Cotswolds Tour

There were 12 of us on this tour. Alistair was still unable to cycle so could not join us cycling despite having done all the planning and route research. So it was Brian, David and Sue, Graham, Keith, Len and Lin, Mark, Mick, Peter, Rod and Sue P who set out for the Cotswolds summer tour.

Tuesday 15th June -

Oxford to Stratford Upon Avon 51.5 miles – 636 mtr of ascent - Weather – hot, dry 24 deg.

Most of us met up briefly at the Welcome Break services for coffee and toilets around the corner from the Park and Ride. We were in good time arriving at Pear Tree and Keith and Peter were already to go having cycled up the day before. What we had not taken into account was the very confusing and difficult to operate pay machines. Only one took cards so there was a slight delay to the start.

We got away by 10.05 and took the cycle pathway next to the A40. At one point road works meant we had to cross the A40 which was exceedingly busy but they had set up some traffic lights for the cycleway operated by a worker who guided us across. At Eynsham we left the cycle track for country lanes. It was just after we passed Finstock station (a Great Western Railway managed station with the dubious accolade of being the least used station in Oxfordshire according to the official passenger statistics) that we missed a turn and entered Cornbury Park. It was a lovely tarmacked uphill when we were accosted by a well spoken gentleman in a gleaming Range Rover. We were politely advised that this was private property and we needed to depart back the way we had come. What’s more he claimed the signage was obvious. Well, being well behaved, if with poor sight cyclists, we took the hint and returned missing the cycleway sign for a second time! Doing a U-turn we approached the signed cycleway to find a gate – typical walkers gate – which would not allow us to wheel cycles through without raising them up on their rear wheels. As a result we were delayed while we man handled the bikes and panniers through this obstacle.

We continued onward passing through Charlbury and after 17 miles arrived at Chadlington at about 12.20 and took refreshment at the Café de la Post. We all cycled on in the sun arriving in Moreton in the Marsh, our 30 miles stop, for some lunch. We found a nice garden in Tillys Teahouse. It was market day and some went for the market van fare while sitting in the market place.

After lunch we continued towards Stratford Upon Avon. At Long Marston we turned onto the Stratford Greenway (also part of the Monarch’s Way). This old railway line took us over very dusty chalk and gravel and over a rusty looking bridge. We arrived at our Premier Inn at about 5.30 pm. In the evening most went to the Golden Bee, Wetherspoons in Sheep Street. Some others tried Carluccios alongside the river.

Wednesday 16th June

Stratford upon Avon to Gloucester 50.1 miles – 371 mtr of ascent- Weather – hot, dry 24 deg

In the morning breakfast was efficient and up to the usual good standard of P Inns thanks to Mick booking us all in for 8.00 am. We left on time just after 9.15 am and returned along the Greenway getting another layer of white powder over the bikes and panniers. Turning off we had some more problems with a tight gate with the alternative of lifting bikes over 2 sleepers. We then cycled south east through the Vale of Evesham on lanes and tracks. After 17 miles we arrived in the town of Evesham. We left the route to cross the river Avon and find a drink stop in the town. Market Square, Evesham

We continued after refreshments to Tewkesbury at the 31 mile point of our route. Here we asked a local if he could recommend a pub with a garden and he directed us to the Royal Hop Pole. Yes it was a Wetherspoons but we managed to persuade Mick to lunch there after his Wetherspoons evening on Tuesday. We continued down to Gloucester following the river Severn into the city. Again it was Premier Inns who had our company at Bakers Quay. The hotel was in the Gloucester Quays area which is still being developed. With the exception of Keith who was staying further away we dined together at Cote.

Thursday 17th June

Gloucester to Oxford 52 miles – 748 mtr of ascent - Weather – mostly overcast, warm and dry 21 to 22 deg.

A rather slow breakfast set our starting time back from a hoped for 9.00 am to 9.20 am. We soon found ourselves in Cheltenham – there is not much of a gap between the two. Nice to cycle through a large town on cycle ways and back streets full of character. We attempted Ham Hill. Peter and the electric powered were the only ones to cycle all the way. It was a real challenge. What followed were another two steep but shorter hills before we settled into an undulating route to Northleach.

It was here at Northleach we purchased sandwiches from the mini supermarket or visited the café – the Curious Wine Cellar where we sat in a garden for cake and coffee. We departed Northleach to face a very steep hill, another section of the Monarch’s Way. The Monarch's Way is a 625-mile long-distance footpath in England that approximates the escape route taken by King Charles II in 1651 after being defeated in the Battle of Worcester. It runs from Worcester via Bristol and Yeovil to Shoreham, West Sussex. All of the route is waymarked, using a logo with a drawing of the ship Surprise above a Prince of Wales three-point feathered crown on a silhouette of the Royal Oak tree).

We continued up and down as the route gradually became flatter and made our way to Burford, known as the gateway to the Cotswolds on the river Windrush. It was extremely busy with traffic which held us up slightly before we turned off and headed for Witney. We arrived in Witney, our last stop, at 3.30 pm 44 miles into our route. We managed to find a pub, the Horse Shoes. See photo left. Here we partook of various beverages. It was warm but beginning to cloud over.Horseshoes, Witney

In two groups we left Witney heading for the Pear Tree park and ride at Oxford. As we left there were a few spots of rain which persisted all the way to Oxford where we arrived at about 5.00 pm. The cars were all there to welcome us and we packed up, wished Keith and Peter a good ride on the morrow for their return to Basingstoke and set off home. On the way back we had a lot of rain which thankfully we had missed cycling.