Cotswold Way, Bath to Old Sodbury

Last year Jan and I walked, with best friend Al, from Chipping Campden to Stroud along the Cotswold Way. This year we returned to finish the job by walking the section between Stroud and Bath. In fact we decided to start in Bath and walk to Stroud so that we finish nearer to Al’s house just outside Gloucester. The total distance will be a bit over 100 miles spread over 10 days of walking.

Tuesday 23rd May 2017 Bath to Cold Ashton 11.5 miles

I don’t like walking towards cities as the last day of a trek so we started by walking out of Bath heading to the hills. We started at Bath Abbey with easy walking out of Bath and up to the Race Course. Then across fields and parkland.

Just past a golf course on the tops, in a field beside the trail, were several metal fantasy sculptures. Not what we were expecting to see!

Further along we came to the English Civil War battlefield of Lansdowne, 1643. Lots of blue, red and gold posts marking the battle lines and a monument to one of the commanders who was killed. Apparently this is the oldest war memorial in the UK. Not a lot of people know that!

We came down and followed the Way into Cold Ashton where we had parked a car the day before. Unfortunately there is no pub in the village so I was dropped off 3 miles north at the Crown. Jan and Al drove back to Bath to collect our car. We’re using 2 cars for moving between our accommodation at the start and end of each day, leaving a car at each end. Since I had been dropped off at a pub to wait for them I thought I should have a pint of Wadworth 6X, well it would be churlish not to.

Bit of a dull day with a few spots of rain but not enough for waterproofs. Quite warm though. Just 2 photos on my Mamiya 7 camera of Bath Crescent. The light wasn’t good enough to take more.

Start of Cotswold Way outside Bath Abbey

Bath Cathedral Front; Taken with Mamiya 7 camera – negative 554405

Battle of Lansdowne Views

Fantasy sculptures beside the Way

Wednesday 24th May 2017 Cold Ashton to Old Sodbury 9.5 miles

Cold Ashton has lots of old buildings in local Cotswold stone. The Hall and the Old Rectory were particularly striking.

Pretty, but not the most striking, countryside as we headed to the village of Tormarton and the Majors Retreat pub for our lunch stop. This is the last pub/hostelry on the route for those going south to Bath.

Fantastic lunch at the Majors Retreat in Tormarton. Huge wedge of bread and home cooked ham for the ham sandwich that Jan and I shared. 4 real ales on, Al and I both had Pigs Ear Bitter.

From here it was less than 3 miles to Old Sodbury and the end of the day. I was left in The Dog Inn drinking Wickwar BOB Bitter while Jan and Al drove back for our car.

Much better weather today, sunny and warm all day. I took just 8 photos today on my Mamiya 7 camera in Cold Ashton and of Dyrham Hall.

Dyrham House Cotswold View Cold Ashton Old RectoryCold Ashton Hall