We left Wales on a cold and rainy Sunday morning and arrived in England's Cotswolds on a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon. The time changed the night before, turning one hour forward in Europe, a week ahead of America this year. While it was only 4:30 in the afternoon, the sun was already setting as we made our way from the train station in Moreton-in-Marsh to Stow-in-the-Wold, which doesn't have a train station. And on Sundays, it doesn't have a bus service either!
We woke to - nothing. No rain. No seagulls. There have been seagulls almost everywhere since we arrived in Ireland all those weeks ago, with the exception of Edinburgh where we woke to big city sounds. But here, it was just quiet. Serene.
We indulged in an enormous breakfast, made to order by our host at Number 9 Bed & Breakfast in Stow-in-the-Wold. Ron had the Full English Breakfast; I had a milder version. Now it was time to work it off!
We had come to the Cotswolds to walk. The library in the town square offered maps of favorite walks. We picked "Walk Two - Meadows & Mills", and the librarian pointed us in the right direction and gave us a nudge. I took a few steps while reading the turn-by-turn directions. Stopped, and read them again. They made no sense to me. "Don't worry, dear, they will make sense when they need to. To get to the path, just walk to the corner of the square, turn right and walk past the church, then left and cross the Back Walls into the burial ground. Go through the cemetery, leave by the second gate, then over the hill, past Bretton House and you will see the path on the right. Then just follow the directions on your map." She was serious. And friendly - her smile never wavered. Ron and I looked at each other. It was sunny, and early. We were fed and rested. We had hours of daylight ahead. What could go wrong?
Past the church, through the cemetery, and there was the path, as promised!
The walk took us through woodlands and pastures, and across working farms and paddocks. We shared the path with horses and sheep, opening and closing gates as we went.
Not far past Nether Swell Manor Farm, we reached Hyde Mill in Lower Slaughter.
The end of our designated walk was the town of Bourton-on-the-Water, but we took a detour. In Lower Slaughter, we saw a turn-off for Upper Slaughter. It was only a mile away. Why not?
By the time we reach Lower Slaughter (for the second time) we were getting hungry, and were ready for a rest. It had been mostly downhill the entire way, and if we were lucky, we could catch a bus back to the town square in the little village where we had started.
The last mile or so of the walk took us to a pleasant surprise, Bourton-on-the-Water.
We had a lovely lunch in a tiny tea room.
then made friends at the bus stop while we waited with fellow travelers for our bus home. Where have you been? How long are you here? Where are you heading next? I love to hear the stories. Everyone has a story.