Day 29 -- Time to get to the heart of the matter

The Heart of England Way

So far on this trip, I've been rather astounded at the number of people who stop to chat with us as we make our way on our walks through the countryside. Not just hellos, but genuine conversations. Today was no exception as we decided to hike part of the Heart of England Way, this time taking it from just outside of Moreton-in-Marsh through Donnington to Upper Swell, where we transferred onto the Gloucestershire Way into Stow-on-the-Wold.

First let me describe the Heart of England Way to you. The 100-mile route starts north of us in Milford, Staffordshire, travels down through the countryside between Birmingham and Coventry, before entering the Cotswolds and ending at Bourton-on-the-Water (see yesterday's post for more on Bourton). What's fascinating about it, is that it is beautifully maintained and marked...completely by volunteers. Even when you pass across a wide farmers field, you can always spot the next signpost pointing you in the right direction.

Also lovely is the fact that in this country of over 65 million people, you can walk for miles in blissful solitude, and clearly hear the wind rustling through the grass and leaves, and birds of every description singing.

We made our way out of Moreton, catching up with the Way as it passed through a farm field dotted with sheep. We were soon in Bourton-on-the-Hill, passing down a lovely street of houses before coming to a farm gate. Through this, the countryside opened up again, and we were faced with the most glorious view down the gentle hill into the valley below.

Coloured to match the season.

Our first conversational encounter was with a few of the local coos (sorry, forgot; I'm not in Scotland)...cattle. In this instance, they didn't really have much to say back, but they didn't seem to mind posing for a few photos.

Source: www.sezincote.co.uk/

We passed through the grounds of Sezincote House. Yes, estate owner or not, if a centuries-old right-of-way exists on your land, you have to honour it. The house is unlike any other you will find in the Cotswolds; it is a replica of a Mogul Indian Palace. It is 200 years old, and sits on a 4,500 acre estate. A load of trucks was in front of it (film crew? wedding setup? we're not sure), so I am using a stock photo. Another example of there always being something intriguing around every corner in the UK.

Phil's love of dogs and pubs is firmly set in
stone...Cotswold stone to be precise.

We were somewhat gobsmacked (if you don't use this British word to describe your astonishment at something, you really should) when we came into the village of Donnington. Gorgeous, even on an overcast day (the true test of any place). The village pub was very inviting, and one of the locals tried to lure Phil in, but it was still a wee bit early for the ale of the day.

A wee bit down the road we ran into some fellow travellers who, noting our accent, stopped to chat thinking we were American. They were from the Carolinas and were cycling the area. They asked if we got lost on the trails, but we said we found them well marked. Apparently, they hadn't been so lucky, and had even had an encounter the day before with Baklava-loving cattle who trailed after them as they tried to carry a bag of the sweet treat back with them from the market in Moreton in Marsh.

Several signs kept reminding us that there was a village shop, and if you've been following along, you know how we love these! This one was particularly lovely, with finished wooden shelves holding an array of products, fresh vegetables out front, and a sandwich bar in back. We had only come in for a look around, but we got into a conversation with the delightful lady who was working. Her husband had worked in the States (people always assume we're American) and this led to several turns in the conversation until we ended at the need for the local church to be restored. With about 15 people left attending Sunday services, and one window costing 3,000 GBP to restore, one wonders at how long these beautiful additions to British villages will last. (Oh, and we left with a chocolate croissant that was calling to us on the counter).

Back out into the countryside, across fields and down country lanes. This part of the walk was a pilgrimage of sorts for Phil as we would be passing by the Donnington Brewery, home of a B.B., one of the ales he has consumed while here. It is in the countryside, and is billed as "the fairest brewery in all the land." They just might be right, and after we have seen all of the UK's breweries, we shall be back to you on that.

Donnington Brewery. Now can you spot the peacock resting on the railing? 

The peacock...in case you couldn't
spot it above. Tough life.

Donnington Brewery started its life in the 13th century as a mill. Brewing started in 1865, and the mill wheel is still in use to drive machinery. The Brewery also owns 17 pubs in the Cotswolds. I think I see another pilgrimage starting for Phil.

We ended our walk in Stow-on-the-Wold with just enough time to stop at the local homemade fudge shop before catching the bus back to Moreton.

Fudge of the day: Salted Maple and Pecan.