God Speed The Plough

 So, a week away in the Cotswolds, packed  the van with supplies , Mrs B, Bob the Dog and my trusty Trek and  off to our secret hideaway, a converted thatchers barn in fourteen acres of private woodland in deepest, darkest Gloucestershire. Many hours spent watching the wildlife, we saw woodpeckers, jays and tree creepers on a daily basis, the squirrels provided endless entertainment trying to get the birds fat-balls out of the metal cages, it didn’t take them very long to suss that they could spin the fat balls against the thin wire cage and shave pieces off and drop down from the bird table and consume their ill-gotten gains from the ground. The balls being suitably reduced in diameter were soon plucked from the cage by greedy little claws and were soon being carried off across the woodland floor in a frantic squealing burst of  stolen treasure hunting celebration.

A lot of walking and exploration included the Isbourne Way along the River Isbourne and various parts of the Cotswolds Way footpath network and three days mountain biking on the various trails and Bridleway which intersect. The area is surprisingly hilly, you tend to think that the Cotswolds are relatively flat compared to Derbyshire but rest assured dear reader, the climb out of Broadway to the tower and the magnificent Cleeve hills had me blowing like Boris receiving his Covid Penalty Notice! 

Of course, me and mountain biking always end up with some injury every time I ride, I am pleased to report that this excursion was no different from the others and I managed to twat a gatepost in spectacular fashion resulting in numerous cuts and contusions to legs, elbows and somehow managing to fill the peak of my helmet with a combination of mud and cow shit. 

I managed to find Cromwell’s Seat, allegedly the place that Cromwell sat and watched the destruction of Hailes Abbey in the valley below, there’s not a lot of information about  the monument but the carved graffiti is certainly a class above the usual shit found in Derby bus station. The ruins of the Abbey are still visible but keep your money in your pocket if visiting as you can see anything worth seeing from the road. I paid to have a look around and felt like I’d had my pants pulled down, very disappointing and not a patch on Tintern Abbey near Chepstow which is a definite to visit in my opinion. 

  Sitting outside the local village pub, watching the sun set and  quaffing a couple of pints of cider was the perfect end to the day, I mean, when in Rome and all that……