Day 7 - Wootton Bassett to Stratford Upon Avon

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And after 8 days rest, leg 2 begins today - my cycling stuff had sort of stayed in the dining room so I hadn't really done much to prepare so got up early and went round packing printing off hotel and hostel details etc. Soon after 10am Pat, the friend I was riding with for the next 2 days, came into the kitchen like a whirlwind - hundreds of questions about how everything was going etc - before we knew it we were up at the 5 bells saying goodbye to the 10 or so people who had come to say goodbye. This again was very much appreciated and to the sound of ''bye'' we took off down the high street of Wootton Bassett and off into the beauty of north Wiltshire and in particular the breath-taking but for me previously taken for granted Cotswolds.

The sun was shining and the yellows and greens shone at us.The birds were loud and the cars few as we zig zagged through the countryside at a good but not too hurried pace. About 11am we came across a flock of sheep that were being taken across the road - for me amazing that all this happens so close to home - for some reason I assumed this all happens miles away but here it was almost on my doorstep.



Lunch in Bourton on the Water - I think I have only been here once before and that was on a school trip when I was about 6 or 7 - I specifically remembered the river with its low brick wall and how I bought a sugary cake (I think it was in the shape of Dougal from Magic Roundabout) and was almost ill on the way home in the coach. The weather again was lovely, though being a bank holiday meant it was very busy with tourists - somehow by cycling there you get the feeling you deserve to be there more than car drivers but maybe I am wrong or just conceited ???? At lunch in a pub we sat next to a couple who that morning had just flown in from Finland where it had been snowing when they left - and here we were in the hot sun of the Cotswolds.

After that we made our way through Lower and Upper slaughter - definitely places to recommend although here we bumped into some fellow who said he was to do with the England cycling team Pat was going on about 'the aggregate of the margins' can improve your speed and performance etc when the fellow who we were talking to cut him short and said if you are overweight its all irrelevant !!! I thought this was a bit harsh on Pat but we saw the funny side much later !!

The sun seemed to slide away as the day progressed and we reached Stratford about 7pm. It is lovely after a days cycling that you see first the sign for destination saying X town 15 miles, or whatever it is, then gradually the mileage comes down until you start to see X town garden centre on the outskirts and then before you know what you are in the town looking for your hotel/hostel etc and your days cycling is done.

This was no different and after coming through Stratford centre over the wide river we were checking into our Travelodge for the night. A quick shower then into Stratford for food and to watch the end of Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Liverpool 3-0 up and cruising when we walk in but 10 or so minutes later Palace get 3 goals and that probably means Liverpool will not be champion's this year.



Here we are in the old, old, town of Stratford Upon Avon

And 450 years ago, just like me, William was striving.

To make his thoughts and words magically appear

As if he was writing, free of fear

And for all the lines to go straight to the heart

So the emotion is real and it feels like the start.

Who is the best? Well you be the judge

But if you say me I'll give you some fudge !!!!













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Comments

[sue b]

love the poem