Saturday, 16 May 2015

16/05/15 - I'm Not Lost

Distance - 5.82 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Walk from - Discover the Cotswolds - Walk 13


Painswick is at the halfway point of the Cotswold Way, so it seems rather apt that this is our first path, as we climb away from the town to Painswick Beacon.

Painswick
The Cotswold Way
Molly, our 12 year old Labradoodle, took us by surprise by actually wanting to come today.  As its only a 5 miler, we decide to take her along.  Not content to have one dog, we are also being followed.  As we move across the golf course to the summit of the Beacon, a large Black Labrador is tailing us, keeping a slight distance but present for half a mile.

Initially, we lose him as I hunt a geocache and Sonia takes Panoramic photos on her iPhone.

Painswick Beacon
Superb Views from the Beacon



Another couple of walkers are concerned about the Labrador, who has appeared at one of the hill fort ramparts.  They ask if he is with us and I explain that he has been following us.

Using all my dog whispering skills I manage to get him to come over and look at his ID.  There is no tag, but stenciled on the collar is the motif "I am not lost".

The dog obviously has the freedom of Painswick.

Relieved, we continue with our walk.

Painswick Beacon
My Old Ladies
Having soaked up the views, we continue along the Cotswold Way, sharing the route with the Golfers.  If you are going to waste you time hitting a small ball down a little hole, there can be few finer places to do it than here.

At Kites Hill, we get the 2nd cache of the day, cross the Cheltenham road and head steeply downhill to Cocknells Court.

Painswick
I am a 1 in 8

Cocknells Court
Cocknells Court
Wonderful walking along the valley floor, where the route is only shared with sheep and the odd isolated farmhouse.

Painswick
Gorgeous Walking
We meet up with the Cheltenham Road again and follow it into Painswick.  A couple of things remain to make the day perfect.

I have read about the Church and its 99 Yew Trees and ancient table top tombs in the walk guide.

Painswick
Painswick Church and Tombs
Painswick
Painswick Maidens shall be true, till there grows the hundredth yew
And no walk is complete without lunch.  The Royal Oak provides.

Royal Oak Painswick
The Royal Oak
Royal Oak Painswick
Wickwar Gold



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Location: Painswick, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6, UK

2 comments:

  1. Sir Hugh17 May 2015 at 10:37

    I'm setting off on Tuesday to walk the Macmillan Way. It goes through the Cotswolds but south of your trip here. I may do the odd Geocache but when you are walking to a schedule to get to your stopping place for the night prolonged geocache searching is not really practical. Perhaps in the evenings if there are caches near my destination.

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  2. Mappiman17 May 2015 at 13:38

    I'll have to take a look at the Macmillan Way. If I'm doing an LDP path, I will limit myself to a couple of minutes looking for caches. Managed to get 54 on the first half of the South Downs Way earlier in the year! Have fun in the Cotswolds.

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