Day 5 Painswick to Middleyard

A more leisurely start today as the walk was shorter. Again we started in the rain but every time Stuart put his over trousers on the rain stopped so it wasn't long before the weather improved. This was the first and only day I had my waterproof on.

Approximately halfway

Today we passed the halfway point and as we had done the longest walk it felt good. The rain soon stopped and we saw plenty more wild flowers including this white orchid that I believe is a butterfly orchid.

We made our way to Haresfield Beacon but only had a short stop there as it was very windy. At least the wind was blowing the murky weather away and the views were getting better.

Along the way we passed another of Cromwell's seats. He seemed to like sitting some distance from the action well out of harm's way!

Cromwell Stone commemorating the siege of Gloucester 1643

Plenty of woods today but thankfully the paths were much better and the going was good. We passed several fields of newly planted vines on way down to the Stroudwater/Ebley Canal, the lowest point on the Cotswold Way.

At this point we had a choice of routes but opted for the longer one via the canal bank and then up on to Selsey Common.

Selsey Church

The views from the common were well worth the slog to get up there. 

Our B&B for tonight was Valley Views, a bungalow in Middleyard right on the trail, quite ordinary you would think until you got into your room. There was a small fridge for the milk, 8 choices of tea bags, 4 choices of coffee, hot chocolate, Ovaltine, bottles of water, slippers under the bed. In the huge bathroom 6 choices of Radox bath soaks, a basket full of small samples of shower gel, shampoo, body lotion and a box containing tooth brushes and tooth paste in a cellophane wrapper, nail brush, face cloths......you name it and it was provided including three fluffy towels and bathrobes. We couldn't believe our eyes. On top of that we had a lift to the local pub, the King's Head in King's Stanley. We did have to walk back but it didn't take too long.