11/01/15 - The Villa Highlights

Walk Inspiration - AA Walks through History
Distance - 7.5 Miles
Geocaches - 4

I'm not blogging about a team that have only managed 11 goals after 21 premiership games.  You know, the team that is on closest to Midnight on Match of the Day.  The one that some people now refer to by their full title, Aston Villa Nil.

No, I am blogging about a Roman Villa, nestling in a natural bowl in the Cotswold escarpment, that is discreetly sign posted along a track at the foot of Cooper's Hill, near Birdlip.  The walk starts at a little car park next to the villa, but I will save the treat of a 2000 year old building until the end of the walk.

Sonia always likes something to look forward to.

Our guidebook promises that Roman Villas were usually placed in positions with great views.  The text states "vistas, reminiscent of a Mediterranean Landscape".  I can kind of see where they are coming from but our residing memory of this one will be the mud.  I really don't know how the Romans would have got on in their sandals.

We park up, say hello to some other history lovers and head off in the opposite direction.  We have a gentle climb (through the mud) up Cooper's Hill to pick up the Cotswold Way.  Cache 1 of the day is quickly found.

Up Cooper's Hill.  We see a lot of the Reservoir on the Walk

Old School Cotswold Way Markers through Witcombe Woods

Cooper's Hill is famous for the annual Cheese Rolling Competition - where they sling a wheel of cheese down the hill and the locals chase it - risking serious injury for curdled milk.  Nothing sums up what makes Britain Great more than that sentence.  We are on the wooded side, so don't see where this sporting extravaganza takes place.  But we can appreciate the gradients.

GZ for Cache Number 2 of the day.

The only people we see in Witcombe woods are a group of around 50 ramblers.  I make a bet with Sonia that this is Gloucester 20s-40s Ramblers Group, who I have been studying from afar.  I still can't quite make up my mind about whether to join such an army.  The social aspect would be fun, but I bet there are monster queues to get over the stiles.

Internet based research when I get back shows that indeed, I was correct.  They started at 10am in Birdlip, which is where we are climbing up to.

Sonia's attention is turning to lunch.  Birdlip is the only place with a pub on route, but we are a touch too early at 11am to take advantage of the Royal George.  As we emerge from the woods, I think I spy a shop that may provide some sustenance.

Even with the added Xmas Trees, we cannot lunch here.

But we know where the Royal George is.  And they like Walkers

The route skirts around the back of Birdlip and pick up the Cotswold Way again, dropping down through the woods.  A discussion about rights of way ensues with the proprietor of Hill Farm about rights of way.  I am still looking at the map now to see who was correct.  Still, it's not everyday you get scolded by a farmers wife in a towel shouting out her bedroom window.

The amount of mud increases with every step we take towards Witcombe Reservoirs.  I am in danger of losing my walking partner who is starting to grumble about "only having little legs".  To remind me that alternative walking companions are available, we bump into the army of young Gloucestershire Ramblers again, stuck at a stile.

Witcombe Reservoir

I'm sure Blogfans are like Sonia at this point and keen to get to the crux of the walk.  After a couple more excellent caches and an introduction to the world's friendliest labrador, we arrive at the destination.

I take a couple of photos, whilst Sonia waits for me in the car.

All that Remains

The Floor Plan from Above

Back at the car, and the advertising has worked.  We head back up hill to the Royal George, where we enter in our stockinged feet, with Sonia have got the worst of the mud off her strides with my wooly walking hat.

The History Walk was enjoyed by at least 50% of the Party