Witcombe, Leckhampton, Cowley, Hardwicke 8th April 2010

Anyone who knows the Gloucestershire area may think that there is very little link between the first three of today's destinations and the last.  You're right.  With scant regard to other's fears over my sanity (you know who you are), I had two rides today.  The first a little hilly, the second after getting home, deciding the weather was far too good and going out again, this time accompanied by Anthony on a shorter much gentler pootle.
So to the rides.  I spent a fair chunk of my Bank Holiday Monday cleaning and lubing my bike so I'm happy to report she was all shiny and made that very satisfying gentle rustling noise from the gears.
Leaving, as is often the case, from Hucclecote, I rode through Brockworth and on out to Witcombe, this time to visit the reservoirs that I mentioned here.  The reservoirs consist of three bodies of water formed by dams, originally built in the mid 19th century on the site of a mill.  Now the reservoirs are popular with fishermen and are also a prolific breeding ground for certain types of waterfowl.  The photograph is taken from a path running through the middle of the reservoirs looking roughly South towards the Roman remains and Cooper's Hill wood and farm.  A thoroughly pleasant 15 minutes or so were slightly marred as I left the site.  I cycled at near walking pace to avoid a large 4x4 approaching, the occupant flicking a discarded (though still smoking) cigarette end out of the window.  Sure the car had stopped, I made to leave.  As I did, the ageing rotund occupant leapt from the drivers door leaving it open and shouted at me "I say are you lost?" (sorry, can't write in a plumby accent, you'll have to imagine it).
"No, came here on purpose to have a bimble round the reservoirs.  Lovely aren't they?"
"Didn't you see the sign saying this is a private road.  There are young horses you know"
"Yes" I lied.  "But this is shown on Ordnance survey as a right of way so I guessed the sign is not legal nor binding"
"It's a private road, you can only cycle on bridleways and this isn't even a footpath"
"I am aware of the legal position, I am a sitting judge"  Not the whole truth.
"You might scare the young horses.  At least push your cycle or you'll scare them"
"Surely no more than a 4x4 or burning fag?"
"You're breaking the law"
"If you want to take it further, I'll happily settle it in court".
Frankly, I have no idea of the legal status of the sign, I do know the road is shown on the OS map though.  That being said, if you only have half truths sound convincing.

Leaving Great Witcombe, I head North to Bentham where I noticed a church on the OS map and was, in my narrow, Anglican way, surprised to see that it is a Greek Orthodox Church.  I would expect to see these in the City but seems a bit unusual in a small village.  I may be wrong.  The churchyard is still dedicated to St Peter in The Church of England but the church is now owned as St John Chtysotom Greek Orthodox Church of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.  Catchy.  This is only a recent development, the Greek Orthodox assembly previously having shared the church building with St Luke's in Cheltenham.  I can find little information about the church but the graveyard and other evidence suggests that this is no older than early 19th century but I'm willing to be shot down in flames.  Unfortunately, my photographs were rubbish so here is one that I am allowed to use so long as I credit the originator, I reckon a link to where the photo came from should suffice.

Cycling north away from Bentham on Shurdington road, en route to Leckhampton, I am passed by Billy Bad Boy in his super souped Citroen Saxo (or similar), resplendant with exhaust the size of your head (you need that to get rid of all those gasses from a 1.1 engine.  Spotty youth mate leans out of the window and shouts "Nice arse".  Now, he isn't wrong, but surely that sends somewhat mixed messages about Billy's sexuality.


Next stop is a personal favourite of mine for many reasons.  We're off to Leckhampton, stopping at St Peter's church.  Not only was I privileged to be best man at a very good friend's wedding here in 2006 but it is one of the most peaceful and picturesque locations you can imagine, so long as you don't turn around to the rather ordinary looking row of houses not to mention the jolly ugly industrial units that house the auction house.  Looking East from the church, you can see right across to Leckhampton Hill although not quite a clear view of Devil's Chimney but there is an excellent walk to the old quarry where Devil's Chimney is located, maybe a mile or so each way from where you can get excellent views.  I shall just give a quick run down of the church because it has a massive history tied in with the now Sue Ryder Hospice at the neighbouring Leckhampton Court.  The earliest part of the church dates back to the 12th century although there has been some modification made, notably in the 19th Century.  I found plenty of inscriptions in the graveyard back to early 18th Century although I believe that there are older inscriptions.  There is also this rather grand monument (pic left) which, among others, suggests to me that there are also burials of some importance and certainly for high clergy.  If you want to know more about the church, they have an excellent website or you could buy the book.

View across the churchyard to Leckhampton Hill.








Leaving the church, I cycled to the end of the imaginatively named Church Road which the church sits on.  If you turn left, it will take you towards the centre of Cheltenham.  Right will take you up Leckhampton hill.  I turned right.  This hill is a bit of a slog, 5 kilometres uphill although I still maintain that on the whole it isn't a terribly difficult climb except for the first 1/2 Km or so where it is quite steep and does take it out of you a bit.  A couple of kilometres up, I opt to take a left and head towards Cowley.  Unfortunately, I don't have time to stop at the villages en route - we'll leave that for another day.  I do, however, stop briefly to admire the views across to the Malvern hills in the distance.

Somehow or other, the road I follow drops me off at Birdlip, where I also haven't stopped for pictures, and I return to Hucclecote downhill through Witcombe.  The road here offers good views across the reservoirs where we started today.  If you look really hard to the left of the photo, you can just about make out the Roman Villa where we were last year.

Total distance - 32Km

Average Speed - 26 KM/h

Weather - about 16C, dry and sunny, No noticeable wind.

After going home, we decide the weather is far too good to waste so Anthony and I decide to take a bimble.  A much more leisurely ride on the more or less flat.  We leave Gloucester, head out to Quedgeley and cross the canal on Rea bridge, this was right at the start of my driving instructor part two test when I passed.   Although, I also came this way on the first attempt when I failed.  Apparently, there are sixteen bridges along the length of the Gloucester-Sharpness canal the length of which does now supposedly have usable tow path, and I reckon that one day it would be a cracking idea to do the lot.  

After crossing the bridge, the road takes us towards the river which we follow for a while, sharing the road with a significant number of learner drivers and those taking their test.  We only take the road as far as Sellars Bridge, the next crossing.  From Sellars Bridge, we head towards Hardwicke which of late has become sort of joined to Quedgeley, both having grown out of all proportion since the 1980s.  

We, however are heading for the old bit.  And, for those who know me, no surprises, means the parish church.  In this case, it is the parish church of St Nicholas; one of the three churches of the Benefice of Hardwicke and Elmore (St Laurence) with Longney (St John The Baptist).  The other two of which we visited here.

A church has been recorded in Hardwicke since the 11th century, the earliest evidence though at the current buiding dating from lateish in the 12th century and came under the curacy of Standish (where we must go sometime as well).   The church has undergone many changes since this time and was restored in the mid 19th century.  The lych gate was erected in 1921 as a monument to those that lost their lives in the First World War and the role has been maintained sadly showing local losses right up to the current conflict in Afghanistan.  Again, there is much more information on  the three churches of the Benefice on their website.

The return journey from here takes us through the newer part of Hardwicke, through Quedgeley and home.

Total distance - 15Km

Average Speed - 28 KM/h

Weather - about 16C, dry and sunny, No noticeable wind.

Painswick Beacon, Cranham 29th March 2010

You'd have thought I would have learnt my lesson by now.  Or, more accurately, several lessons.  Don't completely ignore the weatherman when he says it will rain all afternoon.  They aren't always wrong.  Ordnance Survey and the road signs that tell you a hill is steep probably aren't lying.  Photographs from a mobile phone aren't as good.
Starting from the last lesson, sadly, I left the proper camera at home before leaving so pictures are, again, from the mobile phone so no zooming and dodgy light.  At least the latter can be altered afterwards.

I left the office in Hucclecote and the weather wasn't too bad.  A little overcast and a slight chill in the air but OK.  Now, trying to shake the tail end of a cold, a little unsure of how I'm going to get on I head out on Green Lane, through the walkway and onto Lobley's Drive, through Abbeymead and onto Painswick Road.  The thgeory being, if I am struggling here I can do a flat route; if I'm feeling good, a left turn will take me up to Painswick Beacon.  Feeling reasonably strong, I opt for the latter option.  Just a few hundred yards in, I notice the milestone here just outside the King's Head pub.  I presume that is a Roman numerals 3 not Arabic 111.  Harks back to a time when this was a major trade route, particularly if one happened to be a wool trader or miller on their way to and from Stroud valleys.  I am neither.

Maybe a kilometre or two further up and I learn the other two lessons.  The road is going up and the rain starts coming down.  The climb is a good 5Km.  About half way up, a brace of horseriders are coming down the hill and we cross.  They give me a cheery 'Good luck'.  I reply with what was supposed to be a cheery smile and wave although I fear may have appeared more like a grimace and flailing to stop myself falling off.  I opt not to speak favouring saving as much breath as possible.  After climbing some more, the road briefly levels off and offers some good views to the top of Painswick Beacon. Painswick is unusual in as much as the road runs more or less to the top of the hill and the top you can see is where we are heading.  You may also be able to see a the river of rainwater running down the road off the hill.  The road to the right you can see is the route we need, this is a shallow spiral to the top.

Cresting the hill takes you back down onto the Stroud Road passing the appealingly named Catbrain quarry, source of stone for many ecclesiastical buildings right up to, I believe, some of the more recent restoration work at the Cathedral and home to reclamation and stonemasons.  The other side of the beacon is a much flatter road heading towards Cranham and offering views across the valley.  I also notice that, thankfully, it has stopped raining.  The sun isn't shining but at least it is dry.



Another five minutes and we turn right into the village of Cranham.  I did intend to do the Cranham thing when I was in Sheepscombe but ran out of time.  And, in a way, I'm glad I did because this gave me a better opportunity to have a longer mooch around the village.  I may be making a lot of this up but in my imagination and the affects of watching too much TV, Cranham struck me as an extremely evocative village.  Let's start with some fact and pictures.  Cranham is home to the 17th Century Black Horse Inn which is constantly receiving excellent reviews as a country pub, ideally suited to its location on the Cotswold Way and a number of other walking routes.  I was unaware of this at the time, so no pictures, but opposite the Black Horse is Midwinter Cottage where Holst wrote the tune to 'In The Bleak Midwinter'.  Felt decidedly apt despite being the end of March.

Cranham Church is at the end of a narrow road across open grass land with a few houses dotted around.  It appears to be everything you would expect of a parish church.  Part of a united group of parishes that also includes Harescombe, Sheepscombe and Edge among others.  The church isn't as old as first appearances suggested, most of it having been built in the Victorian era, this is borne out by the tombstones and sarcophagi dating back no later than the 1860s.  The lych gate, indeed being even more recent having been built to honour the veterans and the dead from the Great War.

So to my theories and supposition.  The Painswick valleys and surrounding areas, are full of myth and superstition and I reckon Cranham and Sheepscombe epitomise this.  Cast your minds back a few hundred years if you will.  There is no religious representation and the churches are way ahead in the future.  The average person will live to maybe his mid 30s.  The witchfinder general is revered as authority.  And in a way, with only a little imagination, you can understand why.  The whole area is still surrounded by woods that with only a little suggestion could be construed as a bit spooky, how much more so when the populace is, at best, poorly educated and whose religion is based on superstition.  The woods would have been thicker, there would have been no roads and no lighting.  The whole area is surrounded by Iron Age remnants, including mounds and burial sites.  It doesn't take much imagination to see why this area by rumour became a haven for witchcraft and ghoulies.

The road out of Cranham and back on to the ridge is one of them nasty 1 in 8 uphills that I really shouldn't ignore.  On this ocassion, however, it is the mini oil tanker coming down the hill on a bend just wide enough for mu bike let alone him that causes me to get off my bike and push into the hedge.

Once on the ridge, an undulating road takes me back up towards Birdlip.  I choose to take the very downhill through The Witcombes.  Downhill should be OK you might think.  This downhill can easily get you up to 70KM/h without pedalling but with mud and less savoury deposits on the roads and some nasty twists you would have to be a braver man than me.  Witcombe drops you in to Brockworth and I decide to amble back through the trading estate.  In my memory, this estate was filled with heavy industry, indeed my step dad worked at Sauro building fire engines until he retired in the 90s.  Before that, it was the Gloucester Aircraft Company and airfield where Frank Whittle developed the jet engine.  Now it appears as a sprawling expanse with a mixed use of housing, supermarket, warehouses and offices that ties Brockworth and Abbeymead together.  Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the estate, it has been done, in my opinion, quite well and that's a sign of the times that we don't have the call for heavy industry.  This here picture shows a view North across the estate with Chosen Hill/Churchdown Hill in the background.

Total distance - 25

Average Speed - 23 KM/h

Weather - about 10C, Rain, South Westerly wind.

Churchdown, Docks 17th March 2010

Firstly, I feel I should apologise.  A statement I find myself using far too often for far too many reasons.  The reason for today's apology however is the huge delay between my ride and blogging about it; a full week and more none less.  I could reel off a list of excuses but won't.  Just be thankful for what you get!
Today's ride was, once again, based on a commute.  However, the journey into Hucclecote had no stops so effectively, we will start the blog there.

Leaving Hucclecote, I travelled North East along Churchdown Lane.  A quick glance to the right here is the site of Hucclecote rugby ground and the former Hucclecote secondary school, now a council run training centre.  A couple of thousands years previously, the site of Hucclecote Roman Villa.  No pictures though.  There is nothing left.  Not visible or above ground anyway.  Carrying on takes us uphill towards Churchdown hill.  I turn right into the village of Churchdown and stop at the Parish Church of St Andrew, so called because it was agreed and commissioned on St Andrew's day around 1900.   It is actually the Parish or St Bartholomew and St Andrew.  You may remember St Bartholomew's church from a previous blog.  I did mention that St Bart's is atop quite a significant hill and stood there for best part of a thousand years.  It seems quite a long time to realise that this caused problems for the elderly and infirm but realise they did and so 100 years ago St Andrew's was born.  And a very good job too.  Churchdown is an old village, dating back to at least the 16th century and, judging by St Bart's much further and this 'new' church must have fitted right in to the local area.  The second picture also shows that, in common with St Lawrence, Barnwood, there is a very recent addition for community activities.

At this point, I carry on through the village and leave Churchdown by the 'other centre'.  This is at the cross roads with the Old Cheltenham Road.  On the Churchdown side, on one side of the road is Churchdown's third Church of England parish church, the Church of St John the Evangelist.  By my reckoning, for a population of about 10000, that's just greedy. I must admit, I know less than nothing about this church and a quick Google (other search engines are available) search seems to give me just a load of broken links so here goes some gratuitous guessing.  I may not be an expert on ecclesiastical architecture, but I'm guessing the building isn't quite as old as many of our parish churches.  In fact, I'd be surprised if it dates much later than the end of the last World War.  My best guess is that it was originally built to serve the newer part of Churchdown and neighbouring Innsworth which were originally built about the same time.  The three churches are, I believe, all linked by the Churches Together local initiative.  I'm willing to be disproved on any part of this, particularly if you are the vicar of any of these churches.  One of you must be reading my blog some time.  Don't you do random Google searches on the Church name?  The other side of the road is the very typical local pub, the Hare and Hounds.  A regular haunt when I worked in nearby Staverton.

Crossing straight over, I do indeed head into Innsworth.  Much of the village having been built up around what was formerly RAF Innsworth but is now the multi-force base Imjin Barracks.  I risked prosecution and worse to take a snap of the entry gates.  For the second picture here, I turned 180 degrees and took a somewhat different snap.  If evidence of Gloucester being built on farming were ever needed, this shows arable land still in use and looks across the housing estate built for the forces personnel.

Leaving Innsworth, I rode through Longlevens, on out to Longford, skirted around the City Centre onto the new bypass passing behind the docks, stopping at Llanthony Secunda Priory.  Until recently, the priory stood very much on its own.  Recently, it has been encroached upon by the Quays development and new Sainsburys.  A very brief potted history of the site will not do it justice but let's try anyway.  The original Augustinian Priory dates back to the 12th century, as an offshoot of Llanthony Prima in Wales.  Very little of this remains, particularly since the fire in the 14th century.  Most of the surviving structure is from after this date.  The priory was, as you might expect, dissolved by Henry VIII.  The priory spent much time as a private residence before again taking a beating in the civil war.  It wasn't until the 19th century that the site was redeveloped and the more modern buildings that you can see were built.  These buildings saw a number of uses before being sold by the railways to the City Council in the 1970s.
Like I say, a potted history and I'm sure I will be lambasted for accuracy by someone who has written a book on local history.

Still, back on the bike, over St Annes's bridge - which, incidentally, hasn't made its way onto Google maps yet, and home along Bristol Road.

Total distance - 30Km

Average Speed - 27 KM/h

Weather - about 12C, Dry, Light southerly wind.

Elmbridge, Docks 16th March 2010

Brief report this one and a sort of addendum to my last entry but with a couple of differences.  This time, I have swapped my road bike for mountain bike and am joined by the good lady wife.  Use of the mountain bike will become apparent later.  Elmbridge sits sort of north west of Barnwood and the two blur into one.  Having cause to be in this part of Gloucester, we took the opportunity to bring the bikes and a camera and have a bimble.  I shan't be doing the normal distance and average speed thing at the end, just a guess because I don't believe the readings my computer was giving.  At one stage it suggested an average of  >200KM/h, and I'm not that good, before rapidly dropping to 3KM/h and I'm not that bad.  So any readings taken with a healthy pinch of salt.

For blog's sake, we are starting at Armscroft Park.  The Armscroft area/estate sits as a sort of border between Elmbridge and Barnwood. Armscroft Park has been a part of this area for ever and is now a part of the rather good, in my opinion  at least, Gloucestershire Park & Open Spaces scheme.  It is also now right on the edge of the redevelopment area that has been touted for some time by the Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration scheme.  It is also home to Gloucester Old Boys Rugby club.  This end of the park sits right by the level crossing area near Gloucestershire Royal hospital.  A small stream runs through the park and appears to have had the banks reinforced with overgrown wicker baskets.

Leaving the park, we cycle into the City Centre.  This doesn't feature much in the blog for a couple of reasons.  Primarily, you can't cycle round the City centre very much, rightly or wrongly.  Also, there is such a concentration of interesting stuff the blog would become a full time job.  Finally, most of the interesting history and buildings are covered by readily available books.  For a small fee, I would recommend The Story Of Gloucester if you are interested in such things.  Business done, time for a short bimble to the docks, or rather the Quays as it prefers to be known.  The new development here which is largely based on a large outlet shopping centre and hotel complex has polarised local opinion.  Just look at the comments pages attached to any vaguely related story in the local news web site.  The neigh sayers and doom mongers will come out in force.  Personally, I think it is fantastic.  It has regenerated the area, I'm sure there are things that could have been different but on the whole it has breathed life into a formerly run down ex industrial area.  It is a shame in a way, but there is little call now for goods to be transported by canal so to turn it into a leisure and shopping facility whilst blending in, more or less sympathetically, with the historic areas is good.  There are, as you can see in this picture, some of the derelict warehouses still standing empty and run down.  Whilst you could easily and reasonably argue they are an eyesore they also provide a powerful nod back to the history of the area.

From left to right, this picture shows the edge of the new Sainsburys, the blue and white of Gloucestershire College, St Anne's Way bridge right in the centre.  Behind the bridge, is the earliest dock basin with the renovated warehouses in the background, a bit of squinting and you should just about be able to see the Cathedral right at the back.  On round to the right of the picture are the derelict warehouses and behind them the new Quays development.  Of course, the canal is in the foreground.

Following a well earned coffee in Sainsburys cafe, overlooking the docks (and from where these pictures were taken), the trip home is only a couple of kilometres along the canal towpath.  This has largely been cleared in recent years and provides a very pleasant route; although more suited to a mountain bike.

Total distance - Probably about 15Km

Average Speed - Who knows?  But probably less than 200 KM/h

Weather - about 12C, Dry, Southerly wind.

Robinswood, Saintbridge, Barnwood 11th March 2010

 Following on from previous weeks stupid venture into the hills, this entry fits altogether gentler criteria.  I make no apologies, the places on this blog are a shameless trip down memory lane for me.  Having just turned 40, a little nostalgia is in order.  Not to mention some flat riding.

11th March was actually a commute to and from work.  Direct route this would be about 5 miles each way so we aren't going to cover much mileage.  I headed to work along Reservoir road where we used to live and turned via Matson into Saintbridge where my brother and I went to secondary school.  Not far from the school is my first stop.  The balancing pond.  Or when were kids, it was always referred to as 'the reservoir' or, more often 'the resy'.  We were firmly of the belief that despite being best part of a kilometre away, it gave reservoir road its name.  It didn't of course.  More of that later.  It did however, provide one of the places that I would spend all day, get soaking wet and filthy dirty before going home and being in trouble for being late.  The other, being where Reservoir road did get its name from - more about that later.  I digress, the balancing pond is a well presented area now surrounded by Abbeydale estate, or Heron as people of a certain age will remember it.  It hasn't changed much except that there are speed traps for oiks on bikes now and I'm sure the duck population is more interesting, as evidenced by the Canada geese.

A quick journey then through Coney Hill for no other reason than my photographic pit-stop meant I was well on course for being late for work.  Which brings me to my next picture.  The office I work in is right on the main road and in the middle of what is now a large housing estate.  On the opposite corner, almost ignored, is a war memorial.






Not much riding for the next few hours, time to work instead, boo hiss.

The route home sees me heading towards Barnwood where the first stop is the Norman parish church of St Lawrence with additional building for community activities built right up to the start of this decade.  As I arrive, the lady vicar is bidding farewell to a significant group of primary school children and their teachers.  I wheel my bike into churchyard and wait for them to disperse before approaching the vicar and confirming the group were indeed from Barnwood primary, the school I attended from approx. 1976 to 1979.  I remember these visits and feel slightly warm and fuzzy that things haven't changed.


A couple of points of interest on the outside and in the churchyard are a couple of sarcophagi dating back to the 18th century and more carved graffiti.  Although the graffiti artist in this case was good enough to date his work.


St Lawrence Church is located on the west side of Church Lane.  Right opposite is Barnwood Park and Arboretum.  Originally part of the landscaped grounds of the old Barnwood House Hospital where poet Ivor Gurney was once a resident.  When I was a kid, this was 'just' a park.  It has had some work done to it and is now a buzzing nature reserve and arboretum.

Curiously, slap bang in the middle of the park is a church.  Or rather was a church, it is now a gym.  A quick trawl through the internet, I can find no evidence of it as an active church although a nagging feeling tells me it may have been St Lukes, anyone who has information to support or on the contrary, feel free to post. I am in two minds about this new use of the church.  Whilst the original builders would have built with a passion and to the glory of God, at least the building has some use.  I do remember it being in a very sorry state and a magnet for the local winos, and, after all, if you want to go to church there is a lively active parish church on the other side of the road.  Oh, and the graffiti here is decidedly 21st century.

Continuing south, I quickly arrive again at Coney Hill and the parish church of St Oswald.  I must admit, I didn't realise this even existed before today, it sits behind the crematorium.  And I know absolutely nothing about it.  Even the building is quite non-descript.  I guess it is from early-ish 20th century which would tie in with Coney Hill becoming a district and parish in its own right.  Here is a picture, make your own mind up before I go and find out.  Unless of course you are the vicar there and feel like dropping me a line.  It would be appreciated.

So back on to Reservoir Road where we started the day.  And I did promise you the source of the name of the road and the other place in my childhood where I would spend the day getting dirty.  Reservoir road runs gradually uphill to the entrance to the country park on Robinswood Hill.  As a kid, it was normal to spend the entire day on the hill, jumping down or climbing up the quarry, fishing for sticklebacks in the ponds and getting home wet, muddy and late.  Going back even further than my childhood, the local religious orders tapped into the natural springs to provide a water supply.  Now, as a reminder, behind the Wildlife trust building is Well Cross which, rather self explanatory, is or rather was, a well in the shape of a cross.

Some years later, with a greater need for water, two reservoirs were formed at the foot of the hill, these were full until the 1940s and gave Reservoir Road its name.  They have since been filled in.  One now forms the car park and wildlife trust area. The other, in the 80s was  turned into a BMX track.  Now it is more of a lumpy hole in the ground.

Total distance - 20Km

Average Speed - 24 KM/h

Weather - about 12C, Dry, Southerly wind.

Sheepscombe, Cranham, 9th March 2010

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.

Total distance - 25 KM

Average Speed - 22 KM/h

Weather - Approx 7C, mostly sunny.  Northerley wind.