Walking the Cotswolds: Day One

My first day got off to a rough start because my walk organizer (Mr. Guppy...yes, Guppy!!) hadn't delivered the maps and route notes to my hotel yet. I emailed him and called and left a message to no avail. Finally the receptionist of the hotel managed to get hold of him and he couldn't believe he hadn't delivered my instructions.  Well believe it!! What he ended up doing was calling another hotel where another family was preparing to do the same walk, get someone to make colour photocopies and deliver them to me. Not a fortuitous beginning and I got off to a late start but from there the day just got better and better.

Here I am in my hiking gear, ready to roll!

 I'm very into doors and gates so you'll see lots of photos of them. I'm now walking out of the village of Moreton-in-Marsh. (Notice the date above the door - 1678!!)

 Walking past the duck pond again...

 There's the sign for the public footpath and my first gate to go through. It was a mild and sunny day.                                       
Immediately through the gate lovely vistas were on view...

 Lots of gates to go through: field gates (long ones), small gates, kissing gates etc - I became adept at opening them all!

 This photo is currently my header photo...I love taking shots through openings in trees, fences etc...gives them a framed look...

 The trees were magnificent - huge beech, chestnut, maple and oaks...

 and berries galore...and yes, I nibbled...

 You can see the path clearly here...but there were many many trails criss crossing so you had to be very alert that you stayed on the right one!

 oh glorious sky!

 A field gate coming up...

some had just a rope holding it closed, others more complicated mechanisms...and of course there were many stiles to climb over too...

 a stump clearly marked the way...

so far so good... I don't think I'm lost!

Here comes another field gate...sometimes there were 3, 4, or 5 fields gates in a row and I had to keep track of what number I was on so I didn't take a wrong turn...

 yet another coming up...what's that I see beyond the tree?

 ohhhhhhh...I get to walk by some cows...

they look friendly don't they?

 until I started to open the squeaky gate and then they came clomping over to investigate!!!

 ...ok, how am I going to get through this gate now that all of the cows are crowding around???

 well, what I did was I walked down the fence line to see if there was another way I could get into the field...there wasn't...so I waited out of "cow view" for a few minutes, they lost interest and wandered off to another part of the field...I snuck back to the gate and quickly entered and started across the field...

I startled a number of pheasants at one point...

See? the cows found their way to another part of the field and I was home free!  I wasn't worried about my safety, I just didn't think I could hold them all back when they were all crowded around the gate!

 off across the field I go!

 interesting trees - I really hoped I might come across some druids...but if they saw me they kept away...

 The house coming up on the right is called "The Duckery" :)

It had a perfect fairytale apple tree in its yard - I'm sure Snow White's apple came from this tree!

That was a LONG hill - can you see it going way way back behind me?

 But the views are so worth it!!

 Off to the right of the path was a little detour leading to...

 no, not this fallen tree...

no, not this charming river...

 YES, this house which is called Sezincote House...the architectural style was based on Rajasthan palaces - very unique!

 Back to my path and I can see for MILES!!

 and MILES!!

 What a great way to build fences...

 Here comes another gate!

 Looks like I'm approaching civilization!!

Yay, I'm not lost!!

 I'm about halfway to my destination village so will take a bit of a wander around the little village of Longborough and see if I can find a place to wet my whistle :) Oh, lookie yonder, a pub!! I bellied up to the bar and the bartender asked me if I wanted a pint or a hawf (half) in his posh British accent [and I replied "hawf please" immediately feeling ridiculous though I wasn't trying to mock him it just came out the same way he said it!! He didn't seem to notice :/

 Could this village be any more picturesque???

 They're concerned about saving the bees here too!! This was on the wall of a nursery school.

 Looks like a postcard doesn't it?

 The village cafe - CLOSED! It was a Sunday after all.

 Just in case I decide to move here, a place FOR SALE!!

 Good-bye Longborough!!

Next stop: Stow on the Wold (wold means "hill", uh oh, more climbing ahead of me!)

That's enough for one post - I'll do the other half of day one tomorrow:) You likely need a breather!!