Trail Notes




So it was, that I came to the village of Eastville Turville, living cheek by jowl, with Eastville Martin. The walk, of 4.5 miles in duration was "The Leach Valley." It was taken from ' Short Walks in The Cotswolds ' Pub. Collins June 2010.

The reason, dear readers, why I am giving this information, is that unfortunately, although a recent publication, I had difficulty in following the route. By chance I also met with a couple , on the walk, using this book, who like me,  lost their way.
This is unacceptable; instructions given, should give no room for doubt, not giving reason for miss-interpretation, and thus spoiling the event.
That's the raspberries.

But, of course like nearly all Cotswold jaunts, there are views to be shared and joys to be had.



The walk started by the lovely River Leach and came round the bend to  The Keble Bridge, one of the most photographed spots in the Cotswolds; lovely when adorned with daffodils in the Spring




The interesting thing was that the walk, followed close to the River and once outside the village the river/ stream dried up, producing this river bed.

I believe, it was shortly after  the above location , that  I should have taken a left  over a gate into the field ( although not indicated in the instructions ), rather than go straight on, towards a distant gate.

But, in so doing I found a bonus in the form of wild Poppies and Thistles on display.






Overlooked delights, waiting for the camera.

To finish this posting, here are two shots of Lyme Regis, which I visited last Monday (4/7). It was a sunny day and the Jurassic Coastline looked its alluring best.











NR " Hornblower and the 'Atropos' " by C.S. Forester. I have read the opening two chapters, which deals in particular with the Thames and Severn Canal and the Sapperton Tunnel. ( I have already mentioned this in posting 22/05/'11 'Sapperton Walk' )  In its day, it was hailed as a great achievement, running two miles in length. The book gives a great account of what it was like to 'leg' the barge through the tunnel, using two men, in pitch darkness. Further more, at times these men had to cover themselves with a tarpaulin, in order to shelter from underground springs which broke through the roof of the tunnel. Grim work indeed.
The book also mentions STAUNCHES , near Inglesham. These were dams  across the Thames with a fall  of five to six feet, that the boats had to 'run' down or with greater difficulty, especially for the two horses 'run' up. A very interesting read indeed.



Ciao4now.
Ck.

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