Gran BretaÑa: Cotswolds

Hi all

I am in Glocester.

Bath form the south end of the Cotswolds

From Bath I went up the hill and north into the Cotswolds. Soon, it began raining, but I won't complain as I think it was a plus considering the surrounding area: beautiful green hills, with fields with cows, and scattered small woods. I would say that this was the England I imagined walking.

The rain lasted as long as the terrain was ondulated. In the distance small patches of blue sky could be seen. Soon, the landscape became flatter with plenty of barley fields, and the sun began shining.

Just before having lunch in a picnic area by the motorway, I saw this in on of these barley fields:

If you look very close you'll see a little brown irregular shape in the field: the head of a roe deer (un corzo). I dropped my rucksack and picked up the camera with the 300 mm lense, found a way into the field and the stalking began. As I went into the field the animal saw me and it went down dissapearing into the barley. The poor thing did not count with all my years of experience hunting lions in the sabana with my bare hands.... Actually, the poor thing, could hear/smell me coming form miles away and run. The picture i took is not worth showing in this space.

Cotswold scenery

I continued to walk planing to camp wild in a field. It took a while to find the spot as all I could see were endless barley fields. In the end, I found it and just before pitching the ten I could hear something like a bark... coming form a dog with a really bad cold. Bark again, and again.... and then I saw andother roe deer in the next field down the hill. Grabbed the camera, and run towards the hedge, went through it and looked. The deer had gone to the fild where I was coming from, through the same hedge like 40 metres away from me. I just waited keeping down and waiting. I got lucky and I could see the deer walking diagonally towards me. Good!. I began shootong, motionless. The deer could hear the shutter, and meaybe see a shape, but did not run away as it looked directly to me.

The light was low. ISO 800. The VR system of the lens did its job.

Pitched the tent and just before dusk I could see Bristol lights in the horizon. Had dinner and "bed".

By the way. First 24 hours without a drop of alohol for a month....

The next morning I went straight to the village nearby to buy breakfast, another giant one. And then more walking. The objective for yesterday thursday was Stroud. The walked followed the west side of the Cotswolds hills, looking all the time to the Severn and the bridges from Bristol over it. The landscape reminded me the Southdowns with a very steep fall to the valley.

From the hills i could see Wales, and the Brecon Beacons, in a beautiful sunny day.

Kept on walking, I was feeling that I really needed a shower and wash my clothes, so it would be a B&B in Stroud. I really was stinking...

Apart form that my feet were feeling pretty bad, and the last bit of the day walk, down the hill into the town, was a bit hard.

Found the place, and removing my shoes showed a few new blisters and a pair of generally swollen feet. A bit worrying to be honest, considering that almost, just began.

Had a burger for dinner, and a couple of hobgoblins form heaven, and went to have a deserved rest.

I did not sleep very well, I had a few bad dreams that I can not remember now, but that leave you with that depresing morning feeling, that, ;luckily is quickly taken over by reality: I nice sunny morning. The feet were still something to worry about, but I put some cotton wool padding on the them and so far today i have walked 3 hours to Glocester without any problem. I am in its library now, where, when i came in, i guy asked if i was friend of an unconcious homeless guy in the library hall. I wonder why...???! And right now, there is a lovely old lady, getting asleep with her hand on the computer mouse. Considering the she is sitter on an office wheeled chair, she might mark the table with her teeth.... I am watching out.