Day 9 - Where in the Wold are we?

The weather forecast for today was favourable for a long walk, so we caught a local bus from Kingham to Stow-on-the-Wold where our plan was to hike to Bourton-on-the-Water along the Heart of England Way. One thing about the Cotswolds is there are so many major walking routes that criss-cross the hills and valleys.

Stow is a market town that, like many of the towns in this region, has been a settlement for thousands of years (more on that when we get to Bourton). The town is famous for being located at one of the most elevated hills in the area (Wolds is a term that means a series of high hills) and so its full name, Stow-on-the-Wold.

In the early years of the English Civil War (1642 to 1651), between the Royalists who backed King Charles I and Cromwell's Parliamentarians, a major battle was held at Stow, with the Royalists eventually losing.

Our hike took us south of Stow into the River Dikler valley, through glades and meadows. Along the way, one comes across small hamlets, with one dominated by an old mill.

Eventually we came to the two villages of Lower Slaughter and Upper Slaughter (the names derive from the old English 'Slohtre,' which means "muddy place").




The River Eye flows through here, and Lower Slaughter has a wonderful mill that is now used as a shop and restaurant. We of course had to stop for a bite (but no beer this time).








Once again the British humour comes out as evidenced by this sign found in the outside eating area that overlooks the mill pond. I didn't know that my nephews had once been here!





Following the River Eye valley southwards leads one into Bourton-on-the-Water. Like Stow, this town has been settled for some time. Stoneworks from the area have been dated as far back as 4000 years B.C. Today, the oldest buildings date from the 17th century. However, what is the most attractive aspect of the town is that the river has been routed through its centre. Accordingly, Bourton has been dubbed the "Venice of the Cotswolds."

A cup of tea and a scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam rounded out the afternoon and marked the end of our day's journey. By the time we returned back to our cottage in Kingham, we had walked just over 25 kilometers. Needless to say, we were knackered.


Ale of the Day: Hooky, Hook Norton Brewery, Banbury, Oxfordshire