The Cotswolds a place of unmatched beauty and quintessential British villages. With its honey stone buildings, history and legends it is a place that has won over the hearts of the world bringing tourists from far and wide to see its chocolate box appearance.
We love the Cotswolds and have also been won over by its charm but not just its villages but the amazing and varied walks it has across its many hills valleys and patchwork fields.
One such walk lead us to the historic market town of Winchcombe where we wild camped in our van before our walk.
Winchcoomb began its life back in neolithic period where still today stands a stone lined burial chamber known as Balas knap.
In the middle ages it had become a thriving wool town.
We were most interested in its church and its rather amusing carvings or grotesques on the outside.
There are 40 of these carvings 20 of them depict demonic sprits and demons and another 20 depicting locally important people.
We got some food supply's and had some tea delivered from our friends over at Grizzly tea and set off into the cotswolds following its old country roads winding in and out of forests and local towns.
Arriving at a little car park we boiled our kettle and had a warm cup of tea and some lunch before heading off to find the church.
The church itself did not disappoint with its 90 foot high tower and grand windows, it is hard to believe that this church dates back to 1175. of course over the years it has been greatly renovated and changed with the times.
The grotesques (the characters on the church) were as whimsical as its legends stated and of course the most famous one which is the picture above is said to be the inspiration for Lewis Carrol for the mad hatter in the story Alice in wonderland.
Out of respect we did not want to take photographs inside of the church but its grand and impressive architecture is seen through out leaving its viewer in awe.
After we had explored the church it was getting dark, in these winter days the darkness creeps in quicker then we think so we headed back to the van to find a camping spot before the sun was hidden behind the Cotswolds countryside.
We found a lovely car park in the village of snows hill, it was a free car park and had no signs saying anything about overnight parking. It was quiet and surrounded by a small wood. we made our dinner and closed the curtains just as the sun went behind the hills.
We awoke in the morning to the sounds of singing birds and the suns light finding its way through the small gaps in the curtains. Breakfast was first up on the agenda before we made our sandwiches and tea for our long walk today.
The walk started in Winchcoomb so we found a car park and followed the directions from there, across the roads and down some little side streets until we came to and opening in a lane climbing slowly up into the hills above the town.
The walk led uphill and opened out into fields which were a little muddy underfoot but nothing our walking boots could not handle, and besides we had a flask of tea and sandwiches so nothing could go wrong.
Half way up we turned around to a stunning view of the old wool town itself with its chimneys wisping small white clouds of smoke into the sky from wood fires. Taking pride of place among the historic landmarks of the countryside.
We walked up steep hills through a forest covered in mud helping each other from slipping back down into the muddy puddles below.
When we arrived at the top we were greeted by some incredible views of the countryside before us stretching right across to the Malvern hills in the distance. This naturally is where we sat in the winter sun to have our tea and sandwiches as we all know its not a walk unless you bring the essentials.
We sat there admiring the views watching the birds and pheasants dart in and out of the trees and the sheep walk the fields looking for the best patch of grass to eat. Its views like this that make you sit and be amazed at how beautiful nature is and how precious our countryside is, so delicate and innocent going about its daily life carving mountains and hills, valleys and rivers. All this can be changed by us as humans. You realise that the world is a big place and we are just a little part of the bigger picture around us.
The walk lead us across fields and forests away from the towns and villages of the cotswolds making us feel like we were the only people there out in the hills.
We passed through a field of sugar beats which by the looks of things the sheep and found there way into and had preceded to eat every other one leaving a trail of bites out of each sugar beat, we did find it rather amusing and could not help but smile at the thought of the sheep nibbling there way through the field.
In the next field was the culprits keeping a close eye on us opening the gate just incase we forgot to close it allowing them entry once again to there feast. Sheep really do have a way of making us humans think they are merely eating grass when there true intention is to find a way into the next field over.
The sun was starting to set and we we privileged to see a golden sunset across the fields of crops.
We got back to our van Piglet and decided to get some chips as a little treat, enjoying them in our van discussing our next walk and adventures.
Written by Adam Woodward
