Cotswolds Way - Day 9
Today’s leg was short — just seven miles from Old Sodbury to Hinton. A tactical decision. Tomorrow’s the big finish into Bath, and I’d rather not limp in after 19 miles running on fumes, especially when my family’s joining me for the final stretch.
Because of the easy mileage, today’s post will be part walk blog, part reflection — the little thoughts that creep in when you start doing things like unpacking your rucksack for the last time, or going to bed with one final run through of that mental checklist “next section, next sights, next miles.” etc...
The leisurely pace began with my lodgings not needing the room back until 11am, which suited me perfectly. For two reasons:
- I didn’t have far to go today.
- “The Dog Inn” (It must have been named a very long time ago...) didn’t open until 11 either, and it had my second-to-last Cotswold Way passport stamp.
At 10:15, housekeeping 'accidentally' walked in — I assured them I was just “finishing some work” (read: yesterday’s blog post), and was out the door soon after. By 10:30, I was heading for 'The Dog'.
The weather was hazier than in recent days, which took the edge off the heat but still felt a touch oppressive. Upon walking into The Dog at around 11:15, the landlady seemed surprised to see me, but happily obliged me with the stamp. I happily obliged her back… with a pint. What? I needed something to prop up the passport for the photo, didn’t I?
The walk itself was a mix of freshly cut wheat fields and fallow land, both tinged golden from the stubborn lack of rain. (One more day, then you can open the floodgates, Mother Nature — thanks for holding back so far!)
Later, I glanced across a field and spotted a huge metal stag standing sentinel at the brow of a hill. No idea why it’s there, but it certainly grabs your attention.
Crossing a small road into the next field on my journey I bumped into this... a Turnpike milestone, distances neatly carved in Roman numerals. Bath was marked at just 10 miles. I imagined some Roman officer shouting, “Only 10 more miles, lads!” — a sly bit of psychological trickery. A more modern sign beside it was less encouraging: “17 miles to Bath via Cotswold Way.” That sounded more like my reality.
I rolled into Hinton at 1:30pm and reached my last (sniff) pub stop of The Big Plod — The Crown Inn. Just before heading inside, I admired a beautiful tree carving, all swirling detail and skilled craft.
And now, as I write this, my mind’s on the finish line. The elevation chart suggests tomorrow’s not going to be plain sailing — a couple of “kind” climbs before the steady descent into Bath. I’ll need an early start to cover nine miles before meeting my family, and I’m hoping to fit in a battlefield and monument visit before the rendezvous.
Breakfast at 8, boots on by 9. And with that, I’ll end the penultimate entry with a strange mix of anticipation and disbelief. A year ago, this was barely an idea. Tomorrow, it will be done.
Slight P.S. as I've just found this in my photo reel for the day...
