep up with the pace of life.

Resetting means you can leave the overwhelm behind and give yourself a bit of love, so that you can feel ready to take life on again.

Recently revealed from under the builders’ scaffolding and hoardings, Bull is a Grade II listed 15th-century inn, which is now categorically one of the grandest buildings on Burford High Street!

I think Hutch looks rather splendid waiting patiently outside, adding a touch of green to the old stone and brick facade.

While it might only be a couple of minutes from our house, a ‘reset’ may have to be on the cards!

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Shot outside

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06/03/2024

Go one street further to find the magic.

Exploring with Hutch has taken us down so many new roads and lanes near our house. I grew up on the edge of The Cotswolds, so I thought I knew it like the back of my hand, but in reality, I only ever really knew the main routes.

We’ve fallen head over heels in love with our home area, and realised how lucky we are to have such a beautiful stomping ground!

Houses like this one, gardens, woodlands, and fields, hidden in the back lanes, are like buried treasure. And in amongst the treasure, we create the happiest memories.

🐑 On Sunday, as we passed through Temple Guiting, we slammed on the breaks as we saw a ewe had, just that second, given birth to a lamb. We watched silently, with no other passing traffic, while the lamb was gently cleaned by her mama, and while she learned how to use her little legs to stand up. It was such a privilege to witness those first moments of life, and something that we’d have never experienced had we been lower to the ground, or used main roads.

Magical memories made 🤍.

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04/03/2024

Broadway blending.

All that glass makes for a lot of reflection! But I’m not complaining. Many of the buildings in Broadway are 17th and 18th century (some date back to Medieval times) and the old limestone has the most gorgeous, warm colour and patina. Reflect that all you like, Hutch!

Sunday is a nice day to wander the streets here, especially in the colder months, when the tourist buses aren’t dropping off quite so frequently, and you can find a seat for a coffee more easily. You can follow a trip into the village with a visit to Broadway Tower for an incredible view, but I’d probably save that one for a warm day - the windchill is not for me!

Hutch got a few friendly waves on the way to Broadway, including from the owners of a brilliant ragtop Series 2a… So brave 🥶!

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03/03/2024

When a little Defender meets a little cottage.

We set out this morning, through cold and foggy air, towards Broadway. As the fog lifted, suddenly we found ourselves at the top of a hill, bathed in warm, spring sunshine.

A little detour into Great Rollright landed us right outside the door of Will and Amy’s . This utterly charming, quintessentially Cotswolds holiday hideaway is everything I’d imagined it to be - even without leaves adorning its twisted vines. Such a hidden delight!

It’s easy to see why people holiday in The Cotswolds. Every weekend we spend venturing down the country roads we see so much more of the beauty on our doorstep and I feel so incredibly lucky to be sitting up high in Hutch, and taking it all in!

A wonderful, wonderful Sunday 🥹.

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26/02/2024

At your service.

Parked outside the , Hutch looks every bit the handsome little chauffeur service. Having eaten and stayed here a few times, I’d not realised before that it had once been the hotel of choice for General Sir Charles Napier, Edward Elgar and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle… I wonder what they’d have made of little Hutch!

This was a few weeks ago, and I’m surprised how different he looks without the sidesteps. Isn’t it amazing how little changes can make such a big impact?

I hope your day has ended with the pretty skies that we were treated to in The Cotswolds. A dramatic sunset has so much power to lift my mood 💕.

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25/02/2024

Back on home turf.

Cotswold stone and Galway green really are a perfect combination. This house is on the outskirts of our town and it reminds me of the doll’s house I had when I was little. I always thought that houses should look like this - door in the middle, windows either side - so my parents found me one that was just right. Seemingly I had a ‘thing’ for architectural symmetry from a young age!

We popped along the road to today for their 4x4 meet, and ended up in a lineup of three green Defenders, including a very cool 110 specimen. That one had been finished in an unusual shade, which turned out to be a G-Wagon colour. Lovely to meet the owner and his son, who is hoping to inherit it one day (lucky boy!).

Hutch got a bit of love, so I was a proud Defender mother. I was too shy to say hello to most of the people who came to look at him. Isn’t it funny how Instagram enables you to chat to thousands of people, but it’s awkward to make that jump in reality? I must do better 🫣!

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23/02/2024

Adventure into the little streets ✨.

Behind the high streets and the bright lights, the little streets are the keepers of rare magic. Finding more of them in Hutch makes my heart so happy.

I grew up on a little street, above my family’s clock workshop, with ticking and chiming lulling me to sleep each night. In the daytime, people would pop in and chat about what it would mean to them to have their family clock repaired, and my dad would get to work to bring their heirloom (which may be valueless in monetary terms, but priceless in sentimental worth) back to life.

The little street in these photos can be found tucked behind Montpellier in Cheltenham, in an area called The Suffolks. Its shops and eateries keep the community buzzing, and while only a short walk across the park from the centre of town, you could be a hundred miles from the blandness of the high street chains.

One of my favourite shops in the world is here… Painted, appropriately, in deep green, Rebecca and Karl’s is a treasure box of beautifully illustrated stationery, which makes you fall back in love with handwritten letters and cards. It’s a joy to visit, to chat, and to pick up little somethings.

♥️ Let me know if you have a favourite little street to add to our on-road adventuring.

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21/02/2024

Defenders and country houses. An iconic pairing 🤍

I spent today at the office, which meant about 4.5 hours of driving (in the daily driver). Hutch always looks so sad when I leave him behind. Honestly, the longer I have him, the longer I realise how many similarities Defenders have to dogs. The guilt of leaving them is real!

Motorway hours call for a good podcast line up, and mine are a real variety pack…

👩🏼‍💻 Marketing ones to keep me up to date with the latest in my field.

🌱 Self development ones to help my personal growth.

☀️ Lighthearted ones to make me smile.

📚 Educational ones to help me learn new things.

One of my favourite new additions to the playlist is . For someone who loves beautiful properties as much as beautiful cars, this has been a wonderful find. Today’s episode was about follies, and if you’re interested in architecture and heritage homes too, I highly recommend it!

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20/02/2024

Hutch and heritage 🖤

I’m not getting over Stratford-Upon-Avon’s buildings as a backdrop for Hutch anytime soon… Can you tell? I love how unique each row is, how much craftsmanship went into every house, and how well they’ve stood the test of time.

Speaking of which…

Isn’t it amazing how some things become dated, but others, like these properties, never go out of style - and sometimes can be appreciated more with age? The same can be applied to vehicles. The definition of a ‘classic’ is hotly debated when it comes to cars, but for me, one of the factors is endurance. If something can transcend decades and remain coveted, then it’s a classic in my eyes.

This is why, whether you own an early Series, or one of the last of the old style Defenders, it’s a classic style that will doubtlessly become more loved as every year goes by 🖤.

By the way… Hutch isn’t winking in that second image because he has a headlight out. The lights double as indicators, and I managed to dash across the road in the rain and take my snap on the ‘off’ blink. Makes him look like such a cheeky chap 😜.

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18/02/2024

Doesn’t this place look like something from a fairytale? The ancient wood and tangled vines make it feel like the walls are filled with stories.

I love exploring places with Hutch and finding incredible, unique houses that have stood strong through more seasons and history than we can even imagine.

We’re going to have to come back to Stratford in May to see the wisteria in bloom 💜

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Loving hopping in and out with the new sidesteps from 🙌

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17/02/2024

This ain’t Texas… This is Stratford-Upon-Avon 😉. Hutch carried us along the Fosse Way, over the hills, and into Shakespeare’s home town - I’d almost forgotten its beauty.

Such a great little wander and a stop into and , where I picked up the vintage trench of my dreams!

A stop in for a drink in Stow-on-the-Wold, then home.

A perfect day with Hutch ♥️

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12/02/2024

12/02/2024

12/02/2024