Day 10 Bath

After a very noisy night in the YMCA we elected to have our breakfast early so as to avoid the school groups. This turned out to be a good plan as we finished just as they came in. Breakfast was cereal and toast included in the price of your room or a cooked breakfast for an extra charge.
As our train didn't leave till 4.00 pm we had time to fit in a few things before departing. We left the luggage at the YMCA and set off for the centre of town before the tourists started arriving for the day. I must say I was a little disappointed in some respects with Bath. I expected it to be really tidy but at 9.30 am there was still plenty of rubbish on the streets and there was grass growing between the paving stones in the Abbey square. Not really what you expect from a world heritage site that has thousands of visitors. However the old buildings are magnificent. Although we had been walking for the last nine days we hadn't finished yet as we joined a Mayor's guide on a two hour walk around the city. Jean was very knowledgeable and obviously proud of her city as she guided us round the most significant places recounting their history. Well worth taking this free tour if you ever visit Bath.

The Royal Crescent

Bath Abbey

After this a quick sandwich for lunch and then Margaret and Stuart visited the Roman Baths while I sat in the square in the sun being entertained by some fine street musicians. A very pleasant way to end a great trip.

 Thanks to Margaret and Stuart for their company on this trip and thanks to whoever provided us with good weather, it makes all the difference. Our B&Bs were all good and very different from each other. I'm looking forward to the next one wherever that may be!

Day 9 Pennsylvania to Bath

The last leg was a short one so we weren't in any rush today. Old Swan Cottage definitely had the freshest eggs we had eaten. The dining room was full of ornaments and even the table mats, tea pot and toast rack had hens on them! The owner was very chatty and told us about an interesting guided walk around Bath that we might like to do.
We left the noisy A46 behind us and set off across the fields to Cold Ashton, a very classy place.

The Rectory

Gateway to the Manor House

We passed an interesting plant nursery called Special Plants and Margaret and Stuart were kind enough to let me look around for a few minutes. I now have a catalogue to send for unusual seeds.
Then on to the battlefields at Lansdown Hill which were clearly marked and stretched for some distance.

Sir Breville Grenville Monument

Sir Breville, a Royalist, received a blow to the head by a pole axe on 5 July 1643 and was taken to the rectory at Cold Ashton where he subsequently died. Just past the battlefields another trig point nestling in the nettles.

Not long before the last views of Bristol turned into the first views of Bath. But just time for another extension up to the top of Kelston Round Hill.

View of Bristol From Kelston Hill

First sight of Bath

It looked all down hill from here but of course it wasn't as the trail took you around to the east of Bath before dropping down into the city. A celebratory ice cream was needed in Queen Victorias's Park before winding through the streets to the Abbey where the trail finishes.

The Circus

The End

Trail marker stone

One of the things you have to do as a tourist in Bath is to visit Sally Lunn's house, one of the oldest houses in Bath, for tea and buns. This was on my wish list so out of curiosity we all went for a Sally Lunn. Not a bit what we expected. I thought it would be an iced bun but no, it was like a large squashy tea cake that you had toasted with jam, very delicious and just what was needed after a long walk.

We looked around the Abbey first and then as it was very busy with tourists of all nationalities we made our way beside the river to the YMCA, our final bed for the night.

Paradise gardens looked very nice but as you had to pay to get in and we're from Yorkshire, well you can guess the rest!

Paradise Gardens

Pulteney Bridge

The YMCA compared very favourably with YHA. Our twin room had two single beds, a wardrobe, book shelves and a wash basin and the beds were already made up for us. The only downside was the noise as it holds 200 people and was very popular with young foreign tourists and school groups.

We had already decided that we would eat in Wetherspoons and we soon found The King of Wessex in the more modern part of the city. It lived up to expectations and provided us with a good meal at a reasonable price.

Day 8 Old Sodbury to Pennsylvania

Everyone staying in the pub had breakfast in the conservatory of Rock Cottage and as we only had 8 miles to do today we weren't in any rush. We chatted to another couple walking part of the trail and they mentioned going to Dyrham Park at lunch time that seemed like a good idea.

Cotswold stone wall

 We chatted to this man for a while comparing Cotswold stone walls with Yorkshire stone walls and he told us that the immaculate parkland we were about to enter belonged to James Dyson. He bought the parkland and Hall in 2003 for £20million. The house has 51 bedrooms and 40 bathrooms but is well hidden by trees.

Dodington Park

Statue of a stag

 After a brief stop in Tormarton where the pub was shut we carried on to the National Trust property Dyrham Park.

Crossing the M4

Just resting

 After a nice lunch in the cafe  and a snooze listening to the water on the cascade we went for a walk around the grounds and saw lots of Roe deer. Now we knew why they had venison burgers on the menu!

The Orangery

 It was only another two miles to our destination, Old Swan Cottage in Pennsylvania. The garden was full of ornaments peeping out from hedges and everywhere you looked but I didn't spot a gnome. We weren't eating out today as we had eaten a big lunch so it was nice to chill out in the garden or watch the tennis on TV in the bedroom. I think we were all ready for a bit of peace and quiet.

Day 7 North Nibley to Old Sodbury

 After a lovely breakfast in the wedding room with linen tablecloth and napkins  the owner came out to see us off pushing an ancient hoover. She obviously didn't believe in modern appliances!
A bit cooler this morning but still dry so no complaints. The 15 mile walk started with a climb up to the Tyndale monument built in honour of William Tyndale who translated the New Testament. Part of the path had been diverted due to a land slip but we soon got to the top. This monument can be seen for miles and we were able to see it for most of the rest of the walk.

Hill Top Monument overlooking Wotton under edge

Jubilee Clock Wotton under Edge (Queen Victoria)

 Wotton had quite a few shops and a very nice baker's shop that provided us with something delicious for lunch. After Wotton a climb up through some woods and a short rest on a bench overlooking Nanny Farmer's Bottom. Its an area of woodland in case you are wondering!

Alderley Church

We found a nice seat in the churchyard for our lunch break. We seemed to be getting used to having a seat at regular intervals.

Monument in memory of General Lord Robert Somerset 

 They like their monuments and follies round these parts.

Drover's Pool

There was no longer any water in the drover's pool but it had wild Irises and rushes growing it.

Modern Folly built especially for nesting swallows and owls.

 This was a millennium project near Little Sodbury.
Between Little Sodbury and Old Sodbury there was a very large hill fort.

Old Sodbury church

We were staying at the Dog Inn in Old Sodbury and were delighted to find that we weren't in the pub but in a small cottage opposite called Rock Cottage. We made a pot of tea in the kitchen and sat in the sun in the garden for a while. The only down side was the noise from the traffic on the busy main road..

We ate our evening meal in the pub and had difficulty choosing from the very extensive menu. Every table had a few question cards from Trivial Pursuits so we entertained ourselves trying to get the answers right before retiring to our cottage for a good night's rest. Well that was the general idea but the traffic was very noisy and when a lorry came past you could feel the bed move which was rather disconcerting.

Day 6 Middleyard to North Nibley

Choices, choices, choices.......nine kinds of breakfast cereals, fruit and yoghurt, cooked breakfast, toast and 6 jars of home made jam, marmalade and honey. This was certainly the best B&B we stayed in for attention to detail. Everything looked brand new but she had been there for 10 years. Previously a farmer's wife she obviously delighted in providing the best for her customers. It was quite hard to leave but we had another 11 miles to do today.

Last view of Middleyard

Rain was forecast for today but we were very lucky and it didn't put in an appearance. The walk went through the woods to Nympsfield long barrow dating from 2500BC. Long barrows are the grave yards of the earliest settlers..

The fields around this long barrow were full of flowers and in particular Sainfoin which was a new one on me. Very pretty but also very windy so difficult to take a good photo.

Then up to the top of Cam Hill and for good measure we took in Cam Peak which wasn't strictly on the route but had good views of Dursely from the very windy summit.

Severn Estuary

Distant view of the Severn Bridge

Cam Hill

Dursley

We stopped in Dursley for lunch. It was a bit of a disappointment after all the lovely places we had been to but the market hall was handy for lunch and it had banks and Sainsburys for money and supplies and if you are a real ale fan the Old Spot pub is an award winning pub.

Market Hall Dursley

We walked past it on the way up the hill! More choices at the top of the hill, should we walk around the golf course or should we take the short cut into North Nibley, both of them labelled Cotswold Way. Well we aren't into short cuts so we took the longer route around Stinchcombe Hill.

North Nibley

Our B&B in North Nibley was different again, a little shabby but very impressive house overlooking the cricket field with a magnificent staircase.

The rooms were huge and it must have cost a fortune to heat in winter. The owner very kindly took us into Wotton under Edge for a meal as the local pub had just had its kitchens condemned! A very peaceful place to stay well away from the busy main roads.