To all our BISC Blogger - this is your own Dr. Chill reporting on the beautiful visit to the Cotswolds in the company of beautiful people. We set off on a very sunny and warm day and enjoyed excellent weather throughout. Soon we saw the characteristics of the Cotswolds, lemon coloured stone walls that were set without cement or mortar. The route took us through some picturesque villages and towns, including Tetbury. We even drove past Highgrove House where Prince Charles and Camilla live. I did not see anyone on the coach saluting though!!!
The first stop was at Cirencester, a funny name. It derives from Latin and the town was built 2000 years ago at the time of the Roman occupation of England. Evidence of this could be seen in the Museum. Did you find Jack’s Café in the Museum? Dr Chill sat there doing the crossword!!! The town market was also worth a visit, where you could taste locally produced cheese.
Then it was onward to Bourton-on-the Water to the north east of the Cotswolds. The countryside en route was extremely beautiful. This part of England is called the ‘chocolate box’ scene, as the rural photographs of stone walls and stone thatched cottages often appear on boxes of chocolate. I hope that you like chocolate; I do but am not allowed any for health reasons!!
Next in line was the Little Venice of England, ‘Bourton-on-the-Water’. The River Windrush flows through the village and there are numerous bridges where you can cross and re-cross. Dr Chill sat on a bench and continued to proof read A’s assignment. He started this on the coach and completed it in the Horse and Hounds at Broadway. There were noisy ducks that were being fed by a large number of tourists. Bourton on the Water is a small village with a population of about 4000, and tourism is the major industry of the village and surrounding area. What did you have for lunch? I found a quiet café and had a baked potato filled with tuna and mayonnaise.
Our journey continued to Moreton-in-the-Marsh, where we had a short break and Dr Chill was locked up in the stocks – and quite rightly too. About two/three hundred years ago people who committed anti-social behaviour and traders who undersold were locked in the stock, where the local population would throw rotten eggs, vegetable and fruit at the incarcerated offender! Moreton-in-the-Marsh is where the Headquarter of the UK Fire Service Staff College is located, most of it burnt down last May! Someone had to call the fire service so that they could put out a fire in the Fire Service College! The College lost 14 fire engines and a training block!
Just north of Moreton-in-the Marsh there is a crossroads called threeways, and this is the boundary of five English local government administrative districts called counties. Our coach took the left road and we descended down a steep hill that is called Hangman’s Hill, where at the bottom we arrived in the village of Broadway and into the Horse and Hounds for a pre-arranged cream tea! Very delicious!! A little stroll through the village was worth it, as I saw two horses and learned that the name called Broadway was due to the wide with of the road in the medieval period.
Then it was onward home, down the M5 with the sun setting in the horizon, arriving back in Bristol safe and sound. We hope you had a wonderful trip. Until next time then this is Dr Chill signing off so keep on rocking and rolling, and see you around BISC sometime soon. Do not forget to book for the River Cruise and the Farewell Garden Party!!
