When Autumn days promise dry, mild weather and sunshine it is a shame to walk along the same old routes and not go exploring a little further afield. Murphy agrees, always on the look out for new smell, the old bird to chase and stream to dive into.
Last week, we headed to the Cotswold Village to Guiting Power built on a tributary of the river Windrushh, in the Windrush Valley on the site of an Anglo Saxon settlement called Gyting Broc, dating back to around the 8th century. It’s a lovely village with two churches and two pubs!
Murph and I parked by the village hall and initially followed the signs for the Wardens Way (which is a linear path that connects Winchcombe and Bourton on the Water (14 miles).
Soon the village gave way to the beautiful Cotswold countryside we came for…
Some areas are more landscaped than others, but this the beauty of walking these hills. People care…
The simple circular walk is very varied and there were plenty of occasions for Murphy to run about like a loony…
and plenty of different landscapes to keep me entertained too…
Roughly half way into the walk we reached the village of Naunton. Very very pretty.
The sun really came out then and it was wonderful. Murphy wasn’t happy about the amount of sheep in fields that curtailed his freedom (he’s better on the lead in those situation…)… but it was really beautiful and I did let him run when I knew it wouldn’t be causing any trouble.
The last stretch before reaching Guiting Power again was through a beet field. Very interesting… and it was going very well till we discovered an inordinate amount of pheasants hiding amongst the plants. No harm to beets or birds occurred but it did made for an interesting walk.
And then were back to the starting point… one of us slightly muddier and out of breath than the other, but both happy and refreshed.
Good walk.
Murphy's view. Really good walk. Some annoying sheep and roads stretched that made me go on the lead, but a nice stream and big fields.. and those stupid pheasants at the end man!! Great fun. One day I'll catch one, I promise.
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