Going the Extra Mile

It's time for the final thrilling installment of the sponsored walk along the Cotswold Way in aid of the rebuilding of Broadway station.  Last time I left you on a cliff hanger of a finish.... well ok, a Cleeve Hill hanger anyway.  Would the intrepid duo make it all the way to Chipping Campden?  Would anybody else turn up to join them?  Will they see any rain at all along the way? What will be the winning lottery ticket number this coming weekend?  Some of these questions will be answered by reading this very blog post.  No prizes for guessing which one won't!


Day 6:  Cleeve Hill to Wood Stanway

Weather: Still uncomfortably hot.

So back up to Cleeve Hill and on to the trail once more, but before that, a little railway related news, Dinmore Manor has packed her bucket and spade and set off on holiday for a month on the North Norfolk Railway:

Dinmore Manor sets off on her holiday

 She'll be missed, can't wait until she's back with us again.

Anyway, back to the walk.  The only way from the top of Cleeve Hill is down, which pleased Tina no end as she isn't a big fan of walking up hill.  The walk down, took us past Postlip Hall Farm, where our way was blocked by a flock of sheep.

We took the detour through the field instead

Of course once you've finished going down hill, it's time to turn round and go back up again.  Tina didn't like that so much, but she put on a brave face and got on with it anyway.  Her face would have been less brave if I hadn't promised her yet more Licorice Allsorts (other confections do exist) when we got back up to the top again.  The top in this case was the long barrow at Belas Knap, it makes a pleasant spot for a bit of a rest.

Belas Knap

From there it was all down hill to Winchcombe where we stopped for a spot of lunch in what appeared to be the only cafe in the whole place that was open for business.

Suitably refreshed, it was onwards past Hailes Abbey and Beckbury Camp (yet another hill fort) to Wood Stanway.  Not far out of Winchcombe we noticed 4270 heading around Chicken Curve.  Derek, our walking companion of a few days before was firing, so obviously the experience hadn't had a too detrimental effect on him.

4270 approaching Winchcombe

The monument at Beckbury camp.

The descent into Wood Stanway was notable because we saw our first rain of the whole walk.  It lasted at the most a minute and caused us to take shelter behind a dry stone wall and scoff yet more Licorice Allsorts.  I'm surprised that I don't look like one given the amount of them that I've eaten this last week.


Day 7:  Wood Stanway to Chipping Campden

Weather:   Heatwave over, back to standard issue summer weather.

It was an eventful start to the day, as we approached Wood Stanway to start the last section of the Cotswold Way, we ran into a reception committee.  It seems that a hotel is being planned for Wood Stanway, which has got the residents up in arms:

A small selection of the good people of Wood Stanway

We spent quite some time chatting to the locals who had assembled to lobby a group from the local council who were anticipated to arrive at the same time as Tina and I.  As it turned out, they were very late, so we gave up and set off on our way.

We passed through Stanway....

....and Stanton

 From Stanton, the route heads sharply up Shenberrow Hill.   Having walked down Shenberrow Hill during a recent practice walk, Tina was a little apprehensive about having to walk up it, but surprised herself.

Tina taking a rest on a conveniently placed fallen tree

 Down hill next to Broadway...

Broadway church and its flock

 Going down hill of course only means that you're going to have to go back up again.  In this case, it was up hill to Broadway Tower.

Broadway tower

Just to do it justice, we even went up the tower

 Not too long after setting off for the last few miles to Chipping Campden, it started to rain fairly heavily.  To be honest, I was quite pleased that we had just a few miles of rain, I'd have felt a bit of a fraud if we'd covered the whole length of the Cotswold Way in nothing but sunshine.

Tina at the Toposcope on Dover's Hill in the rain

 From Dover's Hill, it's down hill all the way to Chipping Campden and the start/end of the Cotswold Way

It starts or ends here.

Tina looking relieved to have made it to the end

The Saturday was a well deserved rest day for Tina, yours truly rested by shoveling coal into the firebox of the 8F all day.


Day 8:  Chipping Campden to Broadway, then Laverton and finally Toddington:

Weather:  Back to the heat wave.

Although the Cotswold Way finishes at Chipping Campden, we had decided to round it off by walking back from Chipping Campden to Broadway, then depart from the official route by walking as far as possible along the track bed from Broadway Station to Laverton where we would catch the DMU back to Toddington.  I'll be told off if I don't say at this point that the track bed between Laverton and Broadway is currently closed to walkers whilst the bridges are being repaired and that members of the public can't board our trains at Laverton as there is no platform. 

Walking companions are a bit like buses it seems, none for ages and then three come at once.

(L-R) George, Dan and Tina at the start in Chipping Campden

On Dover's Hill, note the much improved weather

Up until now, topics of conversation had centred mainly on whatever floral or historical lesson that Tina had deemed fit.  Now with George and Dan around, I could talk about proper manly things like steam locomotives and aircraft.  Tina tried desperately to turn the conversation round to the subject of handbags, but was out voted.

Upon arrival at Broadway Tower, we caught up with Clive who hadn't checked his emails the night before and had therefore missed the subtle yet important change to our plan for the day, we would meet up at Toddington and go to Chipping Campden in a single car to start our walk, rather than all meet up at at Chipping Campden:

(L-R) Tina, Clive, Dan and George on Broadway Hill.

After a spot of lunch in Broadway, it was on to the station to check up on recent progress:

The bridge appears to be wrapped in cling film

The signal box has risen considerably since I last saw it

And the icing on the cake, the recently installed signals

Behind the 'cling film', the bridge is looking good

The traffic cone now standing at platform 1A is the .....

Next stop Laverton:

The next bridge along from Broadway

Little Buckland bridge

 There is far more information on the current state of the bridge repair project to be found on the relevant blog.

George insisted that there should be another photo of the two main participants in the sponsored walk for Broadway Station appeal.

Against my better judgement, Tina and me waiting for the DMU at Laverton

Finally the DMU appeared and whisked us off to Toddington.

Our chariot arrives

Stuart at the helm as we return to Toddington

Well that was that.  I'm pleased to be able to report that Tina and I are still friends at the end of it.  I have to say that walking the length of the Cotwolds was definitely outside Tina's comfort zone, yet she went about the whole thing with an admirable determination to get to the end.  Lesser people would have given up.

The appeal for sponsors will remain open for a while longer.  The online donations currently stand at a respectable £745 including tax refunds.  I have no idea at the moment how much has been contributed by cheque, but I'll report on that when I know more.   Thank you very much to everybody who has supported us in any way, I am sure that you will be able to see the fruits of your donations in the form of bricks (imperial of course) and mortar at Broadway in the near future.

Any last minute donations are of course still welcome, please point your web browsers and plastic over here!