There’s off-piste and then there's way-off-piste. Admittedly, as we're slighty adventuresome by nature, being in the former state is a regular scenario, but today we achieve the latter!
After a scrumptious breakfast at the Swan we set off on our last Cotwolds walk of 2021. Checking various weather apps we conclude that coats will be worn, and it's raining as we leave - annoyingly we then carry the blooming things for the remainder of the day, although Hubby carries mine for the most
Having done northern segments sofar, we instead head south along the River Coln retracing a path we've travelled on previous years. Before too long we come across a sction we remember because of (yet another) mill house, so detour to photo that, then retrace to continue into Quenington, where we stop briefly to look at the war memorial amd the the Norman doorway of the local church before continuing onwards.
Our destination is Fairford and the Cotswolds Water Park, which certainly looks interesting on the OS map. There are so many Damsel files here, It’s quite breathtaking
Unfortunately after going around the first lake we find ourselvels well and truly in the mud where the footpaths become confusing, rerouted and then closed off with huge fencing. In some parts the fencing has been helpfully broken or bent to allow us to contiue our adventure, but after a while it's clear that we're not welcome depite what the official map says. After a number of lengthy detours we end up in the middle of a building site and starting to get deeper in mud, so reluctantly decide to give in and retrace our steps.
It's such a shame as the lake we were on was lovely, and the Coln is still flowing nearby.
Eventually we get back to a permitted area and contiue walking along the river back (as planned) to Fairford to find some rather later than expected lunch before heading back home.
The lovely 18 miles brings to a close our Cotswolds adventure as we move on tomorrow, via a couple of National Trust sites, to Hambleton. We’re sad to go, but both sporting numerous injuries (the horse fly bites have badly swollen my knee and calf, Hubby has various holes, nettle stings and a whopping bruise after an errant gate) we probably need a driving day to rest up!
A couple of hours in the garden, when I try to fix the door system at work which went wrong in the wee small hours of this morning. Sadly I think it’s not an IT issue so not in my gift, the engineers will have to come out. This doesn’t mean the doors don’t work, just that, for instance, we cannot add a new member of staff or amend someone’s access permissions.
Dinner is mostly loebely, apart from a gobshite a couple of tables away who drones on to his wife (more fool her) for an hour before booking an adjacent table doe the second hour. Despite him we enjoy lobster tart, steak tartare, then rack of lamb followed by lovely cakes
We still manage a wander around before retiring
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