We did it!

We did it! We made it to the end of The Cotswold Way, arriving in the absolutely beautiful town of Chipping Campden.

Chipping Campden's old market building. In the main street alone, there are over 200 listed historical buildings - so much history!

A few more of my hundreds of Cotswolds photos:

Sudely Castle - amazing history in this grand house. It has connections with King Henry VIII and his queens, and King Richard III, and more.

Sheryl's day

On this 23rd day of June, Sheryl:

Woke up in The White Hart Inn in Winchcombe

 Went walking and patted a lamb

 Smelled the roses

Blew out a candle

 In the ruins of the 13th century Hailes Abbey

 Visited the even older 12th century small church next to the abbey

 Climbed a big hill to where Cromwell ordered and watched the destruction of the Abbey

 Ate lunch at the top of another hill

 Visited Stanway House, an old Jacobean manor

 Stayed overnight in the 16th century picture perfect Cotswold village of Stanton

 Ate a delicious dinner in the lovely Mount Inn

 With incredibly an beautiful view

Happy birthday, Sheryl

Buildings - ancient and old - so far

Village churches dating back to the 1200s and still in use.

Grand country estates. Dyrham Park, complete with immaculate formal gardens and deer roaming in the 243 acres.

Cute country cottages.

Picnic in the church yard of a grand old estate in Kenhelm.

Iron age burial chambers.

Belas Knap is a rebuilt long barrow burial mound originally built 5,500 years ago!

 Morning tea in the burial chamber

Hill forts, both iron age and Roman.

Where but Britain, would you be allowed to build a golf in the middle of an iron age fort? And where else would a golf club allow walkers to wander through their golf course?

Holloways

These are not disused railway cuttings or gullies created by water, nor are they constructed on purpose. These are pathways worn down into the ground by centuries and centuries of people travelling throughout the country, mostly on foot, sometimes by horse. Holloways - ways made into hollows below the level of the surrounding ground - very very old.

They often feel like lush tunnels

The never ending upward holloway with tropical lvegetation

A more gradual ascent

Quite narrow holloway with a large tree clinging to the side.

A walk in the park?

The Cotswold Way walk is advertised as an easy to moderate walk. I did expect more of tis:

But we have encountered lots of this:

Mud which really slows us down, and plenty of hills to climb, but then we are in the Cotswold Hills!

This is no walk in tbe park. It is enjoyable but it is certainly a challenge.

Escape to the country

I feel like I am staying in an episode of "Escape to the Country"

Double aspect attic bedroom with lovely views. Our lovely host, Louise, welcomed us in from the pouring rain and took our wet rain gear and muddy boots to her laundry to dry them out.

Old stone town house. Decorated in traditional style. Narnia bathroom in a wardrobe!

 Seriously - there is a shower and toilet in the brown wardrobe!

At The Dog Inn, dogs are welcome in the bar, not uncommon in Britain. There was a big golden retriever there with his owner and the pub's own dog had fecently passed away. There was a framed photo of him in the dining area.