Day 22 Sunday - Broadway Tower to Stratford-upon-Avon

Walking 6.15am to 4.00pm
Distance walked 17 miles
Distance left 739 miles

I had thought that maybe the car parking area behind me at the restaurant might have been used at night by trysting couples or drug dealers doing deals but, in fact, there were no goings on and I spent a peaceful night. I got off to an early start as I was meeting the family for a picnic lunch at one o'clock. It was a misty moisty morning and I saw plenty of red deer in the area around Broadway Tower.

Broadway Tower

Even if I hadn't camped at the restaurant, with water I would have found any number of camping possibilities in the next three miles or so. There is the Fish Hill picnic area where the loos appeared to have been open all night and there is an outside water tap. The Mile Drive, just a bit further on would have been very suitable as well.

I bypassed Dovers Hill just before Chipping Campden. I've been there before and there would have been no views this morning. Campden was very quiet. I went into a shop and bought some of my favourite Cadbury's Fruit & Nut and was tempted by a real bargain at the till. Snickers are the usual bars I go for at 55p each. I bought a pack of five reduced to 99p, presumably as they were at or past their sell-by date.

Having been used to obvious signs for the Cotswold Way, I realised that I was now switching to the Heart of England Way and struggled a little to find where to join it. In fact, the first sign for it I found was in a side road just behind (north of) the church. Most of today, it has been indicated simply by little sticky labels on existing footpath signs.

I went through Baker's Hill Wood above Mickleton. Lots of bluebells. I took a photo but seem to have difficulty in capturing the magical blueness of them.

Bakers Hill Wood

From Mickleton, it was pleasant walking through Upper and Lower Quinton. I then left my planned route to meet Amanda and other parts of the family at Preston-on-Stour where we enjoyed a picnic on the village green. Granddaughter Kezia celebrated her first birthday yesterday. Mike, Philippa and Kezia joined me for the short walk to Atherstone-on-Stour and I then left them to walk on to Stratford through Clifford Chambers (I always think it sounds more like the name of a person than a place).

Today, my route coincided in parts with the Monarch's Way, the Centenary Way and Shakespeare's Way.

I posted yesterday's and the day before's postings together today but had real fun and games trying to do so. Having to use public callboxes with the Pocketmail, the one in Campden was working but didn't work with the Pocketmail, the one in Mickleton was not working properly, in Upper Quinton there was a callbox but no phone in it and I finally succeeded in Lower Quinton. I think maybe a more up to date Pocketmail would work with a mobile phone (mine is supposed to but doesn't).