Day 7: Painswick to Selsley

Painswick was a lovely place to spend our rest day and the bonus was having two nights with Denise and Alan at Troy House, a truly hospitable couple. She was originally from Newcastle, so calls herself a Geordie and is proud of it! She was a straight shooter but went the extra mile in caring for us. Breakfast was amazing! And our little house was delightful, and fun to live in for a couple of nights. Our bedroom was upstairs and the easiest way I found to climb the stairs was on my hands and knees.

Our meal at the bistro on Sunday evening was fabulous. A French couple worked hard all night to serve us delicious food. We came away very satisfied. We left town enjoying our last view of Painswick and immediately found ourselves walking through narrow laneways and open fields. Today we reach the half way point of the walk.

Once again we climbed hills and descended hills, walked through woods and came to Haresfield Beacon where uninterrupted and spectacular views could be seen. A pleasant spot for morning tea.

We have been enjoying meeting the locals, especially as they walk their dogs on the open fields or in the woods. They are very willing to stop for a chat and have proved helpful on many occasions. One man pointed out to us where we were headed and told us of his dismay at the loss of the smallness of the local villages. As we looked across the spectacular views he explained that when he was a boy this whole area was open fields. Built up or open fields, it's all still beautiful.

Graham can be pretty passionate about his photography.

This is what he was looking at.

We walked along the Stroudwater Canal and met two volunteers working the locks. We appreciated that life moves slowly on the canal.

Across some open fields, past a small herd of cows and into Selsley. Another great day of walking.

Our accommodation for the night was at The Bell Inn where we ate another superb meal.