Skewbald , Dogs , Woods, the way to Birdlip

I have just completed the Leckhampton to Birdlip leg. The walk is 5.6 miles in distance ; which has taken me four outings to compete.

I mention this , because recently reading a National Trails guide

I noticed that the Cotswold Way trail had been reduced to a weeks' walking and furthermore on the last day ( Cold Ashton to Bath ) a mere 10.2 miles , the writer said that this could be accomplished in the morning , leaving the afternoon free to view the

sights of Bath.

I clearly concluded my level of fitness has some way to go to meet these requirements.

Back to this stage , which I didn't enjoy as much as some walks on the Way.

Leaving the Leckhampton escarpment and coming down to meet Hartley Lane the Way seemed to lose some of its character in that the route was fenced in with no provision of benches or resting places until one reached Crickley Hill Park so that one felt compelled to stroll on , rather than savour the landscape and take the odd repast.

There was also a rather unattractive passage for approx. a mile and a half of road and then lane

and with no visible waymarking after The National Star Centre , a college for handicapped children , until one reached Crickley Woods. This was particularly disappointing as one had to cross the main Cheltenham to Birdlip Road and then continue along Greenway Lane ; without the encouragement of a friendly acorn or message.

Crickley Hill is a family friendly leisure park and offers many views over the Gloucester landscape. This would be entirely laudable were it not for the multitude of dogs being taken for 'walkies' ; who of course left their deposits upon the pathways.

I have nothing against dogs or dog-owners in general , but feel they should be more sensitive , especially in picnic areas like Crickley.

That's the raspberries over with.

The walk did have many redeeming features , as you can see from the above photographs.

The first one shows the view through the trees in Birdlip Woods near the end of the walk.

The second one , taken from the road near Ullenwood Court shows a skewbald pony in a field.

If Wikipedia is correct a skewbald is a predominately white horse with patches of colour (not black) ; whereas a piebald is a white horse with black patches. I hope this is correct.

Ciao4now

Ck.

PS. I hope you like my new gadget "Blogger Play" , which by a random selection gives you a window on the pictures being sent to blogs. world wide. I have seen on of my own pictures on this , so can authenticate the process. There is a pause and forward/backwards facility , which you can use , should you choose.