Market Moves: Admiral's Advice: River Walk Again.

Well It's that time of year again. The German Christmas Market has come to Cheltenham again.
I took these shots last Wednesday (4/ 12 ) the day before the opening.

We'll look in more detail next week.

MmmmmmmmmmmM

@CTFCofficial Cheltenham Expects------ A Football Team, like Gravy or Custard, improves with consistency. Keep Trying. COYR

MmmmmmmmmmmM

Many moons ago, when my hair was merely grey, D. and  I tried to go on a circular  walk from the village of Southrop, near Fairford to nearby Eastleach.

We arrived near the Village Square, only to find a posse of people standing by with cameras and note-pads, clearly waiting for some big occasion.

We subsequently found out it was a celebrity wedding about to take place and we were told, incredibly that parts of the village were out of bounds until later that evening.

Infuriated, I returned home and introduced the world to 'The Major.' 

Here is the transcript for you:

The facts are these: Last Friday , on the first  of July, I was taking the dogs Macmillian and Eden for their morning constitutional. I was just getting over a bout of the 'Delhi Belly', blowing hot and cold, so to speak, when upon  an green island , by the Pub, I espied a bunch of job-seekers and general slackers. They were smoking, leaning against vehicles, playing with  'boy-toys', taking up the oxygen and making the place look untidy.


Putting my dogs on full alert, I made my way through this motley bunch, until I was stopped by a Johnnie Jobsworth, with a security badge, next to a Road Closed sign.
" I'm sorry sir, you can't walk this way, the road is closed "


  " Another gas leak, bit early for the local Hunt and those Saboteurs," I enquired


  " I'm  sorry sir, I can't say ." thrusting an official paper forward.


     " When will the road be open again ? " 


" Seven 'o' clock this evening," he replied, scratching his nose; " of course if you live in this village I can grant you access to your property."


" Generous to a fault, but I live in West Leech. "


 " Sorry then Sir."


There was nothing for it , I made my back to the Manse, pondering whether Camilla was moving house to the quality county of Oxfordshire; or could it be some new venue for  Nick Fence and his party.


Imagine, then my total revulsion and disgust, when I found out from the Memsahib, that the closure was due to Stirling's daughter Kate's marriage nuptials, at the local church and later in the village.


If that was not bad enough, without the Parson's permission, she has brought a mansion here, which will be the base for her reception.


Now, as I  have said, I'm a calm, patient , tax- paying (keep the 'Boy George' happy), English citizen, but this whole affair has made my blood boil and the beta-blockers on full alarm mode.
Why has my right to roam being denied?  Why must my dogs suffer? Just because some Popsicle is on 'heat', village life must cease for a day; not to mention the invasion of those low-life scribblers (present readers exempted ), to our local community.


Respected Sir, If you hear of any further celebrity wedding events in the Cotswolds, perhaps through the medium of your paper, you can remind them of the bracing air and photo opportunities to be had in Mid-Wales; with the added value, to be had from the massed chapel choirs, serenading the couple en-route to the airport.


I'm glad I've got this matter off my chest. I'm now beginning to breathe slower and after this afternoon's Martini; all should be puckka again.
  


Yours Faithfully, 

Thankfully, last Tuesday ( 3/ 12 ), there was no such event taking place and we enjoyed a gentle three mile walk. It was a mixture of fields, lanes and roads. The first part, which commenced by turning left along a path by"Pear Tree Cottage. "   onto fields and then  to a gentle amble by the peaceful river Leach.

A very pleasant stroll for a dry winter's day.


The midway point was the village of Eastleach; with its quintessential  Cotswold cottages, grassy banks, Church, clock tower and pub, "The Victoria. "

The above Is the church of St. Michael and St. Martin. A Norman building, complete with a pretty churchyard. From the far gate you can gain access across the river, by means of splendid clapper bridge.
One of the most photographed spots in the Cotswolds.

With that picture I bid you good evening.
Ck.