Cotswolds and Cheltenham

Thursday, 28th May, was spent exploring the towns and villages in the Cotswolds, driving down narrow roads, up and down hills and valleys with lots of lovely English trees with varying colours of green for this time of the year. Through beautiful countryside, mixed farming with grain, sheep and beef, a lot of crops of wheat and barley where we went.  We went on the country roads, some very narrow and through lots of little villages and passed huge Manor houses.

First we went to Cheltenham, a regency town built 200 years ago with lots of gardens and tree lined streets, not unlike Christchurch in ways except for the houses and buildings.  We had lunch on the lawn in front of the Pump House and then looked through it.

Regency Houses in Cheltenham



Pittville Pump House in Cheltenham used for functions and finished in 1830 and restored after the WW2 in 1960.  Spectacular inside with decorated dome etc and gallery around it.

Next stop was Stow-on-the-Wold, a very picturesque village with all buildings old some dating back to 1473.  Then it was to Bourton-on-the Water which had a stream with narrow bridges over it and a lot of tourists.  We wandered up and down the village there also.

Market Square in Stow-on-the-Wold

Martin and Sue on a bridge in Bourton-on-the-Water.

The final 2 villages were Lower and Upper Slaughter, both with different features, but still having buildings made of the Cotswold yellow stone and picturesque.

Stream and houses in Lower Slaughter

It was a great day, the only problem was the time it took us to get back to Gloucester due to peak hour traffic on the motorway !!

Ashleworth and Tewkesbury

May 26th - went by car north to Ashleworth, just north of Gloucester to where one of the last Tithe barns on a Manor farm with house and church, is still standing and protected.  It is still being used by the farmer and not usually visited by the public. It is on the banks of the River Severn and often flooded.  You can see the flood marker at the side on the second photo.

Notice in the Tithe Barn

The Ashleworth Manor House and Church

The Tithe Barn in front of the Church.

We then went around the countryside and over to the west and just into Wales and up and down the Malvern Hills and then back down to Tewkesbury, 14 miles north of Gloucester, on the river.  The River Avon starts here and on the start are famous picturesque houses and Martin and Sue's friend Polly had just bought the small one to the left and was having a house warming party !!  Spent 2 hours having Pimms sitting at the front of it, a lovely evening.

Polly's house is the small one on the left.  The tower of the Tewkesbury Abbey can be seen in the background behind Polly's house.

Polly's 400 year old house, from the front with studio to the side and inside the living room.  Note the very old beams and low ceilings.  She is getting it ready to rent out, they are keeping it for their retirement. Martin could hardly stand up in it !

Then went out for an Indian meal in Tewkesbury and back to Gloucester late.

Gloucester Cathedral

Bank Holiday, 25th May and went to the Gloucester Cathedral in the centre of Gloucester.  990 years old but some dates back to 680 AD.  Huge cathedral and spent over 2 hours there including going down into the crypt.  Didn't have time to go up the tower, about 250 steps, may have time before I come home !!!

Gloucester Cathedral and the main entranceway

Never saw Harry Potter !!!  These "walks" were amazing, 3 of them, the carving in the whole cathedral unbelievable.

Cathedral from the other side

Then walked around the centre of Gloucester, some old, some new buildings and "The World of Beatrix Potter - The Tailor of Gloucester" shop.  Most of the centre is for pedestrians only, really nice.

Tall Ships Festival Gloucester Docks May 23rd to 25th

This was held in Gloucester docks over 3 days including Bank holiday on the Monday.  Martin and Sue had their narrow canal boat moored in the docks which is surrounded by old warehouses, most have been restored into shops, restaurants, apartments and offices.  The docks were originally used for down loading stores, grain and timber to go further north in barges up the canals and to take out coal and other items down to the sea and around England.  The warehouses are no longer being used  and now are part of the canal system in this part of England and are being restored which will be fantastic in the future.  There is a lot of redevelopment going on in Gloucester.

Oldest warehouse in the docks.

 

Martin's and Sue's narrow boat is behind Sue, name the Doinmein.  We viewed all the entertainment from the front of it and had a really good view.

 

 Flyboarding using jet skis !!

 

Pirate ships in battle, sailing around the docks !!!  They let off their cannons which made a huge noise.

 

There was also a lot of other entertainment and over 200 stalls with all sorts of products.  They had over 100,000 there over the 3 days.  We walked there from the house, about 1 mile each way.

Pirate ship with 2 other tall ships that were tied up along the dock, 5 tall ships in all.

First day in England

Have now been in England for 24 hours, totally exhausted yesterday after 31 hours flying.  Martin and Sue met me at Heathrow and came straight to their place in Gloucester and had a lazy day.  After a good sleep feel good today.

Going with them today to see the tall ships going up the canal and into the Gloucester docks and preparation for the Tall Ships festival tomorrow.  martin is helping organise it, expect about 150,000 people at it.  They have their canal boat moored down there so will see it all from there.

 

These tall ships are on the canal just down from their place awaiting to go into the docks today. 

 

Martin and Sue walking from their house down the canal to the tall ships.

 

Their house, the end unit, looks out on the canal and the walkway goes past it.

Going out for Indian tonight with some friends.

 

36 hours to go

Hi all,  36 hours to go and I am in complete chaos but I have my blog.