Tuesday 30 December 2014

30/12/14 - Straight Outta Compton

Walk Inspiration - Adventurous Pub Walks in Warwickshire
Distance - 7.5 Miles
Geocaches - 5
Refreshments - Cotswold Way at the Red Lion, Long Compton

2014 has seen a lot of neolithic based walking - Avebury, Stonehenge, Kennet Long Barrow, Wayland's Smithy to name the ones I can remember.  It seems kind of fitting that a couple more are added to the year's penultimate walk.

After a trip to the BMW dealership to determine exactly what AdBlue is, I head off to park right next to the walk highlight - The Rollright Stones.  I try desperately to remember if I have been here before.  If I had, it was in pre-blogging days.

Start with a look at the King's Stone - isolated away from its Oxfordshire neighbours in Warwickshire and then to check out the Whispering Knights.  I will save the King's Men for the return.

Rollrights - King Stone
Not originally like this - chipped away by centuries of tourists for luck
Rollrights - Long Compton Views
Views over Long Compton from the King Stone
Rollrights - Whispering Knights
Easel does it - Into Oxfordshire for the Whispering Knights
Rollrights - Whispering Knights
5000 Years Old - Pre-dating Stonehenge


Having got my historical fill, I can head off on the walk proper.  And its a stunner.  Words will not do it justice, but this is classic Cotswolds - dropping down into the Valley and back up again, along great paths with superb views.  Not a chance of me getting walking fatigue in this hectic Xmas walking period.

Rollrights
I would not want to be in any other Country
Rollrights - Path to Long Compoton
Approach to Long Compton

The late start has meant that time is clicking on.  Its 2pm and I haven't lunched.  Long Compton must offer some refreshment.

Rollrights - Long Compton Stores
Strike Lucky Once - Jumbo Sausage Roll from a tiny shopkeeper for a quid.

Rollrights - Long Compton
Strike Lucky Twice - A Classic Cotswold Pub
Rollrights - Cotswold Way
Top pint of Cotswold Way - Free Delivery from their Website
With Long Compton done (although I did miss out on the unusual Lynch Gate by the Church), I head up the McMillan Way.  It's a slog directly into the sun with 4 of today's 5 caches to break up the puffing and panting.

At the top, its a bit of road walking back to say hello to all the King's Men.

Rollrights - Kings Men
2014 and another Stone Circle Ticked Off the List

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