Cross-Cotswold Pathway: Stage 8

Tunnel House Inn to Tetbury 

Friday 9 June 2017

The weather outside isn't so great today which makes this a good time to try and remember what we did on our last walk along the Cross-Cotswold Pathway. The usual meet up on the train at Didcot and then train to Kemble. P, N & A had managed to take advantage of ticket splits which had made a significant reduction in the cost of the return travel. T had wanted to return on a direct train so had to forego the ticket split.

Those in the know will realise that 9 June was the day after the general election. Here we were again discussing the results. Last year we walked on the day after the EU referendum and the year before that we were on the Seven Shires way after the election in June 2015. P remarked that our last foray into the Cotswolds was the day after the general election was announced and we had “book-ended” the campaign with another walk.

We arrived in Kemble on time and took a chance on finding a taxi on the east side of the station. That was lucky there was one so we jumped in and had an amusing, banter-filled  ride to the lane leading to the Tunnel Inn ( Grid Ref: SO9656 0061). It would be true to say that the taxi driver wasn't a native to the Cotswolds. Far from it, he revealed, after asking us to guess where he was from, that he was Gambian. It was just like being back in Africa in a taxi, something all us us were familiar with. Good start to the day and he gave us a discount (well he claimed he had done!)

Winter wheat (green)

Our route for the day was to depart from the published Cross-Cotswold Pathway and follow the Monarch's Way rather than switch to the Macmillan Way. Apologies to the purists but this meant we could get to Tetbury and access a bus back to Kemble. The original route would have left us in Gloucestershire countryside some distance from public transport.

Good walking weather, not too hot, dry and a bit of a breeze. A good day for green energy; sunshine and breeze. As we had departed from the “route” there was no book to refer to. We were on our own with just the map. After about half a mile we made our first mistake. Instead of going north and west of the small village of Tarlton, T took us to the east and south of the village. Never mind it wasn't a set back and we re-joined the Monarch's Way. It was a very quiet day, we met some horse riders in Tarlton (ST9616 9955) but didn't come across anybody else (certainly no walkers) until nearly into Tetbury.

Rodmarton church

Our route went across green hay fields and next to green fields of spring barley as we made good progress across the Gloucestershire countryside. A minor detour to avoid some young steers but otherwise no problems. The path kinked back to head through Rodmarton and as it was about 12:30 we found a “useful” bench outside the church of St Matthew at Rodmarton, ST9428 9802. Another of these quiet Cotswold villages, the occasional Volvo or 4X4 racing around the lanes but generally sleepy and apparently empty.

Dog roses

We left the village, past the Manor House and headed across more fields to cross the A433 and under the dismantled railway that used to connect Tetbury to Kemble. We were now on roads and out of the wind it was getting quite warm. Our route skirted the village (more of a hamlet) of Culkerton and onto another small village (it had a church) of Ashley. These were all places none of us knew.

The Monarch's Way headed south west across more fields with field boundaries full of wild flowers and dog roses. After about a mile we turned west by a small wood (Addy's Firs, ST9184 9325) and took an afternoon break on a convenient, recently felled tree trunk.

Spring barley (more green)

As you can imagine our conversations had been dominated by the general election result and what next for the country. However as we hadn't met up for several weeks we had also spent lots of time swapping news about family and friends and places some of us had been to, whether for work or recreation. Our discussion turned to opinions on how best to fly to India in response to the news that N's eldest was off to Rajasthan in the next few months.

Way through the nettles

We continued to head towards Tetbury and could see the church in the distance. As we approached the built up area the path headed off through brambles and nettles to pass behind a hotel, The Great Tythe Barn. A went and checked the place out and reported that there was a wedding reception in progress. The path descended past the “cottage” hospital, over a steep sided valley and up into the town of Tetbury. Yet more evidence of closed-down pubs but we found a place called the Snooty Fox (ST8908 9315) opposite the covered market in the centre of the town.

There was about an hour to wait for the bus so time for a couple of beers. The pub wasn't anything special but we could sit outside and watch the Friday afternoon traffic (white van men and school run 4x4s). The beer was good though the author can't remember what it was, therefore 6/10.

Covered market, Tetbury

Some concern that the Pulham’s bus to Kemble wouldn't turn up on time. They have history with us as regular readers will know. Anyhow no problem, the bus turned up early, set-off on time, arrived at Kemble on time and allowed us to catch the convenient 17:19 back to Swindon and Reading. As before T carried on directly to Reading and A, P & N changed at Swindon for the following train to Didcot.

Good walking, we managed 9 miles and though we were tired this distance is possible and bodes well for next time. Shall we summarise that day as G-day? Green Gloucestershire, Gambia and the General election!