Off to Broadway!

Off to Broadway!                     September 26, 2017

Our first day of "rambling" from Chipping Campden to Broadway was perfect!  We had awakened to a relatively warm, misty morning with sun trying to break out - just right for walking.  Fueled by our sweet host's full English breakfast, including yogurt & the last of this season's strawberries, we set out with just light day packs. Deenie's husband had already left to take our suitcases to our Broadway AirBnB, when we emerged onto the sidewalk of this magical 18th century world.  It was 9 am.  The trail was very well marked with the National Trails acorn symbol. Along with our extremely detailed official Cotswold Way guide book, we had no trouble finding the trail.  

                What's not to love about a trail like this?

After the first long hill from Chipping Campden, leading up onto the escarpment, the terrain was pretty level and easy walking.  Birds were singing, the grass was green and lush, the air was moist and earthy-smelling - we were happy ramblers!  

The day passed quickly as we traversed fields with sheep who seem quite used to sharing their space with walkers, through small woods (copses) and many "kissing gates".   At one point the narrow path was filled with a tractor.  The farmer eased his machine over to the side as far as he could to let us pass.  

We encountered some other walkers, several of them American.  In fact, the Cotswolds seem to be a magnet for American retirees, especially at this time of year!  Not too many of them were walking the C. Way, however.  The Brits are easy to spot, as so many of them have doggie companions.  

Benches, conveniently placed at look-out points, offered a place for a brief rest and a nibble on snacks.  The path surface is very rocky and in the old days this area was not very arable due to the thinness of the soil under which is the yellow stone used in  the local buildings.  That made it more suitable for sheep farming.  We did see large fields of soybeans and broccoli, thanks to modern farming equipment, but there are still a lot of sheep.  

Broadway Tower was the big attraction on this part of the trail.  It is a "folly", a large construction with no purpose other than decorative, favored by upper class Brits in the 1800's for their estates.  This particular folly had an interesting history and is open to the public - for a fee.  It sits on one of the highest points in the area, an ancient beacon site where fires were lit to warn of enemies approaching.  During WW II the tower served as an observation point.  There is a bunker there, too, built in the 1960's for use in case of nuclear war!  Apparently England prepared itself for this possibility, just like America did.  

            Broadway Tower, a folly built in the late 1800's.    

What goes up must come down, and the trail takes a long, rather steep descent into Broadway.  It's hard on the toes, as we've learned over the course of our other long hikes.  

We arrived in Broadway at 2 pm, having walked a leisurely 6 miles.  The town is quite toney, with a quiet, manicured, well-cared for appearance.  Galleries, small restaurants, shops, hotels, and pubs line High Street.  

Our AirBnB hosts tonight are bright, interesting people about our age.  Their home is not far off the trail, in a lovely neighborhood of well-heeled homes.  We're feeling a bit pampered.  This one is a keeper!