Day 3 - The Cotswold Walk

I apologize for not getting day 1 done before day 2 but I was having issues with my dumb smart phone. It would not let me upload any of the pictures from my camera to the blog. I decided to take pictures with my tablet on day 2 and had much more success. Since I can't seem to get my body clock on English time, I worked on another solution to get the pics from my phone to my tablet and succeeded about 1:30 a.m. so I was finally able to blog day 1. To read it, go back to "Day 1 - Were off!"

This morning, Day 3, began with both of us pretty tired after a sleepless night and hard day yesterday.

We started the day with a full English breakfast - fruit followed by bacon, eggs, tomatos, mushrooms and toast. 

The Shenberrow Hill B&B

The day is cold and windy when we begin our "7" mile walk today. Stay tuned for how far we actually walked.

I've never seen a daisy tree but that's what this appears to be. 

The main street in Stanton, where we spent the night. 

I'm not sure what this is either but it sure is pretty.

It's not really a cross behind us but the sign posting the start of the trail. We don't look quite as energetic as we did yesterday. We learned from a 72 year old woman on the trail that it's best to scrape your hair back on these damp mornings to keep from getting the frizzies, so today we scraped our hair back. 

This is what the trail looked like leaving Stanton. The mud is like clay and sucks your shoe right in. 

The sky is starting to clear but the clouds are still low over the hills. 

Jo Anne communing with the sheep. 

I thought they were going to chase me down. 

Another massive tree

I was looking at this interesting bird feeder when I heard a bicycle flying down the road behind me then an awful crash. An older man, who must have been in a hurry, tried turning the corner too fast and his bike flew out from under him. His face skidded across the pavement and when I ran over to see if he was ok, he raised up and his nose was bleeding and skin was hanging from his lip. Fortunately, I had alcohol-free wipes in my backpack and gave him a handful. His phone and glasses were broken and he was embarrassed so kept saying he was OK but he really wasn't. It was back on his bike but he headed home instead of where he was going. 

Stream running under the walkway

An old "chapel" and cemetery

Cemetery

The moss covered stone wall along the trail

Another gurgling stream - it's hard to describe the peace and serenity out here on the trail, listening to the running water and bleating lambs. 

This picture really doesn't do justice to this scene. As soon as we turned the corner and saw this, it was like looking into heaven and the picture of Kathy that mother painted. We both thought the exact same thing at the same time. 

And then there is this sign...

You'll probably get tired of seeing sheep pictures

So here's a horse pic 

If you look really far in the distance, you can see the village where we started our walk this morning. 

Taking a two minute rest after a grueling hike up the mountain, and I do mean grueling. At times our noses were about 2' from the ground in front of us. 

Yea!!! Only 6 km more to go. 

The trail finally heads downhill!!!

Moss covered tree branch resting spot 

No leaves on this tree but it certainly is covered in ivy

This is Hailes Abbey, the remains of the great Cistercian Abbey.

Winchcombe, the village where we are staying tonight, is far, far in the distance. 

The village gets closer. 

Water pouring from a rock wall

Walking into town to find our inn for the night 

Eureka, we've found it - The White Hart Inn in the middle of the picture

We finished our walk so quickly today that we were too early to check-in, but we were able to get a table in the restaurant. Jo Anne had the salmon today..

I had Yorkshire pudding and it was fabulous! I introduced Jo Anne to sticky toffee pudding for dessert. She loved it.

We still had time to kill before check-in so walked up the hill to see Sudeley castle. 

This was the bridge to the castle built in 1831.

Views of the castle from the walk.

Not sure what this building is since the carving over the door is not in English. 

On our way back to the inn, we pass Dent's Terrace, a  lane of alms houses originally part of one of the largest Benedictine monasteries in England.

When we get to the inn, we find that they have not reserved the room we requested so we have to wait even longer to get the correct room set up. We're not anxious to check-in or anything. After all its only been 11.23 miles, 27,758 steps and 7 1/2 hours since we left this morning. Oh well, it's still early (4 p.m.) compared to the previous two days so hopefully we will have a quiet evening and good night's sleep.