Day 6 Cotswold Way - what a GREAT day!

Thursday 16 May

Painswick to Coaley Peak (18.5 kms)

Well, the weather was kind today - at last! Within a short time of leaving Painswick, I was down to 2 layers instead of 4; cap on (rather than beanie); no gloves; and sunscreen! Amazing! It has just been a brilliant day; wouldn't have missed it for quids!!

So, My Friend has 'scratched' and there is now only one left in the field (I'm expecting a few Gai Waterhouse/Singo jokes, guys!). My Friend is now very happy running around in a Vauxhall Corsa and the boots are now in the local Charity bin here at Nympsfield. Someone will hopefully make good use of them.

We are staying at the Rose & Crown Inn, which is over 400 years old, in this TINY hamlet. Our room is nice and I have just had a nice hot soaking bath to help iron out my tight calf muscles; and we are now in the bar prior to having dinner.

I walked 18.5 kms today ON MY OWN - and passed the half-way mark. Further on, when I reached Haresfield Beacon with its views in every direction - and with the sun delightfully warm! - a couple of walkers and I took photos of each other to mark the landmark. The descent through woods and fields was very picturesque and I arrived at lunchtime at Stroudwater Canal where I should have stopped as it was so pretty.

I am quite chuffed at my map-reading skills which I was quite concerned about given I am notoriously deficient in this area and even together with two of us we have certainly made some bad mistakes the last few days. I have to say, I did not make a single mistake today; but then again, I checked and re-checked constantly and made careful note of all landmarks. I have to say, there is no room for being too relaxed: it is so easy to think that the point ahead that you are focussed on is where you are headed, when in fact there is likely to be a turn to the right or left when you least expect it; if you aren't concentrating, then you can easily miss the sign. Also, the signage has been inconsistent, and this makes for mistakes: there are myriads of paths leading off and these are mostly local tracks - not the Cotswold Way at all. Signage is sometimes even obscured by livestock!!

So the walking today had some ups and downs, with the longest being at the end from Middlemarch up to Coaley Peak; much of the walking hugged the escarpment with great views down to the Severn River and out to sea at what I presume is Bristol; there were lovely stretches of woodlands of beeches and bluebells.

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Friday 17 May

We had a lovely meal here last night at the Rose & Crown - a perhaps unlikely spot for fine dining, but that is what it was. I had the yummiest baked goats cheese tart with a grape and walnut salad.

My Friend has a cold.