Cotswold Way : Stage 2

Lansdown to Dunsdown Farm – 15 October 2018

Grenville monmument

Yes, we, all four of us, are back on the Cotswold Way! At the risk of becoming predictable we will skip the familiar introduction about the “usual” train from Didcot to Bath Spa etc. Taxi out to the Grenville Monument where we finished up last time (April 2018!).  After T had put his waterproof trousers on we set off past the monument (Grid Reference ST7219 7035) in a roughly north-easterly direction.

Was this view worth the detour?

The monument commemorates Sir Bevil Grenville who died on 5 July 1643 as a consequence of the Battle of Lansdowne (sic). He was a Royalist leader in the Civil War action {more information is available online}.

After about half a mile we took a wrong turning and had to retrace our steps. No matter we convinced ourselves it was to photograph a view of the Cotswolds! We got back on track and followed some other guys who quickly advanced away from us.

It started to rain. Light rain and a northerly wind had been forecast but this was heavier than light rain. T was glad he had taken time to put on waterproofs.

Making a stand?

As you can imagine we spent the early hours of the walk exchanging news about families and mutual friends and learning about each other’s summer. Apparently A & P had spent most of the summer in shorts. We also shared experiences of overseas travel for leisure and for work and about N’s Dad who had sadly passed away.

Cold Aston Manor was shut

Despite the rain we made modest progress towards the village of Cold Ashton. There didn’t appear to be a convenient pub marked on the map so we were gladdened to find a garden centre / plant nursery in Greenway Lane. There were some fun looking plant supports (for dahlias?) outside, see picture.

It seemed to be open but wandering around the site didn’t reveal any door to a warm and welcoming tea room so we trudged on in the rain to Cold Ashton itself, carefully crossing the busy A46.

100 years since WW1

Cold Ashton seemed to be well named. Fairly cold reception. Several notices warning walkers not to park here or there. It boasts a Manor House and Wikipedia describes the village having “an air of tranquillity and pleasant isolation”. No buses then! 

In the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church was an attractive remembrance sculpture (see picture).

We pushed on across fields to the hamlet of Pennsylvania negotiating the A46 again. Just north of the village we met a party of three ladies heading south who wanted to know whether food could be found nearby. We guessed the petrol station in Pennsylvania might have something though that was unlikely to offer a fine dining experience or something that was typical of the region.

Thinking of food made us realise that it was time for us to find some relative shelter for our own packed lunches. Luckily in the Dyrham Wood there was a convenient bench. It had stopped raining (as P had predicted) so we were able to have ten minutes or so to have a welcome break.

View from Dyrham Wood

Dyrham Park House

As the weather had improved, slightly, we were able to get some views across the edge of the Cotswolds towards an unseen Bristol. Passed yet more walkers heading towards Bath. Two guys who were kitted out with walking poles and a couple from North America who were taking the path at a more leisurely pace and declaring that next time they would pay to have their bags taken on ahead.

Wet horse near Dyrham

We arrived in the village of Dyrham with a view of the large house at Dyrham Park, ST7390 7582. One plan was to finish here and find the National Trust tea room. Problem was that the entrance to the Park was at least 1km away, uphill and not on our route. After a few minutes debate we decided upon Plan B, press on uphill past interesting medieval strip lynchets (farm terraces) and end our walk at Dunsdown Farm, West Littleton.

Yet another crossing of the A46. Time to phone for a taxi. True the conversation with the taxi dispatcher wasn’t easy with the noise of the traffic on the A46, but he seemed unable to confirm where we were. The problem was we didn’t know the postcode. Anyhow after about five minutes we seemed to have a taxi on its way to us.

Strip lynchets

Twenty minutes later a telephone call from the taxi firm. Seems to be a confusion. Luckily another operative was able to identify Dunsdown Farm, ST7523 7632 (postcode SN14 8JA by the way), as a legitimate place to pick up from and double checking that we wanted to go to Bath rather than Chippenham we eventually got a taxi back to Bath.

While we waited in the now rather cold wind N gave us a reading of an "email" poem that he had written and read out at his father’s funeral. A lovely tribute, touching and witty – well done.

Fungi unknown

The friendly taxi driver dropped us opposite the station and we went into the nearest pub/hotel, The Royal Oak, not really our sort of place but it was warm and the drinks were welcome and the staff were friendly, 5/6 out of 10.

Train back to our respective destinations and agreement that we would try the next stage on 5 November 2018.

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The second stage of the Cotswold Way, 6.7 miles (10.8km), oh dear! But it was wet, we are all obviously out of practice, etc, etc. Anyhow it was good to be walking again and we all agreed it was a good day on balance. See you on Guy Fawkes Day.