Day 1 - Tuesday 14 June 2022
Chipping Campden to Stanton (11 miles)
We arrived in Chipping Campden on the Sunday night and stayed in The Noel Arms slap bang in the middle of the town. On the Monday Fudge and I amused ourselves in and around Chipping Campden whilst Angie made a quick visit down to see her Mum on the South Coast. After final preparations on the Monday evening and a few beers with friends Peter & Malcolm we were all ready to set out on the walk the following morning. The weather could not have been better - gloriously sunny, light breezes and a cloudless sky all day.
Come on Fudge, shake a paw - we are off to walk The Cotswold Way today!
Whilst walkers can choose which end of The Cotswold Way to start, reading other peoples journals and blogs it was clear that most people begin from the delightful market town of Chipping Campden. The word "Chipping" is the old english for "Market" and therefore is also used in the names of Chipping Sodbury & Chipping Norton.
Chipping Campden Market Hall
The Market Hall is now in the care of the National Trust who bought it from the Noel family in 1942 - the funds having initially been raised by locals who subsequently donated it to the trust. It was built in 1627 by Sir (later Baron) Baptist Hicks and was intended as a shelter for merchants and farmers selling their wares with the arched side walls open to allow light and customers to enter.
The Market Hall is now in the care of the National Trust who bought it from the Noel family in 1942 - the funds having initially been raised by locals who subsequently donated it to the trust. It was built in 1627 by Sir (later Baron) Baptist Hicks and was intended as a shelter for merchants and farmers selling their wares with the arched side walls open to allow light and customers to enter.
Fudge at the start (or finish) of The Cotswold Way - a round marker stone (The Beginning & End) embedded within slabs. The wording within the stone is explained a few pictures below.
Chipping Campden Town Hall
Bin day at The Noel Arms Hotel in Chipping Campden - we stayed here for two nights prior to starting the walk
The previous "Beginning & End" stone located at the start (or finish) of The Cotswold Way. The stone was sited at the Town Hall but was moved to coincide with the unveiling of the new stone in 2014.
Chipping Campden War Memorial
On 8th November 2014 the Cotswold Way marker stone was unveiled near the Market Hall at Chipping Campden. This beautiful disc of blue limestone, with an acorn central motif (the symbol for all National Trails), is surrounded by a quotation from T.S. Eliot and place names from along the Cotswold Way. The text circles around the artwork, inviting viewers to walk around the carving to read the words. For those about to embark, the words will hold the promise of the adventure to come and to those arriving they will be a reflective focus for the journey they have made. It is mirrored by a similar marker at Bath Abbey and together they act as bookends for the Cotswold Way. The quotation is from the second poem of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets: “Now the light falls across the open field, leaving the deep lane shuttered with branches, dark in the afternoon”. T.S. Eliot visited Chipping Campden several times in the 1930s and was inspired to write the first poem Burnt Norton, through his walking experience here. The artist for both the Chipping Campden and Bath markers is Iain Cotton.
With Fudge at the start of The Cotswold Way - I am wearing my Spaniel Aid livery and Fudge has one of their bandanas around his neck.
For the first leg of the walk I was joined by two good friends who I met when I was guiding on the Coast to Coast last year. Peter & Malcolm are from nearby Malvern and had very kindly volunteered to walk with me today. Also seeing us off on our merry way was Viv who has followed Fudge's adventures from her home in the Peak District. Viv was joined by her lovely Cocker Spaniel Ruby.
Leaving Chipping Campden we passed a memorial seat marking a 100 years since the end of the First World War
Leaving Chipping Campden the route turns off the B4081 and heads up Hoo Lane
As we headed up Hoo Lane we passed a house with a Blue Plaque on the wall. On closer inspection of the plaque it read that the house was a former residence of the writer Graham Greene between 1931 & 1933 - it is now a very expensive holiday let. Greene wrote Brighton Rock and The Power and the Glory – and received two consecutive nominations for the Nobel Prize for Literature. He moved to Chipping Campden following the success of his first novel, The Man Within which allowed him to quit his job as a sub-editor at The Times and become a full-time novelist. Most notably he wrote Stamboul Train which was adapted as the film Orient Express in 1934.
Hoo Lane ends and then rises steeply as an access track to eventually reach Kingcombe Lane
Crossing Kingcombe Lane the route reaches Dover's Hill - as is tradition, Fudge adorns the Trig Point.
The hill takes its name from Sir Robert Dover who in 1612 transformed a local feast into the "Cotswold Olimpicks". The event takes place in early June and contains a variety of events, the most popular of which is "Shin Kicking". A video explaining all can be found here.
The hill takes its name from Sir Robert Dover who in 1612 transformed a local feast into the "Cotswold Olimpicks". The event takes place in early June and contains a variety of events, the most popular of which is "Shin Kicking". A video explaining all can be found here.
Malcolm in his castle pointing the way. The castle like building is the stage for the Olimpicks with the events taking place in front of it. As it transpires we had missed this great event by a week - I hope they remembered to come and take the castle entrance down.
Malcolm & Peter at the toposcope on the summit of Dover's Hill - behind them is the Vale of Evesham
Heading along a grassy swathe known locally as The Mile Drive. The group ahead had mislaid their dog in the grass but eventually located the poor pooch.
Exiting Mile Drive the route heads across a field of crops towards Broadway Tower
Meanwhile Angie & Viv had reached Broadway Tower and interrupted breakfast time for these very cute Deer
Fudge at Broadway Tower - and no we are not climbing up it little chap
Broadway Tower
The 65ft tower is a folly and sits atop Broadway Hill. At 1024ft it is second only to Cleeve Hill as the highest point on The Cotswold Way. The 'Saxon' tower was the brainchild of landscape architect Capability Brown and was designed by James Wyatt in 1794 in the form of a castle, and built for Barbara, Countess of Coventry in 1798–1799. The tower was built here on what was known as a "beacon hill", where beacons were lit on special occasions. Lady Coventry wondered whether a beacon on this hill could be seen from her house in Worcester some 22 miles distant and subsequently sponsored the construction of the folly to find out. Indeed, the beacon could be seen clearly. Having had several uses over the intervening years, in the late 1950s, Broadway Tower monitored nuclear fallout in England; an underground Royal Observer Corps bunker was built 50 yards from the Tower. Staffed continuously from 1961 and designated as a master post, the bunker was one of the last such Cold War bunkers constructed and, although officially stood down in 1991, the bunker is now one of the few remaining fully equipped facilities in England.
The 65ft tower is a folly and sits atop Broadway Hill. At 1024ft it is second only to Cleeve Hill as the highest point on The Cotswold Way. The 'Saxon' tower was the brainchild of landscape architect Capability Brown and was designed by James Wyatt in 1794 in the form of a castle, and built for Barbara, Countess of Coventry in 1798–1799. The tower was built here on what was known as a "beacon hill", where beacons were lit on special occasions. Lady Coventry wondered whether a beacon on this hill could be seen from her house in Worcester some 22 miles distant and subsequently sponsored the construction of the folly to find out. Indeed, the beacon could be seen clearly. Having had several uses over the intervening years, in the late 1950s, Broadway Tower monitored nuclear fallout in England; an underground Royal Observer Corps bunker was built 50 yards from the Tower. Staffed continuously from 1961 and designated as a master post, the bunker was one of the last such Cold War bunkers constructed and, although officially stood down in 1991, the bunker is now one of the few remaining fully equipped facilities in England.
The cause of why Broadway Tower was built - although not the original
Near the tower is a memorial to the crew of an AW38 Whitley bomber that crashed here during a training mission on 2 June 1943.
After completing an exercise of about three hours duration the aircraft had returned to the Honeybourne circuit to find the weather had deteriorated to rain and very low cloud base. Due to other aircraft landing, Z6639 was given a "RED" by the airfield controller to go round again. On the second circuit, during the climb-out to turn, it crashed into the top of the hill very near to Broadway Tower. At the time of this tragedy, Broadway Tower was being used as a Royal Observer Corps post and first on the scene were two corps members, Albert Lowe and Ernest Hollington. Braving the flames, the two men pulled all five airmen clear and though four were dead, a fifth man was still alive. He was taken to the shelter of the nearby tower however died shortly afterwards.
After completing an exercise of about three hours duration the aircraft had returned to the Honeybourne circuit to find the weather had deteriorated to rain and very low cloud base. Due to other aircraft landing, Z6639 was given a "RED" by the airfield controller to go round again. On the second circuit, during the climb-out to turn, it crashed into the top of the hill very near to Broadway Tower. At the time of this tragedy, Broadway Tower was being used as a Royal Observer Corps post and first on the scene were two corps members, Albert Lowe and Ernest Hollington. Braving the flames, the two men pulled all five airmen clear and though four were dead, a fifth man was still alive. He was taken to the shelter of the nearby tower however died shortly afterwards.
Fudge looks on in "beg mode" as Malcolm, Peter and I have mid morning tea outside the cafe at Broadway Tower with Angie, Viv & Ruby
Broadway sits below as we make the steep descent of Broadway Hill
Entering Broadway we passed Dickens House which is now home to "The Man Cave" which sells eclectic gifts for "the man in your life". I wonder how long it will be before some poor soul gets offended and they have to change the name of the shop?
I told you they had eclectic gifts - not the original Trotter's 3 wheeled van but it was the one used in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics
A typical Cotswold village scene as we walk into Broadway
Broadway War Memorial
Croft Villa, Broadway - a fine example of Georgian architecture and no doubt worth a pretty penny
The village green, Broadway - just to the right of the tree is The Broadway Hotel and we met Angie, Viv and Ruby here for a nice cold beer
Heading up Snowshill Lane out of Broadway - should have had a drink here really as it was less busy
Looking back to Broadway as we climb towards Broadway Coppice
Having climbed out of Broadway the route passes this large Chicken Hutch - no sign of the inhabitants though
Not too far to go now
Glorious walking as we head down Shenberrow Hill into Stanton...............
......... and were greeted by a couple of the locals
Dropping into Stanton the route passes this lovely thatched property complete with carved animals on the roof. The village itself is absolutely stunning and the former tennis player & BBC presenter Sue Barker is a notable resident.
An old lantern post on the village green in Stanton
Stanton War Memorial
Journey's end for today and time to say goodbye to Malcolm & Peter who were driving back to Malvern
Sunset over the Cotswolds from the window of our B&B
Didn't even give us a chance to put the throw on the bed - zonked after a great day out
Overnight Accommodation
The Vine, Stanton - www.cotswoldsriding.co.uk/bed-and-breakfast-accommodation
The Vine, Stanton - www.cotswoldsriding.co.uk/bed-and-breakfast-accommodation
The B&B forms part of Cotswold Riding run by Jill Carenza and sits on the western edge of Stanton smack bang on The Cotswold Way. We had a very pleasant stay with Jill & her team. That night we had a fantastic meal at the local pub, The Mount which is at the other end of the village.
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Day 1 Data
Mileage
Cumulative Mileage
Time
Total Ascent
Cumulative Mileage
Time
Total Ascent
11 miles
11 miles
6hrs 30mins
1423ft (434m)
11 miles
6hrs 30mins
1423ft (434m)