A late start meant that we met in The Chipping as the drizzle started and we set off on one of The Cotswold Way circular walks taking in Wortley and then back to Wotton along the stream. Of course the usual crowd were there Heather, Jane Nicky Lorna and for the last time before she flies back to the sun Lady Fiona. http://wotton-under-edge.com/map As our map reading went wrong somewhere along the route we ended up skirting a newly planted field of corn which we were pretty sure wasn't on the route. This detour brought us out at the foot of a gully which took us up a steep hill and out into a long field of soaking wet grass. It was then that the rain came down. By this time our boots were soaked through and we were looking more and more like a bunch of drowned rats. Toffee revelled in the wet grass and leapt about like a demented frog.
The rain cleared up and the sun came out as we made our way through some of the prettiest country lanes filled with wild flowers. No one can deny that Gloucestershire is one of the most beautiful counties and we are so lucky to be able to walk in this countryside just an hour away from home.
On our descent into Wotton we met a fellow walker, however, he was travelling a little bit further than we were as he was enroute from Lands End to John O Groats in aid of Clic Cancer. It turned out that he'd lost his seventeen year old son to the disease and was walking not only to raise money but also as therapy for himself. He was walking along with a little Jack Russell for company and bivouacking each night - rather him than me is all I can say.
We walked into Wotton along the path next to the stream where Jane used to take Tim and Olly to play Pooh sticks- cue ahhhhh! Back in the town we visited the Perry Dawes Almshouses and the pretty little church it contains built in 1630 - a must visit. Soaking wet and very dirty, and not just Toffee, we called in on Marian and Phil who provided much needed hot tea and choccy biccies. An excellent end to a lovely walk.
