Stow is not hard to get to by public transport, but takes a long time, hence my walk didn't start until 9:00am, almost unheard of! Leaving Stow, there is about a mile or so of road work, made slightly easier by the wide grass verge heading down the Tewkesbury road. Eventually the way leaves the road and crosses a wide field but only briefly to cut off the road corner and soon rejoins it at Upper Swell where some brave road walking is required through the small hamlet and up the hill to leave the road once again and head down a small lane past the Donnington Brewery, which is just about the perfect location for a brewery, set off the road in some very old Cotswold buildings, it looks perfect. Dragging myself past - despite my late start, it was still too early for a beer - I followed the lane to the top and turned left. This section is a lot of road walking which I normally detest, but it is quite pleasant here and very quiet. Turning into Condicote I decided this would be my first break of the day. It is a lovely village with a very unusual village green. The sun was shining and there was no breeze so it was stifling hot. I managed to locate a shelter with shade and tucked into a snack and drink.
Yet more road and track walking until finally off road again and through some woods which provided excellent, but short lived shade from the hot sun before out again and across more fields. At this time of year (July) the wheat and other produce is growing high which can make the going hard unless the path is a good one. At this point it was good so I walked along at about 3mph. Good walking bought me to Jackdaws Castle Estate which is a huge racehorse training estate. It took almost 30 minutes to walk from one side to the other and I could see it stretching out in all directions. I recalled that the Winchcombe Way goes through here as well, but the two paths only meet at Ford on the exit.
Back on the main Stow to Tewkesbury road at Ford, again more nerve wracking walking around corners and up hill to leave the road again, this time to head towards the quarry. Somehow I managed to miss the correct path and headed across the top of the ridge. At this point I started to wonder, but having crossed a couple of well-maintained stiles I was not totally convinced I was lost! Finally I realised my mistake and corrected it by dropping down a field where I met two ladies on horseback who enquired if I was lost (probably a rhetorical question) but I told them I was in the hope of assistance and mercy from an ear bending. It turned out it was their land! Luckily they took pity on me and directed me to the correct route which involved a very overgrown path and their back garden!
A long road walk followed and at the top of the hill I declared it lunchtime so found a convenient stone to sit on in the shade and tucked into my chicken and crisps - very nice it was too! Eventually I got going again and arrived at Lynes Barn, familiar territory as it is on the Winchcombe Way again and also I have cycled around these parts. Finally, off the road again, the route heads into some woods which it follows to a huge Belvedere taking me to Little Farmcote Farm. The Winchcome Way goes left here and my route straight on through obvious gates and a path, rising up through a wood then steeply downhill again. With Winchcombe in sight, I felt this section was at a close, but the Way seems to meander around until finally depositing me in the centre of Winchcombe. With this section complete, I headed for the Co-op for water to replenish my supplies which had just run out.
I decided to complete the route to Tewkesbury, which, on balance, was probably not the best idea I've ever had. The report is on the next, and final page.
