A long day today, starting off cold but in the afternoon lovely sunshine. We left our B&B to cross fields and once again found that farmers had planted crops across the public footpaths, or we encountered fields of cows – and a bull – where we needed to cross, and we had to walk the long way round to avoid the impediments! Fortunately the walking became easier, and we were able to enjoy some fabulous views – and less enjoyable climbs up to those views!

We stopped at a pub in Hillesley for a drink and a snack, and then walked on to Dursley, losing our way at one point where again a footpath had been ‘moved’ and finished our walk on lanes – marginally less steep than the footpaths! In Dursley, an attractive market town, we went out to eat in an Italian restaurant before a well earned early night!

A Backward Glance

Confusion from the outset today. Straight out of our overnight stay, across the road, through a gate and across the field. The gate was locked and after attempting a climb Carol suggested this might not look good to our hosts and fellow guests at breakfast earlier who were now monitoring our progress through their window. So we walked a respectable distance up the road and got into the field through another gate. It was cold and heavy going to start, walking over some fallow fields and around other huge fields of crops. Later, sky and scenery brightened and at the village of Hillesley we stopped at ‘The Fleece Inn’ for a long drink and a short snack. (A contented stomach and emptied bladder makes walking so much more enjoyable). Again, we mistakenly wandered into someone’s garden and were politely asked to take the more orthodox route. The day was warm, but the route was becoming more and more tedious, having to climb over more locked gates, so it was decided to revert to a metalled lane instead for the last four miles. No gates to climb just inclines now; again hard work and nearer our destination some traffic as well, all conspiring to frustrate progress and enjoyment. Got to our digs feeling thoroughly exhausted but a bath followed by a meal and a small glass of red at an Italian restaurant numbed the aching.