Apple pic: Trust properties:Brewery walk.

photo.JPG by kurlypics
photo.JPG, a photo by kurlypics on Flickr.

Rather like this Apple Photo, I was sent.
Who would have thought when in '03,  I started waffling about Apple products, that today Apple are the biggest company in the world. Amazing. It proves that design and quality will win in the end.

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Visited two National Trust Properties this week: Chedworth Roman Villa and Avebury Manor. More of the later in the next post.

Chedworth has had a three million face lift with the mosaic floor being in cased in a building.



More info. here:


When D. and I arrived, we were given hand-sets which allowed us to listen  to snippets of Roman lore as we walked the site. At least that was the idea , but unfortunately technology got in the way as the system required only a very brief touch on the icons; while we pressed on regardless and after refreshing the sets, back at the entry point, I finally gave up the unequal struggle when I somehow reached "The Game Center (sic)" on the device.
This took a little of the shine off the visit;  nonetheless  the  exhibits were impressive:








The  picture of the  Mosaic  shown above  was taken in 2005 and it is interesting to compare the colour variation, due to the outside light source,

my last Chedworth photograph shows some yarn being made in the traditional ways.





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Our journey along the  Gloucestershire Way continues.  Last Thursday (22/3) we set out on the leg from Stow on the Wold To Winchcombe.
Leaving Stow by  the Tewkesbury Road, we descended on a left-facing grass verge until we came to the entrance of Abbotswood House. Just past  this point was a GW sign leading us onto a field path, which ran down by a fence-line to the river below.
On the other side of the fence sheep grazed happily.



A small clump  of early blue bells were noticed.



At the bottom of the slope was a stone bridge crossing The River Dikler.



After this we took a footpath to the right and crossing small paddocks reached the Tewkesbury Road again; emerging in the hamlet of Upper Swell.

The wonderful guide which we use: " The Gloucestershire Way, " by Gerry Stewart; includes this lore covering the walk we have just made.

" The area between Stow and Upper Swell was once tree-covered, and it was said that a ' squirrel could hop from Stow to Swell without resting his foot or wetting his toe.' "  (p.90 )
Lovely stuff.

The walk continued through Swell, until we came to a right hand turning to Donnington Brewery.
The steep-sided lane took us down the valley with further views of the Dikler. as we approached the Donnington village.


Through the tiny  village the lane continued, until in the valley below we espied the Brewery.



If there is a fairer looking Brewery in Gloucestershire; I am not aware of it.
Originally a corn mill, since 1865 this brewery has been in the hands of the Arkell family: long may this continue.
The Dikler has played its part to, by driving the water wheels for the Brewery's power until 1959.

Cotswold Beer.

There were some wild flowers growing on a road-side bank passing these buildings.





Our way now continued upwards until we came to a T- junction, with a left sign indicating Condicote, our next point of call.
This, however became our end-point for the day and after eating a small repast, we made our way back to the car and guess what? Correct- we stopped at the "Plough Inn " at Ford for a glass of Donningtons BB.


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The week ahead looks bonny, with these unnaturally high temperatures. So I guess we must make the most of it while we can. Let's hope Easter doesn't disappoint.

Ciao4now
C.k.

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