Day 3 on the Cotswolds

Monday 13 May

Winchcombe to Cleeve Hill (9.5 kms)

This'll be interesting ... The test of the Compeed blister pads applied yesterday. Shorter walk today of about 10 kms but two climbs of 200 & 150 m.

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Well, quite a good day really but would you believe, we are relaxing here in the sitting room of a lovely B&B on Cleeve Hill - and it is HAILING OUTSIDE!

We got in about 2.30 p.m. after walking through a couple of showers and some cold winds high up on the hills, but we had some really nice bits of warm sunshine too. 

The walking was nice; the hills manageable with good views over the surrounding countryside highlighted with patches of yellow canola; some steep downhills with mud; through farms; past a very grand-looking building which the map says is Postlip Hall - apparently the Estate dates from the 12th century - and we passed the Chapel of St James as we climbed up to Cleeve Common; and finally past a golf course into Cleeve Hill village. We can see the large town of Cheltenham down in the valley in the distance from our nice B&B.

We are very happy with how things have gone today. The walking was pleasant and My Friend's feet are holding up with the Compeed blister pads I brought with me plus a change of strategy with regard to socks.

We rose early and after a delicious breakfast of muesli and very yummy bacon with scrambled eggs, we walked (without packs - what bliss! - which we left at the pub until later) to St Michael's Church to see the altar cloth stitched by Catherine of Aragon, one of the wives of Henry VIII (actually we found it in a glass case protected from the light by a curtain).

We then walked a couple of kms to Sudeley Castle which we didn't bother going into - and in fact had nice views of it at the top of our first climb of the day. The chapel, St. Mary's Sudeley, is the burial place of Queen Catherine Parr (1512–1548), the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, and contains her marble tomb.

Winchcombe is an ancient Saxon village which became prosperous as a result of the wool trade.

We did some banking, got sandwiches for lunch (not rabbit ones though!) and visited the local pharmacy for more Compeed blister packs (bargain: buy 1, get the 2nd for half price!). The pharmacist is an Aussie from Tassie and has lived in the UK for over 30 years.

We got underway just before 11 a.m. & made steady progress up to Belas Knap, a Neolithic long barrow used as a burial chamber around 2000 BC.

Then some flat walking across fields and a descent through woods and, as we climbed out of the woods, rain set in, but by the time we started the 2nd ascent, the skies cleared and it was a nice walk across Cleeve Common with good views across the countryside.

All in all, a good day: in early and now 'chilling out'  watching the hail and rain outside!

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After spending the afternoon with our feet up, reading and watching the rain, hail and sun alternate outside from the comfort of our snug B&B, we walked down to the village which really only comprises the pub, the Rising Sun. We enjoyed a lovely meal and gazed over the valley to Cheltenham glistening in the wet evening sunshine.