Birdlip, Brimpsfield; 2nd July 2010

Today's journey could easily have been about 2 Km long and of no real interest and not worth blogging.  But not if you go this way.


From Hucclecote to Birdlip there are two reasonably obvious ways to get to Birdlip.  One way is my normal climb past Prinknash Abbey before turning left, almost back on yourself, through Cranham Wood.  A long climb about 12Km in total.  The other way is up through Witcombe and likely to shred your lungs and cause your leg muscles to spontaneously explode.  Fearing the mess, I choose the longer way.  Take a look at the elevation profile.  My chosen route is approximately Km 1-12, the alternative is the way I came down and is 17.5 to 21 Km.  You get the picture.

First destination is the village of Birdlip and, approaching from Buckholt Road, the first real sign of the village is the Royal George.  A curious mix of a place.  A proper locals pub also welcoming for passing trade including walkers and cyclists, although it is right on the Cotswold Way so I guess there is a fair amount of rambling trade.  Also, a popular venue for weddings and a corporate type conference centre.  The existing pub was built around a (probably) 17th century coaching inn.


Moving on into the village is one of the smallest churches ever.  The Parish church of St Mary.  Originally Birdlip was served by a mission church built in 1897.  A tin shed type of building although immaculately equipped inside.  The church sadly burnt down in 1954.  The village was devastated and, undeterred, the vicar, the Revd. H.D. Atkinson spearheaded a campaign to raise the money and build a new church out of stone (not a three little pigs story, I promise).  The site of the church moved its current location and building started in 1957 by which time the vicar had sadly died.  His widow laid the foundation stone on 25th May 1957.  This stone is in the porch  of the building.


Leaving Birdlip, I head for Brimpsfield.  Before I do though, it is worth noting that in common with many areas consisting of smaller villages, there is a Benefice connecting the churches.   These separate parishes are Birdlip, Brimpsfield, Syde, Daglingworth, The Duntisbournes, Winstone, Miserden and Edgeworth.  I shall have to find the others another time.

The road to Brimpsfield is an experience.  There is a mini valley between the two villages.  The roaddrops down at a precarious angle before climbing again at a similar angle.  Arriving in Brimpsfield, I can see no sign of the church.  There is a house called 'The old Post Office'-you see, village post office closures are nothing new, a memorial cross and a load of chickens wandering around in the road.  However, no sign of a church.  Now, I am sure there is a church here somewhere so I ask the local chap loading his car.  He kindly points me in the right direction.  Turning into the road I was directed into, the kindly chap runs behind shouting to tell me I have missed the turning.  Bemused, I stop.  Friendly bloke is a little way behind me so it would be a bit rude to hold a shouty conversation.  There is, however, an older woman stood at the bus stop.  I'm reasonably sure she wasn't there 3 seconds earlier.  Lady tells me to be careful as there is a bus coming that is more or less the width of the road.  Thoroughly terrified at the thought of being turned to jam by the bus, I ask her if she can direct me to the church.  I am then privileged to be given a potted history of the village and how it grew around the church which in turn was built on the site of a much older, probably iron age motte castle.  Maybe she remembers all this first hand?  Given the amount of Iron age settlements in this area this sounds reasonably likely.  Anyhow, the woman points me down a 'road' that apparently leads across the old site to the church.  It's just a dirt track.  You really do need to know the church is there.  Even when you are proper close, you can't see the church.

However, the effort is worth it.  St. Michael's church, built from local Cotswold stone, boasts a Norman nave and chancel, further additions made through to the 14th century with the battlemented tower built circa 1500.  The church was restored in the 1880s.  The churchyard is a large sprawling area with tree lined and arched pathways.  There are a number of tombs and sarcophagi back to early 18th century.  All that being said, the church is a beautiful building and set in glorious peaceful surroundings.


I return to Birdlip on the same roller coaster and descended through Witcombe, the previously described hill back into Gloucester.

Total distance - 26 KM

Average Speed - 25 KM/h

Weather - about 24C, Dry and sunny, wind from SW, about 10 KM/h

Crickley Hill; 25 June 2010

Today's ride could have been a very dull 3 Km very flat from Brockworth to Hucclecote then a reasonably staid 8Km home.  But that's not the way I operate.  That first 3 Km became a 20Km hilly ride.  You can see the route  here.


Allow me to set the scene.  This afternoon was Vic's sports day at school in which she came 3rd in her races with her house group winning overall so congratulations to the yellow team.  I was a spectator (and ran (poorly) in the dad's race).  Afterwards, I was to meet Tina at work for a joint bimble home.  However, I now have an hour or two spare so best not let this go to waste, this calls for a trip up to Crickley Hill - a one stop ride today.


Leaving Brockworth, I could easily ride straight up Shurdington Road but today is about avoiding the obvious so a lap of Bentham is in order before eventually heading up Shurdington Road and turning onto Leckhampton Lane.  Past St Peter's church and uphill through Leckhampton.  So far so good.  Almost a carbon copy (without stops) of this ride here.  Towards the top of Leckhampton Hill though, I turn off to Crickley Hill Country Park.  If the climb thus far hasn't killed you, the little access road into the country park probably will.  First, cross a wide spaced cattle grid, then up the 45 degree (or so it feels) slope and you will realise why the cattle grid as you ride through herds of cows before cresting where you are greeted with another cattle grid (sorry fillings) and one of the most stunning views across Gloucester.  If you live anywhere near Gloucestershire and haven't been to Crickley Hill, shame on you.  Apart from offering stunning views and good walking countryside, the country park is a site of nature conservation, geological & archaeological interest.  There is a well equipped visitor centre on site manned by keen and knowledgeable staff.  The site has been occupied since approx 3500 BC and excavations from 1969 onwards exposed an Iron age hill fort, wooden posts have been used to identify the location of the buildings and the embankment that would have circled the site is still very much in evidence.  I shan't write any more about this, rather here are a couple of pictures that don't do justice.

You don't have to go further than the car park to get this view.

 Looking across the valley with Chosen Hill in the middle distance

 You may just be able to make out the markers in the ground that show the location of post holes from the iron age settlement.  At the rear of the picture is the defensive bank.  Far left would have been the entrance.

 This is my bike parked at the entrance where the gatehouse would have been.

Before we leave the country park, I must regale you with a quick story from the recent history.  One winter when my daughter, Victoria, was very young and just started talking, I took her to Crickley Hill as it had been snowing and I hoped there may be proper snow at the top of the hill.  I was a little disappointed to find nothing more than a reasonably hard frost.  Undeterred, Vic ran around the site of the settlement like a loony in her spotty wellies.  Coincidentally, my brother and his wife were also on the hill so I had stopped and was chatting to them.  Excited to see Uncle Daz and Aunty Shaz Vic came running back in that slightly awkward way 18 month old kids do and put her arms up to me and said 'Daddy, carry, knackered'.  I really don't know where kids get these things from sometimes.

Leaving the country park, that access road is as scary going down as it is hard work going up.  Right at the end to the Air Balloon pub and in to Birdlip.  It's all downhill now through Witcombe, into Brockworth and on to Barnwood where a meet Tina from work and we take a jolly civilised bimble home.

Total distance - 34 KM

Average Speed - 25 KM/h

Weather - about 26C, Dry and sunny, wind from SW, about 10 KM/h

Painswick, Pitchcombe, Whaddon; 23 June 2010

From today's route and profile you will notice that I have eschewed the simple flat routes in favour of some of the local hills again.  And a delightful sunny day for doing so.  Also, after my last ride, I strongly suspect you are suffering from 'Russ visits church' withdrawal symptoms.

Leaving Brockworth, I head for Painswick where I have circumvented several times and promised a visit sometime.   That time is now.  My preferred route as I am sure you are aware is straight up the A46, Painswick Road, passing Prinknash Abbey, through Cranham and past the beacon.  Once you pass Painswick Beacon, there is a very satisfying downhill into Painswick until you realise that at some point in the near future you will have to go back up.  Right at the start of Painswick Road, some 4 Km ago there were signs warning that the road into Painswick was closed.  I took the risk that the footpaths wouldn't be and I would be able to use them.  The gamble paid off.  

 



No surprises but arriving at Painswick we stop at St Mary's Church.  The earliest parts of the current church, the North aisle and inner chancel date from late 14th century although they replace a Saxon church that was built on the site.  The main fabric of the church was modified and added to right up to mid 18th century, the nave and tower about 1480, the spire added in about 1632, and the south aisle was built about 1741.  On the 10th June 1883 (I missed the 127th anniversary by a fortnight), the church was struck by lightning, the tower suffering worst and masonry took out large chunks of the roof.  The masonry was faithfully replaced in its original position.  The church is also famous for the grounds.  Many of the tombstones being elaborately decorated by local stonemasons and date prior to 1860, when the churchyard was closed for burials. Subsequent interments took place in the cemetery on the slopes leading up to Painswick Beacon.  The churchyard, criss-crossed by footpaths, is also home to a number of well trimmed yew trees.  Folklore holds that the churchyard will never have more than 99 yew trees and that should a 100th grow the Devil would pull it out.  All the trees now have numbered plaques on them.  I shall leave it to you to do the count yourself although one record shows 103, another shows 100.  For it's small size, Painswick has a long and interesting history.  If you want to read more, you could do much worse than starting here.


Coming out of Painswick, I pass through Pitchcombe.  Let's split the name place up.  Pitch - old English word for slope of a hill.  Combe, again old English, this time for the uppermost part of a valley.  No great surprises then, this is uphill.  I decided to take the steep road through the village.  Not much purpose to that, there isn't much to see except for a cyclist struggling up a hill with his lungs in his throat.
The parish church of St John, Pitchcombe, is a little further North along the main road.  Pitchcombe, in common with Painswick, is a member of the Beacon's benefice which comprises of:
Painswick (just up above)
Cranham
Sheepscombe
Edge (just a bit further down)
Pitchcombe (right here)
Harescombe (passed by, not stopped there yet)
Brookthorpe 

Curiously, Cranham Pitchcombe, Edge and Harescombe all have parish churches called St John the Baptist.  I don't know if there is good reason for this.


The current church at Pitchcombe is early 19th century although stands on the site of a former Church known as the Pitchcombe Cradle which was built in 1376. The present church bell is thought to date from somewhere between 1350 and 1380 so possibly installed at the older church.

Carrying on towards Edge, I pass the Edgemoor Inn.  A quite unassuming nineteenth century purpose built inn, although it is, I believe a free house and last time I ate and drank there it was fine fare.  That aside, you won't find many pubs anywhere with such fantastic views as these offer over the Stroud valleys.


Next stop isn't very far away.  As previously mentioned the church at Edge is the church of St John the Baptist.  There doesn't seem to be so much information available for this church so I shall subtly sidestep my usual history lesson in favour of a bit of a moan.  This a beautiful church with a well kept graveyard and fabulous views.  However, it was like walking in to your houseproud aunt's living room.  There is an outer door that wouldn't look out of place at a correctional institution.  I may be wrong but I find it hard to believe that there is a big crime problem here.  There is also a sign banning anything other than fresh flowers and imploring you to ensure they are removed when they go over so that the grounds are kept looking nice.  I walked my bike around the gravelled path and I'm fairly sure someone will be tutting the tyre grooves soon.  It really didn't feel welcoming.  If the church is serious about encouraging people, this sort of thing must be addressed.  Still, here are some pictures 'cos despite all that, it is pretty.

Leaving Edge, I travel downhill.  This is a very fast 3Km or so, nice and twisty with some quite severe drops to add a bit of interest and would probably be a quicker route if the surface of the road wasn't quite so teeth-rattlingly rough.
At the bottom of the hill, at some 70 KM/h the brakes are called into action as I get to Whaddon where there has been a church since around 1200.  Curiously, the parish used to belong to the diocese of Worcester until 1540 when the diocese of Gloucester was invented; although at this stage nothing changed until some squabbling an fisticuffs in 1784 when the two diocese went their separate ways.  Very little is recorded of what was probably little more than a turetted hut until 1315 when the church was dedicated to St Maragret of Scotland (local lass then) when a big building project was initiated, being completed in the 15th century when the tower was built.

Also rather pretty just a few yards from the church is, what I presume, an old water pump that would have served the locals in the past.  On the subject of which, the water bottles on my bike are now empty and the pump non-functioning so a quick detour through Tuffley and home to refill.  From here, I still need to get back to my car which is in Hucclecote.  No problem, you might think, that's just a couple of miles away.  Oh dear reader, do you not know me yet?  A quick detour finds me riding through Upton-St-Leonards and up Nuthill, a short but sharp climb back on to Painswick road.  A quick photo stop at the top (photo at the bottom) before a quick descent into Brockworth and Hucclecote where the car is waiting for me.

Total distance - 38 KM

Average Speed - 26 KM/h

Weather - about 25C, Dry and sunny, wind from SW, about 10 KM/h

Down Hatherley and Sandhurst 20th May 2010

Today's route can be found here.
A beautiful day, clear(ish) skies, warm and dry, in fact, a perfect day for bagging the rest of the churches that are members of the Seven Towers Benefice:
Boddington,
Staverton,
Norton,
The Leigh,
Twigworth.

That just leaves Sandhurst and Down Hatherley so we will go that way and take a look today.  Again, not a hilly day, couple of lumps but nothing drastic.

Heading out of Hucclecote towards Churchdown again presents us with the closest to a climb as we go over the foot of Churchdown Hill, drop into the village and out onto Cheltenham Road East, toward Dowty and turn towards Down Hatherley taking us away from the hustle and bustle of the main roads and through some farming areas where we are warned of the possibility of cattle crossing. Soon, we are at the Down Hatherley Parish Church of St Mary and Corpus Christi, even my Latin stretches to that one.

According to the BBC Songs of Praise book (no, I didn't know there was one either), this is among the 30 favourite churches.  Dating back, at least in part to 11th Century, the perpendicular tower is 15th century although there was a Victorian major rebuild and renovation.  The church has put on some special events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the rebuild.  The field opposite, shows a well, peering into which shows there is still water in it, built and dedicated to Revd John O'Brian, rector from 1985 - 2003.  West of the church is the old school house, now converted to a house.

Leaving the church, we head on out towards Tewkesbury road, stopping briefly at Hatherly Manor hotel, reasonably famous in the locale as a hotel, wedding venue, conference centre and everything else a hotel should be.  This is in fact, an old seventeenth century proper genuine manor house and some signs of this still exist.  The garden is walled and there are the remains of a moat that would have some point surrounded the building.

We leave Down Hatherley and head to Tewkesbury Road, turning left towards Gloucester then right we turn in to Sandhurst.  Proper village roads, proper village traffic.  Again, the locals here don't seem to be familiar with other people coming the other way and there are one or two moments on some of the blind bends.  Undeterred, I take a lap of the village and soon find myself at St Lawrence's Church.  Nominally fourteenth century, the church was largely rebuilt in the mid 19th Century.  The church originally came under the control of St Oswald's Priory in Gloucester and they would have provided the ministry.  There is a board in the car park showing the results of a late twentieth century churchyard survey mapping out all the burials where this is possible.  The churchyard does house some very impressive eighteenth century sarcophagi that I hope you can make out in the picture.

Another feature of Sandhurst has long gone.  Up until the 1950s you could cross the river Severn by ferry between Sandhurst and Ashleworth on the other side of the river.  From the panorama below, you can just make out Ashleworth Church spire towards the left.  The road to the old ferry crossing is no more than a dirt track so I didn't take it to the river.  I shall however, in the not too distant future take a trip to Ashleworth where there is a pub at the location of the old port, imaginatively called the Boat Inn.

Apologies for the slightly dodgy light on the right of the picture.  Other things to note here are the Malvern Hills in  the distance, centre of the picture and to the right, not so far away, I suspect is Barrow Hill with the little tuft of trees.

The journey home is a simple and fairly quick one, following Sandhurst Lane passing the excellent White Horse Chinese restaurant where Tina and I enjoyed a most excellent non-Valentines meal this year, leads us out near the site of the old cattle market near to St Oswald's.  I take Estcourt Road, through Longlevens almost to the Golden Valley roundabout where I turn off through the housing estate to make a rare journey on a cycle path.  This is acyually a very nice path that joins Liddington Drive in Longlevens to Barnwood right by Sainsbury's and C&G where my good lady wife is still hard at work.  On to Hucclecote Road and I'm back where I started.


Total distance - 31Km

Average Speed - 29 KM/h

Weather - about 24C, Dry, Light southerly wind.

Painswick, Brookthorpe via Spoonbend hill 26th April 2010

Several times I have been to or very near to Painswick now without actually going in to the village.  I have decided to skirt around the village and visit some of the surrounds and will (I promise) take a trip into Painswick and do Pitchcombe and Edge at the same time.  Truth is, I know there is a sod of a climb out of Painswick whichever way you go and adds some distance to the ride.  However, in an attempt to avoid the village, I was rewarded with some of the most spectacular views and an equally spectacular oddity.  More of that later.

If there is an easier way to get to Painswick Beacon, it is the way I went today and have indeed ridden before.  Leaving Hucclecote, along Ermin Way and continuing up Painswick Road past Prinknash Abbey.  Carrying on, I pass the road to the Beacon passing Catbrain Quarry.  The next road on the right leads towards Painswick golf club, anyone who knows me knows that this will be of very little interest.  The imaginatively named Golf Club Lane is a narrow little road, yet Google Street View did take their car that way, and passes the cemetery with its own chapel.  This, unsurprisingly, is my first stop.  A curious little chapel sits on the West edge of a substantial cemetery.  I can see little information on the cemetery or the chapel although a glance around the site confirms that there have been burials there since the mid 19th century and is still in use; it appears to me that the chapel is from the same era and, I presume, is purpose built as a cemetery chapel rather than ever having performed any other church function.  A squint through the windows shows that the chapel in the southern part of the building (on the right in the second photo) is still in use, the third picture being a rare internal shot by my blog's standard was taken through the window that you can see my bike under.  The other half of the chapel seems to be occupied by builders and maintenance paraphernalia.  Leaving the cemetery grounds and continuing along Golf Club Lane, a reasonably flat section of road, I am on the other side of Painswick Beacon.  Turning right onto Stockley Way and the road takes a gradual uphill climb again to the entrance road back up to the top of the Beacon.


A few hundred yards further and I take a left turn into Sevenleaze Lane.  This is another single track road and a road with which I am unfamiliar.  This road passes through Cud Hill Common from where we have some of the most beautiful and panoramic views north over the east part of Gloucester, including Hucclecote from where the journey started, and further on with a good view of the Malverns on the left of this picture round to Cleeve Hill on the right; in the middle distance is Chosen Hill.

Slightly further on and we have the oddity I alluded to at the beginning.  Detmar Blow, who bought much of the land in this area in the 1920s chose to be buried a couple of hundred yards along the lane towards Edge.  He erected a folly which frames the view of the cathedral in Gloucester (although you can't see that in my photograph).  Apparently, a choir from the cathedral sang at his funeral atop the hill.  The top of the folly is inscribed with Psalm 121 v. 1 and reads "I lift up my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from" and, ignoring any religious beliefs you may or may not have, sit a while in the folly (although you'll have to crawl under the barbed wire if you come from the road) and just take it all in.





Carrying on along this road, you will find yourself on Stroud Road.  Turning right takes you back towards Gloucester.  A long downhill but with such a surface that you will find your teeth are rattling out if you go too quick.  A few patches of recent tarmac provide a couple of hundred yards of relief.  Soon you will find yourself in Brookthorpe heading towards Tuffley.  The road surface smooths and the ride still quick and far more pleasant.  However, we will cut this short and stop at Brookthorpe.  A very small wooden sign points into what appears to be a private drive.  On it is simply written 'Historic Church".  I can't pass that by.  Although I have travelled this road many times in the past unaware of its existence.  The church in question is St Swithun's, Brookthorpe, sitting behind Brookthorpe Court.  Dating back to around 1250, I think we can confirm its claim to being historic.  A notice in the church porch also informs us that there are records of incumbents dating back to 1260.  The church was extensively renovated in 1892 at which time the North Aisle was added.  The church is no longer in use but is still consecrated and is managed by the Churches Conservation Trust. As well as the church, there are a number of tombs in the grounds that are also listed.
I've also thrown in a picture of some of the etched graffiti around the doorway as well.  There are a number of other places of interest on or near this ride, as ever, but only so much time.  I notice today that it takes me near on two hours to do what is one hour in the saddle.  It's just too easy to be taken in by some of these churches or other buildings or even to simply sit in the sun and admire the view.

Still, time waits for no man and I have ten minutes to get back to Barnwood where Tina, my good lady wife, will be finishing work and we will take a casual bimble home together.  Is there a better way to spend your Monday Afternoon?  If there is, I don't think I know it.

Total distance - 35

Average Speed - 26 KM/h

Weather - about 18C, Warm and dry, Gentle Easterly wind.

Staverton, Boddington, Barrow 15th April 2010

The three villages that we are looking at today are all within a loop of about 6Km so most of the riding was to get to and from this loop through familiar territory and without stops.  Seeing as how the terrain is largely flattish, this gave me a chance to stretch the legs a little.  I also feel I must apologise for the quality of the photos.  I don't know if it was a bit of a funny light, crap camera or crap photographer but they do largely seem a little washed out.

The outward leg leaves Hucclecote riding towards Churchdown along Churchdown Lane.  Churchdown hill here is just about the only climb for the day and that's no more than about 4% for a couple of Km.  A quick downhill takes us through the East of the village, exiting onto Badgeworth Lane.  A left here and we are heading towards Staverton and our first stop at Gloucestershire Airport.  When I was a kid, this was called Staverton airport and used to host an annual air display which must have finished in the 1980s from memory.  We would sit on the grass banks between the road and the airport, far too tight to pay to go in, lean backwards and exclaim 'Whoooooaa' every time an aircraft went overhead.  The airport is used as a museum for aircraft back to the Second World War, some of which were (still are?) serviceable and would have been a part of the display.  The airport served as a training base in the war and the in air refuelling technique was developed here.  Now much of the activity are pleasure flights although there is a significant helicopter centre used by the emergency services.

From the airport, crossing Cheltenham Road East into Old Gloucester Road leads us into the village of Staverton.  I'm guessing that for many centuries prior to the airport, Staverton was an inconspicuous farming village.  Based largely on the premise that it still is an inconspicuous farming village.  It is separated from the airport by about 1Km and isn't really on the road to anywhere.  Still, being me, I hunt out the local church.  And I have to say, the Parish Church of St. Catherine is one of the most unusual buildings I think I have seen. You have to hunt it down a bit.  It is in a lane that leads to nowhere but the church and you can't see the tower from the locale because the tower is barely higher than the roof of the main body of the church.  Indeed from a distance it looks sort of Lilliputian; a full grown chap could bump his head on that.   The church is 13th Century and is of cruciform shape although has quite obviously undergone some fairly serious modifications in successive years and even centuries.  Interestingly, in the porch, there is a list of the identified incumbents of the parish of Staverton with Boddington back to 1297.  The graveyard shows plenty of graves of just a couple of families and a couple of stones identifiable as early 17th century, although plenty I couldn't make out. The bottom picture here does seem to flatter the height of the tower.

Heading North out of Staverton, you soon come to Boddington, the parish of which incorporates Barrow where we shall go next.  It is also, curiously, home to an RAF base which, even more curiously, is rumoured to have underground links to nearby GCHQ.  The couple of kilometres between the two villages is dead straight between farmland on both sides.  I also noticed that it seemed to channel a fairly chilly Northerly wind.  At the end of the road, at a sort of unmarked junction, I am greeted by St. Mary Magdeline Church, naturally a member of the same Benefice as St. Catherine although a very different building.  Very few details to hand but it is 12th Century, which I reckon is just a bit older than its sister church in Staverton, although the tower, chancel and porch were rebuilt in the 14th century.  The entire church is of locally quarried stone.









This stone is set in the porch entrance.  I would love to think that the mark on it was from the original stonemason doing a 'this way up' but I strongly expect someone will shatter my illusions.







So, as promised to Barrow.  Fairly prominently, there is a large lump in the ground, I don't know for sure, but maybe this is the barrow from which the village gets it name.

Otherwise, the village is still largely agricultural although an ever increasing number of the buildings are being converted to dwelling properties.  That being said, it still has its fair share of quaint little thatched places.
Following a dead end dirt track (on purpose this time) there is a lake just off the road.  However, I am unable to get to it as it is across a footpath and it is a little rough so I will have to visit that walking some time.  However, at the end of the lane was my destination, a bridge to nowhere over the river Chelt which, at this place, seems much more attractive than it does in Cheltenham.

Back tracking along my dead end path, I rejoin the road and complete the Barrow loop back onto the road between Staverton and Boddington.  Back through Staverton and towards Cheltenham Road East where I turn right and, for the return journey, I pass through Churchdown along Parton Road and back onto Churchdown Hill before returning to Hucclecote.

Total distance - 26Km

Average Speed - 27 KM/h

Weather - about 12C, fine, bit overcast, North wind.

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.