Cotswold Way - Days 3 & 4

 Day 3

After a porridge breakfast in the room, I left at eight quickly climbing Cleve Hill and its winding paths realising just how easy it would have been for me to get lost in the dark last night. I had to keep consulting google maps to ensure I was following the right path and before I knew it. I had covered a couple of maps in the guide book and I was starting to celebrate too soon (never ever do that). I kept pushing my lunch hour until I found a nice spot and soon found one on Charlton Kings Common with beautiful views. Soon I came to a junction where I could follow one of two ways. Google pointed me one way and the signs on the route another. I followed the signs and at Crikley Hill Country Park cafe I had a gnawing feeling that I had missed the turning. One of the rules I had made up for this trip was that when I had had enough, I would not hesitate to call a taxi to take me to my hotel. Just as well I am not in the plateaus of Tibet! My Uber arrived within 10 minutes and took me to my hotel. I was only half-a-mile or so short so it was alright. For the first time in 17 years I filled up the bath and lay in it and soaked my tired legs. Stepped out for battered halloumi, chips and peas for dinner. Early start tomorrow!

Clevehill to Birdlip

15.5 miles or 25.5kms

Stay at Royal George Hotel

Day 4

Day 4

Alarm at 5.45, hotel breakfast at 7 and checked out at 7.37. Brisk walk until signs pointed me to turn left but confronted me was a steep hill of trees* with the path hidden under a thick bed of leaves. I began climbing and soon a fell runner came skidding in the opposite direction telling me that what I was doing was much harder. I was dripping with sweat from the exertion when I reached the top but unsure which way to go, I turned left and found myself on a boggy path when all of a sudden, the fell runner came running back to check if I had dropped a key. I replied no and began squelching my way down the path. On a particularly slippery stretch, I lost my footing and ended flat on my back saved only by my backpack. I picked myself up gingerly and after a bit of a wobble found myself back on the trail. 

As I walked through a golf course, I turned my wrist to check the time only to find that my watch was gone. I called the hotel to check but it wasn't there. My trusty Timex must have slipped out sometime after the fall. Sadly no fell runner followed me this time to check if I had dropped it. 

A little while later, I arrived at a Trig point but found that there were loads of Fresian cows and not wishing to walk in their midst, I took another path and soon enough I was lost. A mother and her son who were out walking their dog pointed me in the right direction. She told me that she wasn't scared of cows and that once in Australia she had once herded 10,000 cows, 800 at a time. She had hung up her cowboy boots and was working as a PCSO these days. Presently I found the steps I had missed on the maps and began climbing it. Within a 100 metres, I went through a gate and a man coming the opposite way asked me which way I was headed and when I told him, he pointed me the right way. It turns out I should have descended the steps instead of climbing it. Ian is a retired insurance salesman who climbs and walks in his free time. His 60-something wife was climbing a wall in Bristol that day and he was out walking. "Your company made my walk more pleasant", he said, waving me off. I walked on but soon our paths crossed again and we walked amicably for a touch longer. I climbed over stone stiles and squeezed through squeeze stiles. I walked towards Selsley but got lost in the fields and had to be redirected more than once. I walked past a vineyard and at the next town I had one of two options for the route to take. I took the shorter route and promptly got lost again at which point I had been walking for eight hours and done my mileage for the day. Fed up, I sat by the roadside and called a cab. I arrived at the posh 16th century inn which was to be my abode for the night a short while later. I showered, changed and went down to the pub where I was the object of curiosity for a few locals. For the second time in two days I was asked by a man what my husband thought of my adventures. I replied I didn't know as I had not checked with him but the fact that we had remained married for as long as we have must mean he was supportive of it. I brought my delicious butternut squash rice back to my room and called it a night. 

Soon it will be Deepavali. Who knew I would be celebrating it with a walk on the wild side? 

Birdlip to Selsley

17 miles or 27 kms

Stay at Bell Inn

*Later I learnt that the steep hill I climbed is not far from the place where the annual cheese rolling competition is held. 

Please note: the collages above are a mix of both days 3 & 4 and not exclusively each day.