20/08/21 - Donnington Way - Day 5 - Chipping Campden to Moreton-in-Marsh

Distance - 6.5 Miles

Geocaches - 1

Pubs - 2

Previous Days - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

The odyssey comes to an end, with a short distance to walk and a route that I covered step-by-step on the Heart of England Way.

An opportunity to reflect on the beer.

There are three in the core range.

The Three Donnington Beers - and a Cider

BB - The entry level - a 3.6% traditional bitter.  I avoided it for the entire walk.  When it was the only (gravity fed) beer available at the Fox Great Barrington, I developed a hankering for red wine.

Cotswold Gold - Found at all the pubs - their web site says that its award winning, but fails to mention what award it was.  A golden 4.0%.

SBA - Not found until half way around the trail at the Black Horse, Naunton.  Easily the pick of the bunch at a more robust 4.4%.

The beers are deceptive - when kept well, they initially poor perfectly.  A crystal clear pint, often with a decent foamy head.

Looks the business - maybe a top up required

The head will soon disappear and lacings are an alien word.  I was always left with a clean glass.  

The real problem though, is a lack of taste.  There's so little going on.  It will refresh you after a long walk, but you'll never get that moreish hit you'd expect.

Still, the pubs are lovely.

Leave Chipping Campden and head due south - through the pretty village of Broad Campden (too early for the GBG Bakers Arms) and into Blockley.

Ancient Quaker House, Broad Campden

Blockley

Looking back on Blokley from the Heart of England Way

It's all downhill from Batsford Arboretum, through arable fields and into Moreton-in-the-Marsh to have a final pint of SBA until I return to walk from the unexplored.  The temporarily closed (Farmers Arms) and the passed too early (Plough Inn, Ford).

The Black Bear opens at 11:30am and at 11:32am, there is a queue to get in.  I wait for the scrape of the bolt from the other side of the road and when the line is no longer there, I make my move.

An explanation to the bar-maid about this being the end of my 5 day journey does not result in the free pint that I was hoping.  Still, can't complain.  I did get a free hat from the brewery on day 2.

Black Bear, Moreton-in-Marsh

Waiting for the queue to die down

A Final SBA.  An accidental reveal of the WiFi Password.  Canned Alternatives.