I really should have learnt my lesson by now. I am, I know, overweight and unfit. I may have never been to Sheepscombe village before but I have spent enough time around the Cotswolds to know that when you go to the villages set in the hills, the ups are quite steep. I can also read a map. I should know that the
little chevrons on Ordnance Survey maps don't show indicate one way streets. But I insist on hauling myself over them.
Today's ride, in case you haven't guessed involves going up. Heading out of Hucclecote, into Brockworth, I discovered from the map that Green Street takes you up near Prinknash Abbey and the foot of Coopers Hill. That's the first challenge. The latter half of the lane kicks up somewhat. Turning right onto Painswick Road I continued towards Prinknash where I was in my
previous entry. Passing the visitor entry to the park, I took a detour onto the locally infamous Portway, a 1:5 hill that leads straight down to
Upton-St Leonards. You may get some idea of the gradient from this picture. I didn't go far as my main purpose was to take the access road into St Peter's Grange so I could get some better shots than before. Alas, it seems that the entrance has been gated and locked some three years now in order to preserve the monastic buildings and the monk's lifestyle. As I was stopped to take photos, a monk came out from these gates and greeted me with a cheery "Hello". I guessed that they weren't a silent order so I responded likewise. Then it occurred to me to try to be a little cheekier.
"Is there no public access to the Grange from here now? I was hoping for some good pictures"
"No afraid not, it's a protected building now"
"Shame. Is there no way I can just sneak in, take a few snaps and sneak out again. No-one will be any the wiser."
"There are a couple of ways you could go in"
A-ha!
"You could book in for a retreat"
Ah.
"Or we will always consider the monastic lifestyle!"
That struck me as an extreme way to get some snaps so I thanked him for his time and made my way off, happy in the knowledge that monks have a sense of humour.
Back onto Painswick Road and up. Left turn after a short while towards Sheepscombe and some seriously narrow seriously steep roads. There is a sign as you enter the village warning of 1:8 hills but with a groundless sense of bravado I plug on. Sheepscombe, as it happens, is a very typical small cotswold village. That being said, except there are no Yorkshire accents, it could equally be the set of Emmerdale Farm. Strangely, I expect Sheepscombe to have a Norman square tower type church. But I'm wrong. Very. The church of St. John The Apostle dates back no further than early 19th Century presumably a monument of the textiles and milling trades that were prevelant in the area at that time. That takes nothing away from it. The church is in an idyllic location and enjoys some fantastic views. As the pictures hopefully demonstrate, there is a separate memorial and graveyard with it's own small lych gate.
Graveyard to the side of the church.
Looking down the hill to the 'overflow' graveyard and memorial.
Leaving Sheepscombe to rejoin the Slad Road which will lead me back to Cranham, surprise, surprise is a steep uphill. Damn those little chevrons.
I take the road to the South of Cranham common and through the village. After the steep up and down nature of the village, the road across to Cranham is a pleasant long flat stretch, although one is quite exposed and there is quite a breeze blowing across the hills. Turning left towards Cranham is a long reasonably steep downhill but not particularly quick unless you have balls of steel. The road is narrow with sharp drops to the right and roads and driveways joining it. The downhill doesn't last long before you are climbing again. At the next crest, I am overtaking by a petrol tanker who meets another coming the other way. Self preservation takes over and I pull in to the entrance to a field to enjoy the view across the fields towards Painswick.
That's not the only good view here either. After yet another 1:8 to this point, this sign is probably the best view you could wish for. This does mark the end of the ride in some respects. From here it is more or less all downhill although the Painswick Road back into Brockworth is quite windy and will rattle the fillings out of your teeth in places. Return is back past Prinknash, into Brockworth and taking Ermin Street back into Hucclecote.
Weather - Approx 7C, mostly sunny. Northerley wind.
"Is there no public access to the Grange from here now? I was hoping for some good pictures"
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