I was still tired from yesterday’s hills when we left this morning. Our first challenge was a steep climb to the top of Cleeve Hill common, where we were rewarded with spectacular views of Cheltenham and, in the distance, Gloucester, the Black Mountains and the Malvern Hills. There is a golf course on the common with sheep grazing on the greens. Please don’t hit any livestock with your ball, or any walkers trying to get past the 14th hole.
Then it was a long trek across Cleeve Hill, through a nature reserve, into a valley and then up another hill on the other side. Late in the afternoon we reached Leckhampton Hill, the point where the people from our B&B were to pick us up and drive us to their farm. It was only 15 kilometres, according to the guidebook, but with the hills it felt like much longer.
Our route took us around the city of Cheltenham, birthplace of Gustav Holst and Brian Jones, which disappointed Christine. However, we had many opportunities to see it from a distance as we walked. We saw many people out for a stroll in the late afternoon, but few who looked like they were attempting the Cotswold Way, which rather surprises me. We did see a couple with backpacks at Belas Knap, the Neolithic burial site, yesterday and another couple this morning on Cleeve Hill common, but given the density of inns and B&Bs around here I had expected more walkers. I suppose most tourists are sane and drive from place to place.
Now we’re waiting for a lift to the local pub for dinner. Tomorrow we return to Leckhampton Hill and walk to a little village called Painswick. There’s a pub in Birdlip, the halfway point, so we won’t have to picnic in the rain, the way we did today. Still, the rain does make the flowers grow. Speaking of which, we passed through endangered grasslands today, home to rare species of wildflowers and butterflies. According to the guidebook, most of these grasslands have been ploughed under in the last 70 years. All of that would’ve been on private land–a foretaste of what is to happen after our provincial government sells off the community pastures back home.
The photographs are absolutely beautiful Ken… I can picture you both there…even when Christine is not in a picture!
Great! Takes me back to the long walks…thanks for that. Where is everyone? They must be slower and behind you somewhere;-) My friend, I’m pleased to see you using your camera this Camino…walk on.