Cross-Cotswold Pathway - Stage 4

Maugersbury to Cold Ashton – Friday 24 June 2016

As predicted on our last walk, we undertook this sector of the Cross-Cotswold Pathway on the day after the European Referendum.  Much of our conversation was therefore taken up by the events of the previous day and the result. These posts are meant to record our walks through Middle England, to provide us with a record of what we did and what we saw (or missed), rather than to comment upon current affairs however the result of the ER on 23 June 2016 is likely to have a major impact on us, our children and later generations therefore we make no apology for touching upon the “Brexit” subject from time to time. (Editor: For our overseas readers "Brexit" is a phrase invented by the popular media in the UK meaning "British Exit from the EU".)

Hyde Mill

For the record we started off from Oxford station on board the train to Moreton-in-Marsh. The day looked fine though rain showers were forecast for later. 

We found a tea room in the town for a coffee (and tea-cake for some) and N took time to check in with the office (!) before joining a largish crowd of people waiting for the bus to Stow and Bourton (Editor: For Moreton read Moreton-in-Marsh,

Stow read Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton read Bourton-on-the-Water). 

Eventually the crowded bus set off and we debussed at the junction of the A429 and A424 near Maugersbury, Grid Reference: SP1897 2434.

Water meadows

The route followed the Macmillan Way for most of the day. We made good progress down a farm lane towards Hyde Mill on the River Dikler (SP1794 2434). The old mill looked to have been turned into a luxury home.

Cottages - Lower Slaughter

Lower Slaughter church

Across water meadows towards Lower Slaughter and met a chap walking the other way who quizzed us on the the best way to walk through a field of cattle. We were at that time in a small paddock with some apparently docile cows, SP1718 2371. After an exchange of opinions about cattle, how best to approach them (avoid them) we set off towards Lower Slaughter.

Welcome to Lower Slaughter

Did you not see the earlier message?

This along with its sister village of Upper Slaughter are famous icons of Cotswold life and pictures of the River Eye meandering through these villages with their stone cottages feature on many a calendar. The village was moderately busy with day-trippers taking in the views. To our minds though the place didn't appear to be very welcoming (see attached pictures taken at SP1635 2245).  Suspect the “leave” vote was big here.

View across the Windrush valley

A rain shower was rapidly approaching and we just caught the edge of it. Out came the water proofs  as we approached the top of the ridge at SP1565 2190  known as Buckle Street (Anglo-Saxon). The rain soon stopped but it was a good time to stop for lunch and we found a convenient wall over looking the Windrush valley, SP1533 2181.

There was still a threat of rain as we headed down to cross the Windrush at Aston mill and under the line of the disused railway line from Kingham to Cheltenham, SP1481 2124. It started to rain again as we walked along the edge of a wheat field and then up through a field of rape seed. By the time we reached the road to Cold Ashton (SP1379 2016) we were very wet. T's trousers were completely sodden, “I was trying to save weight and didn't bring my over-trousers”. N was OK he had shorts on. We squelched our way into Cold Ashton and found the Plough Inn, SP1289 1974. Beer was good and we rate this place 7 out of 10. It was good to take half-an-hour to dry out.

The sun came out as we headed-off towards the A429 (Fosse Way) to catch the bus back to Moreton. We were now heading off the route, down a quiet lane with dog roses all around, to catch the bus which was clearly scheduled on the Travel Line website, SP1423 1878. Well to cut a long wait short, the bus came, sped past, and didn't stop. We were left on the side of the road thinking ill of Pulhams Coaches. Luckily the lady in the adjacent stables offered us a lift into Bourton, for which we were very grateful.

Dog roses

Here we were in Bourton again. We started the Oxfordshire Way from here back in 2008! We decided that it was time to phone for a taxi and after some searching found someone who turned up after a short wait. It gave us time to observe tourists wandering in and out of twee shops around the village. The taxi driver sensibly suggested going back to Kingham station rather than Moreton as the traffic through Stow and into Moreton is dreadful in the late afternoon. He also added to the poor reputation of Pulhams Coaches by telling us of passengers who had not been let off at intermediate stops. For those of you who may remember we were caught out by Pulhams on 31 October 2014 at Little Faringdon as that bus never turned up at all.

The train was on time and we headed off to our respective homes ready to complain to Pulhams and to face a week of political news and excitement following the Brexit vote. Planning for the next few sectors is going to be difficult if we can't rely upon the bus, which we have now named “Pulhams – we stop at nothing or for anybody – Coaches”.

River Dikler

PS: We contacted Pulhams Coaches and after about a week they responded that they didn't stop at the intermediate stops. They implied that it wasn't their fault that publically available websites gave the intermediate stops (there are many clearly showing the bus stops), it certainly wasn't their intention to stop at them! To our minds Pulhams have the monopoly of rural routes in this part of Gloucestershire and are only interested in serving the tourist trade between the major hyphenated towns of the Cotswolds.

 

 

 

Well another short walk, 6.5 miles. It started well - if a bit late. Pleasant countryside even if a bit soggy. Grateful for the kindness of some people who live in the area but wary of the occupants of the Slaughters.  It has to be “B” day, Brexit, b … buses and Bourton (unscheduled).