Merrywalks October 4, 2017
The trick of successful walking, I always say, is knowing when to stop."
Bill Bryson in Notes from a Small Island
in front of our Birdlip B&B
Bruce and I stopped our walk on the Cotswold Way in Painswick yesterday. It was only half of the 100-mile trail, but we had run out of time and had logged 55 miles on our fitbits. The route had begun that day in Birdlip (we had to stay there, just for the name!). It was a perfect day of hiking, bookending our perfect first day of walking a week ago. We could see the end coming - with mixed feelings. There is always a sigh of relief when you've finished something challenging, but we are sad to wind up this lovely week of rambling.
Yes, there have been muddy, windy, damp times, and we have wandered off the trail to our frustration, and we have developed toe problems (not serious). By contrast, the terrain has been so pretty, gentle, and timeless; the people, so friendly and kind; the towns so historic and charming. In sum, the whole experience has been grand!
We have loved the act of walking, the motion of our bodies moving to a rhythm, breathing deeply of the fresh air and all the aromas that come along with it: moist, humusy earth; wet, autumn leaves; cedar and boxwood; cow manure (yes, I like that smell); soft, fallen apples.
We have loved being outdoors. The woodsy trails were very quiet - or enlivened with bird twitterings. So peaceful. The plant-life with that most English ivy and shiny holly; ripe blackberries (not as sweet as ours); annoying nettles; roses; spreading oaks and beech trees.
We have loved the beauty, both the natural beauty with the green rolling hills and misty scenes and fields full of sheep, as well as the charming architecture with its iconic, golden limestone.
It has been fun to follow the guide book directions and to find the official trail symbols all along the way. In fact, the whole week has seemed like a treasure hunt, looking for the next style or kissing gate or "copse" of woods or fence along a field, as described in our book. The book didn't always agree with the trail markers - but we had the GPS when in doubt.
One of the best parts of the experience has been meeting the people who generously opened their homes to us, mostly through Airbnb. What a cross-section of British life, from retired professionals, such as high school chemistry teachers and lawyers to popular musicians. One fellow had been a high stakes advertising executive and shared a lot of his views on his career in London. The couple whom we seemed to connect with the most were retired after 30 years of teaching and being house-parents in a private boys' boarding school. They were unusually open and welcoming to us, and it was fascinating to learn a little of what that life is like (exhausting, for one thing!). We can only imagine! It had been a calling, really, and a life of service. The Masterpiece Theater series, To Serve Them All My Days, immediately came to mind. It was obvious that they had loved it and had been very good at it - and were enjoying being retired!
The dual English customs of a soothing hot cup of tea, available in every B&B room, as well as a relaxing pint at the nearby pub, developed into a nice daily rhythm for us.
The pretty "wool" town of Painswick, where we stopped walking, is the half-way mark on the Cotswold Way. It earned its wealth from the wool trade back in the 15th & 16th centuries and later from cloth-making. Like most of the wool towns in the Cotswolds, it is quite unspoiled by modern development, even now.
Today we took a bus & a train to the city of Bath, the end of the 100-mile trail. We have plans to spend a couple of nights in this UNESCO World Heritage city, before heading down to Winchester for 3 days, then back to London and home.
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