27 April - Day 2 - Westwell to between Farmington and Clapton on the Hill

Walking 6.45am to 6.30pm

Distance walked 19.15 miles

It wasn't far into the prosperous village of Westwell with its attractive houses overlooking the village pond. I believe the politician, Douglas Hurd (Lord Hurd of Westwell) lived here. His wife is buried in the churchyard. He'd be 91 now. It wasn't far to the next village of Holwell, just past which is a fine belt of trees where I overnighted a few years ago. Here, I left the D'Arcy Dalton Way and followed the route of the Roman road, Akeman Street for two miles. Along the way I entered another estate, the Hatherop. All the paths and bridleways both yesterday and today have been very well maintained and signposted.

Near Macaroni Downs Farm there was an ancient dewpond. A notice said it had been restored by Cotswold Voluntary Wardens but it was overgrown and no water in it. Shortly after, I stopped to make coffee and saw about eight deer tearing across the field in front of me.

I missed a path near Ladbarrow Farm as a sign was missing. However, I wanted to replenish my water. I knocked at a cottage door but no reply (in fact, a notice on the door said "gone to the shed"). I helped myself from a tap at the side.

Just south of Northleach, I joined the Monarch's Way/Diamond Way. I had intended to go through Northleach but as I had enough water I didn't need to and went through Upper End and Farmington. There were some grand houses in Farmington and, in the churchyard the grave of Lord Carr of Hadley, a government minister of the 1970s. Just outside Farmington, I refilled a water bottle from an old spring. After a while, feeling hungry, I stopped and heated my evening meal. Carrying on, I found my pitch for the night in a wooded steep sided copse behind a metal barred gate. I'm pitched back from the gate on the path but I think it unlikely that anyone will come by. I'm very close to some deer runs, one behind and another just in front, and I've already heard one. I may re-pitch a bit closer to the gate to avoid a deer getting tangled in my guylines in the dark.