E2: Stow-on-the-Wold to Charlbury

Highlight of the day was finishing the Heart of England Way, lowlight was wading through water on the Oxfordshire Way.

After crossing several fields I soon arrived at Bourton-on-the-Water where the Heart of England Way finishes and the Oxfordshire Way starts (although I was still in Gloucestershire). There are numerous long distance paths in area such as the Macmillan Way, Monarch's Way, Gloucestershire Way, Wardens Way and Windrush Way. I often feel that efforts should be focused on maintaining and improving the existing "Ways" rather than creating new ones. I stopped at St Lawrence's Church, where admired the simple arches and gave thanks for reaching this far (I had my doubts back in Cannock Chase due to my knee pain). Bourton-on-the-Water is a tourist town of gift shops and of course tea shops, in one of which I indulged in a coffee and cruffin. The latter was for research purposes as I had not tried one before, unfortunately it was far too sweet.

Leaving Bourton-on-the-Water my troubles began. The path crossed the flood plain of the rivers Eye and Dikler. Flood plain was a relevant term as the rivers had flooded. A couple with a dog ahead of me decided to turn back, but I continued as the bridges over the rivers were still above water, it was just a matter of getting my feet wet wading through boot deep water using my trekking poles both for balance and checking the water depth ahead of me.

Fortunately the Oxfordshire Way then climbed through fields over a ridge. Unfortunately the track down the other side was all mud, churned up by 4 wheel drives or farm vehicles. Fences each side forced me to stay on this quagmire for much longer than I would have liked. At Bledington I had the good fortune to find a community shop and café where I enjoyed a bowl of soup for lunch. I tried not to leave too much mud.

For the remainder of my walk today the route followed the River Evenlode. Efforts were being made to rewild the flood plain, creating wetlands which will encourage wild fowl, sequester carbon and reduce flooding downstream. Unfortunately the lack of drainage meant I had to wade through a lot of standing water and a few temporary streams, as well as more mud. I began to wonder why they put the kissing gates in pools of water, and surround them with mud. 

At the entrance to one field there was a sign advising that dogs must be on a lead as there were ewes with lambs on the field, the once black letters had faded to yellow and the field was empty. I had seen similar signs on previous days. Leaving the signs up when there are no pregnant ewes, lambs or any other kind of sheep just encourages people to ignore them. There were a few horses beside the sheets of water occupying part of their fields. They looked bedraggled in the rain.

The flat fields around rivers like the Evenlode are called "water meadows" for a reason, there was certainly plenty of water on them now (in February). In the spring I am sure they will look beautiful with many colourful wild flowers, but today's colours were all dull greens, browns and greys. As I approached Charlbury the sky was becoming increasingly grey. My planned walk today was a long one and darkness was falling. The headlights of cars in the village emphasised the darkness around me. I had not been able to find suitable accommodation in the Charlbury so I caught a train into Oxford. I was lucky that I had only a few minutes to wait, just enough time to buy a ticket and put a layer of clothing back on, as the temperatures were rapidly dropping now the sun had gone.

To keep costs down I am staying in a backpackers' hostel tonight. I am hoping I do not have to get up too much in the night, disturbing the others in the dormitory. Tomorrow I will catch a train back to Charlbury then walk back to Oxford.

E2: Mickleton to Stow-on-the-Wold

Today the scenery changed, there were hills to climb and villages built of Cotswold stone.

As I walked through Mickleton I was struck by the change in building materials. For the previous week houses were built of red brick with clay tile roofs, but in Mickleton and the other villages today, all I could see were buildings made of Cotswold stone; a honey coloured limestone, with shades varying from cream to orange. Older roofs were even made of stone "tiles". Even modern buildings seemed have walls of Cotswold Stone, possibly because the local planning department insisted. It gave the villages I walked through a warm, golden glow, despite the rain! One of the early villages was Chipping Campden. Popular with tourists there were gift shops and a tea room I patronised. 

I was blessed with a number of cafés today. For lunch I had a sandwich at Batsford Park. One day I would like to return (when it is not raining) and visit the arboretum and gardens. After I walked down a section of the long, tree lined drive. A Longborough there was a community café and shop, where I was the only customer. The tea and toasted tea cake set me up for the last section of the day.

There had been more hills today than in recent days. In better weather there would have been good views, but today's drizzle washed out the colours and softened the lines. On an early escarpment top, an image of a Belgian soldier was carved in a tree. A sign suggested it was carved by a Belgian soldier, recovering at a nearby hospital, in the First World War.

Dinner tonight was at my hotel, one of those places where the prices are larger than the portions. There seemed to be gold leaf on top of my dessert. I decided against eating it, worried about what I might find in the morning.

E2: Alcester to Mickleton

Rain, but also a little sunshine today, and cake at a café!

As their food was so imaginative I walked into Alcester town centre this morning for breakfast at Chapter 23, the place I had lunch at yesterday. This morning I ate a smoked salmon and cheese omelette listening to the locals.

The first village I reached was Wixford. It had an ancient church but I was more interested in the horse house. A structure with a thatched roof and walls made of gorse used to house the horse of the visiting vicar. I had not seen another like it. Soon after I encountered a modest waterfall, not something I expected in the flat or gently undulating terrain.

Bideford-on-Avon had a café, although it took me a while to find as I thought I remembered from the map where it was, but I was wrong. On eventually locating it I enjoyed a latte and muffin while amusing myself glancing through one of the books available for customers. It was a satirical look at men's dress habits and manners. I passed the edges of several other villages today, but none with coffee shops as far as I was aware. 

My route led me through part of the Heart of England Forest, or at least what will one day be a forest when the trees have grown a bit. For a while the sun shone, enriching the greens of the fields.

After a few particularly muddy fields, where I think sheep had chewed up the ground digging up turnips, I arrived at Mickleton. A small milestone as it is the "Gateway to the Cotswolds", an area of hills and scenic villages which I will be walking through for the next two days. The hotel I am staying at is evidently a cut above the average as there are biscuits with the room's tea making facilities, or rather there were until shortly after my arrival. There is also a TV remote that sometimes works, and the dinner was good if on the expensive side. The dessert, a fruit and ginger pudding with custard was especially nice, if a bit fattening.

E2: Henley-in-Arden to Alcester

A short walk today to give my knee a rest.

Only 13 kilometres to walk today, just over 3 hours walking. I needed a shorter day as my left knee was suffering. It was having to work hard to correct the tendency for my foot to slip on the ubiquitous mud. After tarrying over breakfast I left Henley to cross many muddy fields, pausing to collect another coffee from a lonely trailer by the railway station. Today there was woodland stretches as well as farmland. Skeletal oaks stood black against the dirty grey, overcast sky, their leaves discarded on the path and among the brambles. Soon the blackened leaves would turn to leaf mold, enriching the soil. Moss growing on exposed tree roots and ivy climbing trees were the only greens. 

The fields in this area were large, some with long lines of green shoots, others were of yellowing grass on which occasional sheep grazed, and a desultory pair of horses. Fields were edged with hawthorn hedges, their leafless branches covered in yellow and sage green lichen. I disturbed a gaggle of Canada geese on one field. On seeing my approach they started to honk among themselves before sidling off reluctantly. 

On the approach to Alcester I saw the only person aside from myself out for a walk today in the drizzling day. Her dog took exception to my trekking poles, which I found essential to keep me upright in the slippery, sliding mud.

To early for my hotel I walked into the historic centre of Alcester. The old,  half-timbered houses were distorted by age, leaning into the street. I found a cafe for lunch, an unusual combination of poached eggs, bits of bacon, chilli jam and melted cheese on crumpets (crumpet of the type called English Muffins). Then it was off to my hotel, to watch some of the Winter Olympics. 

E2: Meriden to Henley-in-Arden

A day with no rain!

Today I passed another construction site for the HS2, high-speed railway. Unlike the sites I passed on Saturday this one had loads of lorries going in all directions. The path had been diverted. Shepherded by steel-mesh barriers and red and white plastic I was led across the construction site. Frequent traffic lights controlled my movement. Stacked white portacabins looked down on me. Two bridges looked almost complete. Red mud embankments could be seen in all directions. A huge pile of gravel was being amassed. Then I was back in large waterlogged fields, including a few with the remains of Brussels sprout plants after they had been harvested, the smell was distinctive, reminding me of my mother's Sunday dinners.

A high point today, pulling me forward despite an painful knee, was lunch at Baddesley Clinton, a National Trust property. The lady on reception seemed a disappointed that I was more interested in the whereabouts of the cafe than visiting the 15th Century manor house. It looked an attractive place to investigate in the future. The M40 crossing marked another milestone in my journey today.

Over the last few days most buildings have been of a dull red brick with tiled roofs, including the large farmhouses I passed. However, the churches have been of a weathered sandstone, with solid towers, surrounded by graveyards with leaning gravestones and large drifts of white snowdrops. Today five churches were on my route. I admired the one at Berkswell with its sundial, clock, unusual porch and crypt. I visited the latter by climbing down stairs hidden in a boxed pew. The final church I visited (after a slippery climb up and down a steep hill) was at the entrance to Henley-in-Arden. It was clearly of Norman age with its curved arches and muted decoration. 

Henley-in-Arden was in a contrast to the plain red brick houses I had encountered, its high street seemed full of ancient half-timbered buildings. For example I am lodging in the White Swan pub, which is a 16th Century coaching inn. It was busy when I arrived, a "Wake" was being held.

E2: Kingsbury Water Park to Meriden

After trying to find a way through Kingsbury Water Park that was not flooded I walked across many soggy fields to reach Meriden. 

This morning I made an attempt to reach the Heart of England Way on the eastern side of Kingsbury Water Park. My attempt failed as the path was flooded so I asked at the visitor centre if there was another way through the Park to reach Kingsbury where I could rejoin the Way. They suggested a route around the Model Boat Pool and up the east side of the park beside other areas of water but could not guarentee it would be passible. 

I followed their suggestion, asking dog walkers on the way for information, and did eventually reach the footbridge to Kingsbury. Wading through water was required where the lakes had overflowed or rainwater had collected in low points. Sadly my socks, which I had carefully dried overnight on the heated towel rail, became rather wet.

Rejoining the Heart of England Way I was soon crossing fields, the clay soil soggy and waterlogged. I crossed many of these in the course of the day and was very pleased whenever a short section of tarmac gave me a relief from the mud. Soon after Kingsbury there was a military rifle range. I had expected it to be in use, although as it was flooded, they must have moved to another range. I could hear gunshots from somewhere in the distance. It made no difference as the path runs around the perimeter of the range.

There were no villages of any note on my route today and unfortunately no cafes or cakes. I had hoped there would be a pleasant walk around a reservoir that I could see on the map. However I was prevented from seeing it in the real world as the path was beside a railway line and the reservoir was hidden behind a bank on the other side of a brown, fast flowing little river.

The other milestone today was the M6 motorway. I knew I was approaching it from the gradually increasing amount of continuous white noise from the traffic. A view of Birmingham was promised from the bridge across it by the guidebook, and indeed in the far distance above the endless cars I could see the high rises of the city.

In the mud I saw many paw prints left by dogs beside the welly prints of their owners. More unusual were tiny hoofprints which I thought were left by Mintjac deer, I was told they found in the area. I briefly saw two, minscule deer running off, their rumps (I initially thought them tails) were white so maybe they were Roe deer.

I arrived in Meriden and my room at an Inn as the sun set below a sky of cloud in a display of smoky orange. In the evening Ian Powell, secretary of the Heart of England Way Association was kind enough to join me. His organisation looks after this long distance path, publishing a guidebook, .gpx files and much doing much else. Like myself he is also a member of the Long Distance Walkers Association and helps to maintain its dataset of long distance paths and the information associated with them.

E2: Lichfield to Kingsbury Water Park

Some dry periods today between the drizzle as I walked by canals, work (or lack of it) on the HS2 Railway, over fields and by water filled gravel pits.

Last night, as I lay in bed, whenever I moved, my muscles on my left side went into a painful spasm. The source of the pain seemed to be just below my ribs. Annoying, especially as I had not fallen or injured myself in any way. My usual exercises did not improve it so I eventually took a couple of pleasantly lemony Ibuprofen tablets which helped me get to sleep. My left knee was also stiff and painful so I felt a bit of a wreck.

Nevertheless I enjoyed my walk out of Lichfield, through the town with its pedestrianised centre and old buildings. On the outskirts, where a new housing estate was being built, I walked by the Lichfield canal for a short distance. A short length was all there now was of it, and much of that was being restored. After that I walked along straight tracks and paths by green fields, some freshly planted, all saturated with water. There were a few fields of pigs and one of donkeys to add interest.

In a number of places I came across work on the new HS2 Railway. I did not realise it ran this far east. Although I say "work", as in many British construction sites (and roadworks) there was no evidence of anyone doing anything, only large expanses of red earth. There were a lot of construction vehicles parked up in one area, all idle. I wondered if they were being hired, with costs rising daily. There were large puddles, possibly the wet weather and it being the weekend was not conducive to completing what ever the next stage was.

After a bit of road walking I reached Drayton Basset, the only village on my trip today. It had no cafe I was aware of but I found a bench in a wooden shelter to eat my last piece of fruit cake and a banana.

After the village I walked south on a stretch of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. To reach the towpath I climbed up a curious footbridge. On each side there was a tower with a spiral staircase inside, at the top the stairs connected with the deck of the bridge crossing the brown waters of the canal. 

To the left of my canal walk the fields were flooded by water, which a few swans were surveying. A group of horses waded through the water. Later, lakes of water filled old gravel pits. There was a bird reserve with geese and mallards, and then the Kingsbury Water Park. I followed the Heart of England Way around the expanses of water in the park, but my way was eventually blocked by extensive standing water on the path. In my notes I had recorded this as a possibility, with all the rain perhaps it should have been a certainty, and I was mentally prepared to retrace my steps amd continue along the canal to my hotel for the night.