Rain jackets on and brollies up, we were set to explore delightful Bath – cream tea with Mr Darcy round the corner to the warm spring baths of the Roman Empire on to the Abbey.

train to Southampton and a quick walk through the old town… Not much of the old city remains after the bombings during the war.

We’re here to pay our respects to the port that farewelled our ancestors so we raised a glass to all our ancesters who crossed wild oceans in tiny sailing vessels (not like these floating cities which leave South Hampton these days)

… some with the vision of building a future in the lucky country and some exiled for minor misdemeanors … whatever the history our family has been shaped by all of you

John and Alice Selby who left Waddan Hall Estate  for a challenge; Gunder and Else Mallam who left Norway with 3 tiny children, William Cox, John Spedding who all believed in a better future and risked everything. William Cripps, John Hurigan and more who all converged to build us. Cheers and thank you.

DAY 6
A very full English breakfast of 2 rashers of bacon, a Gloucestershire Old Spots sausage, half a grilled plum tomato, a grilled flat mushroom, baked beans and an egg  is now our familiar day starter.

An easy start across the fields and footpaths back to Chipping Sodbury 5miles then situations lined up to change the direction of the day – a bit of gastro a wrecked knee and a bus (bous) going to Bristol … It was obvious really – we bought our ticket and hopped on just as the temperature dropped and the rain set in.

Lunch by the canal edge of the river Severn River then on to Bath through the driving rain

DAY 5
Our friends from last night were walking the trail by walking half a day, booking into a B&B then walking on without their packs and bussing back to the B&B. In the morning they would bus back and continue on …. Since we’d walked extra miles yesterday we decided that adding a bus (sounds like couscous) was a great plan.
This gave us time to explore Wotton-under-Edge and have a cream tea – bad coffee plus scone with jam and clotted highland cream.

Chipping Sodbury was next where an Italian lady about to visit her daughter in Melbourne filled us in with all the local knowledge.
The path to Old Sodbury took us past St John the Baptist Church with ancient effigies of a bishop and his son,

then through a now grassy Iron Age fort with moat.

DAY 4
Breakfast at St Anne’s B&B, Painswick with an American and a couple from Wiggin near Manchester who would have us in stitches for days – delicious strawberries, homemade yoghurt and freshly baked bread made up for the curdled milk and rubbery poached eggs and terrible coffee which we fear we might acquire a taste for.
Iris, the Queen of St Anne’s B&B who clearly had more important things to, convinced us of a preferable walkway to Stroud. Unable to buy a map in Painswick we headed out with only Iris’s sketchy directions.
We were lost more of the time, than not – this state of mild anxiety is quite familiar now.
Chatting to a ‘Lord of the Manor’ along the way afforded us a guided tour of the English Manor gardens – the manor house dated back to the 12th century.

He delighted in informing us that he shared his gardener with Prince Charles at Highgrove.
Eventually we scrambled into Stroud via some private gardens!!

Unlike at home, a pathway 5 meters away might as well be across a ravine of orks – thick briers, blackberries and giant thistles make any other deterrent unnecessary.
We walked along the canal at Stroud with a Portuguese Water Dog and his owner sharing stories of travel, family, life …
Unable to find the track to rejoin the Cotswolds Way a council advisor (in high heels) came to our assistance walking out the back, across the swamp, along the road, through the gate and way again …
Looked down on Kings Stanley nestled in the valley, up to Selsley Common, along through Stanley Wood and up to the skeletons in Nympsfield Long Barrow.
We allowed ourselves a brief pause at the lookout at Frocester Hill looking out to Bristol, the Severn River and Sugarloaf Mt in Wales
Up to Coaley Wood then up another steep hill to Cam Long Down – an isolated remnant of the Cotswold uplands side popped out at the highway – we should have followed the road into Uley – however not having been this way before we continued on the track down an endless steep track into the valley hoping to pop out at Uley
Occasionally we rediscovered internet connection – this was one of those times – and google maps informed us that we were miles off course and had started the next day’s walk.
We rang the hotel who suggested we try the cab company who said they probably could come but not for hours! We decided to turn back up the long hill, when we heard a car in the distance, ran back to the road just in time. The kind lady took pity on us, went right out of her way and took us into Uley right to the door of our pub.
We met up with our friends from breakfast had a great night of laughs.

DAY 3
No English breakfast at Koloshi – Indian boiled eggs, toast, cereal and a good coffee. Never forget the gaffa tape ! Today it is the difference between moving or not. Gary’s knee is now held together with half a roll of grey duct tape – it’s working well and we’re away.

Up through the Lineover Woods, over the stile, through the gate, across the field, down through another deep shady wood, over several stiles, through gate after gate across the fields of either barley or shoulder high stinging nettles and blackberries which brush against us leaving their calling cards of red welts. The au-naturale amenities with privacy only behind said stinging nettles has delivered burning welts in unmentionable places…

up Wistley Hill, down to Seven Springs, up Hartley Hill, up Leckhampton Hill – found the Devil’s Chimney

with amazing views over Cheltenham and the miles of valleys below – and down into Ullenwood.

With no sign of civilisation in sight, lunch was becoming a forbidden thought until we popped out of the trail at a sign to Star Bistro – a training facility for young people with special needs and various disabilities – it was the best meal! Asian beef salad, goats cheese omelette, wonderful home made bread and really good coffee AND toilets!
On our way … Up and along Crickley Hill country park with some lovely new friends – the chat and laughter made the uphill miles seem much shorter.

Up Crickley Hill … the sound of Traffic and the sight of the Air Balloon pub  meant that we needed to navigate a highway crossing – strange indeed and seemed to belong in another reality – curious indeed.

Up and up to the Peak and at last Birdlip – from the ancient “Bride Leap”?? – is in sight … Now – daylight holds out until at least 10.30 but we were fading fast and the Feather Pub was a welcome sight indeed. After some much needed refreshment we were whisked by taxi to St Anne’s B&B in Painswick. Our faithful luggage was always magically there to greet us. A quick shower – retro fitted into a wardrobe – we were careful not to go through the back of the wardrobe for fear of unwittingly going beyond! – our neighbours’ wardrobe was even smaller and they had great trouble manoeuvring in the confined space.

Tea at The Falcon – delicious – looking out over the topiaried Yew trees in rows in the clipped lawns – I’m sure that I could hear the vociferous Queen of Hearts’ “Off with her head!” through the pouring rain, but I couldn’t be sure.

DAY 2
A quick but full English breakfast at Wadfield Farm then a dash up at the edge of the woodland past the Cotswold Lions (secretly, they are sheep with terrible shaggy dreadlocks of fine wool)

to the skeletons in the long barrow at Belas Knap,

drop down through the woods to Postlip Hall, keep the stone wall to the right

past the Chapel (1200s), bell turret and stone tithe barn,

over the style through the gate to Cleeve Common then onwards and upwards to a distant vista of Winchcombe and Sudely castles. We popped back to reality for a cheese sandwich at the golf house and joined the golfers finishing their round and seemingly oblivious of the museum beneath the escarpment.

Daring not to sit for too long as we could feel the coolness and knew we would be reduced to stone statues at any moment. A passing deer and squirrel and fox all scurried by to remind us how quickly the minutes were passing and how little distance we were covering. Finally we popped out of the wood and landed in someone’s garden who immediately brought us a cup of tea, told us the family’s whereabouts (we felt we should have known them), sold us another map and pointed us in the direction of tonight’s home – a fabulous Indian restaurant and B&B just beneath the Dowdeswell Reservoir, and just across the road

DAY 1
We’ve taken leave, hopped on a B777 Thursday midnight, landed in London 25 hours later on Friday 1pm, boarded a fast train to Moreton-in-Marsh, slipped down a rabbit hole, exchanged the shortest day for the shortest night, shed winter layers in a closet at the train station and came out the back under the lamp post at Chipping Camden!

We were unsure whether to look expectantly for Mr Tumnus; the Mad Hatter;  Gandalf or Robin Hood. Before we could decide we found ourselves in a pub owned by an Aussie, chatting to a group from Ulverstone, Tas. Curious indeed.

We were away – past the thatched cottages (Bilbo Baggins maybe?), on the cobbled paths following miles of dry stone walls. Careful not to scare the free range ‘ranga’ chooks. The sheep (to rival NZ) however didn’t even acknowledge our presence and we had to watch where to place each step.

Not that we remember eating the Turkish Delight or seeing the White Witch BUT something in the amazing full English Breakfast or the horrid coffee persuaded us to take leave of our senses and follow the Cripps Way rather than the Cotswold Way. We climbed Dovers Hill three times from different directions adding an extra 10 km to today’s journey bringing it to a round 40km.

A kindly gentleman gave us renewed directions and again we climbed Dovers Hill and rediscovered our markers. Having renewed our allegiance to the Way it was onward and upward across Cleeve Common to Broadway Tower. The magnificent vista opened out below and the misadventures of the morning vaporised.

The lush green English summer turf was an offer too good to refuse

Down into the valley, the township of Broadway was a welcome sight as our hunger pangs were becoming more and more frequent. Our enormous breakfast had been completely used up

Morris Dancers were in the village square with their colourful costumes and toe tapping music.

Rejuvenated by our Tea Room lunch we were on our way. Beautiful blue cloudless skies, green fields dotted with sheep and a silence broken by our own thumping hearts and puffing breath. The Way led us upward for a few hours until a three way fork in the road brought us to a stop – our path was not marked and we were way too familiar with the consequences of leaving The Way. Within minutes a family of Elves appeared at our side, knew exactly where we were headed, offered to guide us the whole way to the next hamlet. Six year old Sophie introduced us to Brownie, her much loved companion, a girl rabbit with an extensive wardrobe. Both Sophie and Brownie were quite hungry and were very disappointed when the Mount had not yet opened. Legolas (known as Rob to his friends) wasted no time in suggesting that we all pop down to the cricket club, have a pint, get some crisps and lemonade for Sophie and Brownie and then hopefully The Mount would be open and we could stay for dinner.

We all sat in the sun and watched the game of cricket in front of us on the Manor House green – we had to keep pinching ourselves or we may have forgotten to breathe.
As if orchestrated to a different score 6pm struck, The Mount opened and we ordered dinner gazing at the rolling valleys and fields below and in the distance the blue silhouette of the Black Mountains in Wales. We chatted on and on, past Sophie and Brownie’s bedtime with no thought of the impossible miles we still had to go – two more valleys and hills to our B&B. As the impending reality hit, Rob and Gillian insisted that the Vauxhall whisk us to Wadfield farm – we gratefully accepted – only then realising that our destination was soooo well hidden that our weary legs and brains had no chance of ever finding it!!
Legolas and Arwen and Sophie and Brownie had saved our day.