This was a Sunday morning walk with a pub lunch at the end of it! Jools dropped Robin, Mike and myself just off the A436 near Kilkenny. The objective was to walk to the Chedworth and have a pub lunch at the Seven Tuns.
Seven Tuns Chedworth
We walked up the road a little and then crossed into fields to our left as we reached the top of the hill. The weather was OK but quite misty stroke foggy so the views that Robin promised didn't really appear.
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| Coffee break |
We then followed the walls on our right, noting the number of gates and places for horses to jump (at a a reduced height). We continued through field and along tracks, pausing for coffee and other pit stops - Mike can be seen below next to one of these horse jumps.
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| Mike at a horse jump |
We progressed with Withington village on our left, crossing the two main tarmac entries to the village until we entered the shelter of Withington Woods where there clearly had been a lot of work done by the forestry as there were beautifully stacked logs along our path with signs for children not to play on them!
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| Yes, that's deer! |
We looked for deer in the woods, and saw lots of them but of course no real photographic proof, except the blurred images I've included courtesy of my iPhone. This was my first walk with walking poles and despite the mickey taking, both Mike and Robin tried then and kind of approved. I've used them ever since and now wouldn't go out without them. The one disadvantage is that photography is more problematic and I would not be able to make use of the Robin (Nick Crane) umbrella in inclement but not horrific weather.
We crossed the tarmac again and took more shelter in the trees before crossing the into the old disused airfield, a relic from WWII. We crossed the runways, into fields, passing the picturesque cricket club and then gently down towards the village church at Chedworth.
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| Robin & Mike |
We went through the churchyard, passing houses on the left and arrived at the Seven Tuns a great little pub. We paused only to change tee shirts and repack bags before getting into the bar for a well earned drink of Youngs Bitter. Six miles in two hours, not too shabby across rough terrain.
Jools joined us and we enjoyed a roast beef lunch, more Youngs and a bottle of Rioja. Grand!
An OS view of the walk is below, courtesy of QUO digital mapping/OS
