Monumental March

Well dilly my daffs , what a difference a month makes.

The sky was blue with a light covering of frost and some ice was observed in a few puddles , as I set out from The Somerset Monument , near Hawkesbury Upton .

This monument was erected in 1846 in memory of General Robert Somerset , who was in command of the Household Cavalry Brigade , which distinguished itself at Waterloo. This monument was

erected near his ancestral home at Badminton (Beaufort ).

After the 'nightmare ' , that was February , it was time to dwell on the ' daymares ' , such as Dawn Run , the only horse ever to win the Champion Hurdle ( 1984 ) and the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup ( 1986 ) .

Never was such a wall of noise heard in '86 when the mare Dawn Run rose to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on the run-in up the Cheltenham hill .

Barely could could the crowd discern the sound of the ' bookies ' weeping into their satchels as all those notes were prised from them . It was a perfect day.

Meanwhile , back on the Way , the trail wondered steadily downwards through mud splattered woods , until reaching the hamlet of Lower Kilcott , where a vigorous stream ran alongside the twisting road and where also livestock were to be seen , including those fine specimens seen in picture 3 .

It was unusual , in that in all the Way thus walked , there has been relatively few animals seen , apart from the odd sheep and ' pet ' horses and so it was a real pleasure to see land used for raising cattle.

Leaving Kilcott , the track led through woodland , until reaching a plateau overlooking a quiet valley.

Peaceful , but unremarkable , you would say ; but reader , all was not what it seemed , for here I am indebted to Anthony Burton , and quoting from his book The Cotswold Way ( p. 114 ) " where the path dives into woodland is Newmills Farm down in the bottom of the valley. This was a new mill in the 17th Century and in 1806 some of the first power looms were installed there : this quiet spot once rivalled the textile towns in Yorkshire and Lancashire as a centre of innovation. "

Picture 1 shows , what I believe to be , the said Newmills Farm , which had an observable mill stream running nearby.

Soon after this , I was in Alderley , my end point and thus able to make my return to Monument and car. The waymarking was clear throughout and so I am bound towards the A46 and the long route to Bath.

Ciao4now ,

Ck

Captain's Log Moonday last quarter

" You don't need a bull to find the bull**** "