Ledbury to Kilcot
Despite impressions I may give I am enjoying this trip. I’m glad I’ve reduced my mileage , twelve seems to be much more comfortable.
No breakfast served at the Seven Stars so I bought a bacon butty and tea and sat on a bench in the town centre comfortable in short sleeves in the sunshine at 8:15 am.
I have revised my route to take in roads instead of the predictably rugged footpaths - the way marked long distance paths excepted. I was thinking about other possible routes to devise - perhaps a circuit of the boundary of Yorkshire - much could be revealed in the plotting.
I have seen almost nobody all day and wonder how these footpaths are as established as they are. I have stopped at posh houses a couple of times to ask for a refill of my water bottle. At one the lady and gent seemed to be showing friends their fabulous garden - the house was in the £1m plus bracket. The gent seemed to be relived to opt out of the conducted tour, but I got the impression filing my water bottle was the the limit of his domestic chores ability.
I have now converted to blogging with the iPhone and it is much better behaved.
The Kilcot Inn is a superior eating establishment . When I phoned to book the proprietor went out of his way to make a room available whilst in the midst of a refurbishment programme - a welcome positive response rarely met these days. I think the chef was also brought in specially for me and another party. A double Gloucester soufflé with a pear compote I think addition was heavenly. My mother used to cook brisket to perfection back in the 1950s today Kilcot equalled or even surpassed especially with well thought out trimmings. For anybody in the area this archetypal old English pub would be a good venue for a special occasion.
The Kilcot Inn (not to be confused with the Kilpeck Inn) is en route between our house and Occasional Speeder's, near Newent. A couple of days before you arrived there I drove past (there and back) visiting a chiropractor OS had recommended. I've eaten there several times, it's OK but doesn't meet the highest standards (ie, those of OS). The wider family has tended to foregather for Christmas Eve lunch and Kilcot was included in a list of possibles a couple of years ago. But the levels, within say a 15 m radius of Kilcot, are very high, one pub having a Michelin star. Kilcot was brushed aside by OS. It is a focus for horsey people and thus, potentially, a threat to your latent crustiness. But I am glad you were fed and watered to your satisfaction
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are good if taken on iPhone.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very fine, solid and workmanlike 'bow top' (as they call them nowadays) caravan - much nicer than the overelaborated faux versions common at the Horse Fair, brought in on trailers behind the chrome-plated motorhomes sported by the modern 'travelling people': the driver also looks rather more civil than the usual seemingly permanently surly, sourly aggressive types one sees here round the same time - I wonder if she/they are on their way here - more or less on time: must keep a look-out.
ReplyDeleteRR - rather than driving past I came in by the back door. Not sure if that isn’t a bit of one- uomabship.
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Alan R - no, they are taken with my recently acquired Panasonic TZ80 . This is the best camera to use I have had to date. Here’s hoping I don’t drop this one in a mud bath.
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Gimmer - there was one such surly exactly, leading a spare horse behind
Since "back door" is also a slangy reference to the rectal orifice I'd say it was one-downmanship.
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