The Green, Green Grass ( Near Home ): More Along The Way

After  this week's downpours, I think I was a little premature, in expecting the 'Wetlands ' to be open for business. the photograph above, taken last week shows the River Severn in a swollen state, with the water encroaching on the banks. It clearly will be even fuller  by todays' s date. (16/ 6 ).

Yet paradoxically, last Thursday D. and I managed a walk along the Gloucestershire Way, which linked from Green Field Farm, near Shurdington  to Crickley Hill  taking us at times through near- knee high grass, which somehow remained in a dry condition.

The first picture gives the view from the field, near Cold Slad, in which you may notice on the left the curving track of the M5 Motorway and the second picture illustrates the grass track we walked down from the top spot.

From the state of the track and the largely absent waymarking, it was self evident that this part of the  Gloucestershire Way was not often walked.

This leads me to comment upon the rather lax marking of this walk, for were it not for our guide book; following this walk would become very taxing indeed.

Excusing the pun, there seems little in the way of ground rules for where the markers appear; for having started this walk at  Crickley Hill Country Park; where there was no real evidence for the GW trail, despite the fact that it actually passes through the Hill Fort , half a mile or so later,  crossing a minor road, near the site of our view picture; we were confronted with actual green GW signs.

It is of course comforting to be reassured one is on the right path, but again returning to our start point at the Park, with its plethora of information regarding  local topography etc., why no mention of the Way? Strange indeed.

To finish two further photographs, from our walk (a ) the steep path up to the Hill Fort and  ( b ) the fort itself.

D. and I enjoyed our walk, particularly as it meant we have walked the trail for over 35miles on a continuous route from Churchdown, near Gloucester, to Stow On The Wold and back reaching the village of Ford; on our way to the end-point at Tewkesbury.

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NR " The Urban Birder " by David Lindo.
 This is a delightful book about bird-watching in an urban city or town setting. As David says, " All you have to do is look up."
Find out more at :

Birder

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Enjoy Royal Ascot next week.

Cheerio

Ck.