28th July Cooper's Hill to Hodgecombe Farm

The campsite at Cooper's Hill was in the rear garden of a house. It used to be a tea house until the  lady running it had a stroke early this year. Peter, her son kindly let us stay. Shower and toilet were in the house. Long day today and not sure where we will be staying, so up with the sun rise and off.

First stop just a few 100 metres up the road where they hold the now too famous cheese rolling comp. Wasn't held last year because about 15 thousand turned up to watch the year before and the area and streets near are tiny and couldn't cope. Didn't feel like hiking all the way up the hill so close to the start of the days walk so Annette held up our cheese for a photo shot.

Just as well I didn't hike up and down because we only walked a short distance and turned sharp left and hiked up to the top via another route along the walk. Boy would I have been nicked off with myself for not checking the map. Here we are are the top of the cheese rolling hill and I'm ready to go.

Past through some pretty country today. This post office is in the town of Painswick and is reputed to be the oldest in England. Posted a couple of cards home.

Some beautiful buildings in town and we got talking to a gent in the street, as usual, and it turned out he was Australian. Invited back for tea and cake and met his wife and had an interesting time learning what they had been up to over the last few years. This photo was taken from the church yard where there are 99 yew trees growing.

Another gate, Trev, mate.

Walking across a farm paddock and met by this heard of cows. One of the old markers.

They don't call them squeeze gates for nothing.

 We walked through forest and there was this occasional strange eerie noise. Really spooky. When we got out of the trees we could see that it was caused by gliders flying low overhead. Another old long barrow.

Great views from the top of the ridge at Coaley Peak. Really did look like a miniature farm.

After a long hard day finally arrived and pitched the tent in a paddock next to a farm house. Allowed to use the toilet and had a bit of a sponge down before bed. Still humid. Beautiful evening.