My Country Walks: July 2022

Sunday 24th July 2022 - Barrow Wake

With the Cleeve Ramblers. Starting from the car park at Barrow Wake. Very dull with some 'mizzly' rain at first. Down from the escarpment to Great Witcombe as the 'mizzle' lifted and it began to get much warmer. Across the Witcombe reservoir then up to the edge of the Roman Villa. Then very, very steeply up again through the woods to The Buckholt and on through tbe Buckholt Wood and back down the Cotswold Way. Here the group split with most returning to the start along the Cotswold Way. Some of us followed the leader back down to Witcombe Park only to go straight back up again to the Cotswold Way and back to the start. About 8 miles with 1500 feet of ascent.

Dull at first

Going down to Great Witcombe

Church of St Mary the Virgin

Witcombe Reservoir

The Roman Villa

Buckholt Wood

A home for someone once

Going down again

And then back up!

Coming out of the woods near Birdlip

Clear views at the end of the walk. May Hill just visible on the left in the far distance and the Malvern Hills on the right.

Wednesday 20th July 2022 Guiting Power

Our normal Tuesday walk had been cancelled due to the heatwave when the hottest temperatures in this country in my lifetime were recorded. Today the temperatures were back to normal so I did a recce from Guiting Power for another walk later this year. Very dull and much, much cooler. Our green and pleasant land has been replaced by a brown and burned land. A combination of the recent heat and lack of rain,

Starting from Guiting Power to Kineton then around the edge of Guiting Wood to Deadmanbury Gate. On past Roel Gate Farm to Hawling and then back to Guiting Power. About 9 miles with 900 feet of ascent.

Guiting Power

Brown and Burned

Tuesday 12th July Quenington

Back to Quenington for the walk to Bibury and Coln St Andrews. For many visitors to the Cotswolds Bibury is the place to go to. It is very pretty and iconic but not necessarily the best. The forecast was for a very hot day but fortunately for us there was cloud cover which stopped it from getting too hot. About 8 miles and fairly flat walk with about 600 feet of ascent.

The landscape has changed as the crops change colour.

The Swan at Bibury

Arlington Row

One of the many mills by the river.

River Coln

Lots of fish in the net being transferred to re-stock the river.

The Mill House in Coln St Aldwyns

Tuesday 5th July 2022 - Sticklepath - Dartmoor

Return to Dartmoor for my first walk with my old friends this year. We started from Sticklepath and followed the River Taw back to Belstone. On to the edge of Taw Marsh to cross the river at the ford then gently up to White Moor Stone Circle. Up agan to Cosdon Beacon before coming steeply back down. About 8 miles with 1200 feet of ascent. Dull at first but much brighter later.