06/10/13 - Finishing off the Cots Pots

Distance - 6.7 Miles
First Cache on Trail
Caches = 37, 1 could not look.
Central Loop
Northern Loop

Great Cotswolds Walk - Southern

The Central loop was completed in July, the Northern Loop in August and I made a promise to get back and finish off the Southern Loop by the end of September.

A couple of other projects got in the way.  First off, I finished the Capital Ring which gave me the inspiration to invent a circular walk around our 2nd City - The Brummie Ring.

Sorry about that, I seem to have more ideas than time.

2nd apology is that I have dated all today's logs with the 7/10/13.  Obviously getting ahead of myself.

I have a wonderful drive down today.  Serious mist patches, reach their aesthetic peak at the Avon flood plain, near Tewkesbury, with low swirls around the water under cobalt skies.  If I could have stopped on the hard shoulder for a photo, I would have.  It then clears completely, promising a great day, before re-appearing as I get to Cirencester. 

First part of the walk shrouded in a Victorian pea souper.

Arrive at Quenington for my usual parking space.  The tape promises a Cotwoldian murder mystery but it is a rather more mundane car boot sale on the village green.

Car Boot most horrid

I have to work out which way around to do these caches, but arriving back at the pub seems the most sensible plan, so I go in an anti clockwise manner.  This gives me the opportunity to grab cache number 1 from the original route - which had been muggled the day before I got down in July.  Nice to get that smiley done.

North on roads, before turning left onto a great path.  No point in taking photos in the grey, so contend myself with the caches.  After two previous journeys, I know what to expect.

Do 16, with nothing much to report, apart from dropping off a TB.  Number 109 is in a copse and it takes me a while to find, but the great news is that the fog has lifted when I come out of the trees and back into the fields.

The vista that had been cruelly denied

Number 110 proves a problem, as two farmers are having a proper old chat.  Probably about where the fog has gone.  This means that I cannot even look for it.  My only fail on the southern route.

Into Fairford.  It promises an historic church, which I see in the distance but don't get too close to.  I am sure that I will be back.

Underneath a flight path

Meet a couple of muggles - first human contact of the day.  Wait for them to go before resuming the cache hunt.

I am interested in what happens next, as the trail is not marked on footpaths on the maps.  On arriving at GZ, I can see there is a permissible path that will take me all the way back to Quenington.

This is most pleasant walking, along the River Coln.

The route is open

I am being followed by a Grandfather and child muggle pair.  I can see them in the distance and some Benny Hill manoeuvers take place as I try and lose them.  Eventually, sit on a GZ and let them place.

The River Coln

From that point on, its just me, the cows and the caches.  I am on a deadline to get back home for 2pm for Sunday Lunch.  However, a walk is not a walk without the post walk pint.

Will I make it in time?

Naturally.

So that's them all done.   Well nearly.  I had a couple of DNF on Phase 1 and one that was guarded by farmers. Thanks  Rooster72 - you have put me on target for my best ever cache year.