Cotswolds Way - Day 10

Woke up early at 7am — nine miles to cover before my noon rendezvous with the family, and then another six together to Bath Abbey. Crossing the car park to the pub for breakfast, I spotted droplets on the cars. Overnight rain? The clouds overhead made me wonder if the finale might be a wet one.

Breakfast special today was French toast — and really, how could I say no? Once that was polished off, it was time to pack my rucksack for the last time. Plenty of thoughts swirling around: was this the best use of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Would I change anything? But the miles ahead weren’t going to walk themselves.

The first mile was metalled road — not ideal for hiking, but it warmed the legs. The day’s profile looked manageable at around 1,300ft ascent and 1,900ft descent, with two red “liquid hard work” sections marked on my app — thankfully both before meeting the family, so they’d be spared my full-on panting and sweating routine.

Soon I was back under tree cover. By now, I’ve come to expect it on the Cotswold Way, but these sections were shorter and broken by sun as the morning warmed. My kit and body have held up better than I could have hoped — a few evening foot rubs, the occasional bath soak for tired muscles, but no plasters or support needed. A small miracle given the distances and terrain.

Through a couple of small villages — Dyrham, with its deer park (no deer spotted) and a stunning big house whose perfectly symmetrical formal gardens stopped me in my tracks — and Cold Ashton, where the little church charmed but the lack of a snack shop disappointed — the path then opened into fields under blue skies and a light breeze.

🏛 Dyrham Park Factoid: The house at Dyrham Park is a late 17th-century baroque mansion built for William Blathwayt, a senior figure in the court of King William III. Its formal gardens were laid out in the same period, with an emphasis on symmetry and order, and today the estate is managed by the National Trust.

I passed one farmer feeding sheep, who told me the drought since March was unlike anything he’d seen in his lifetime.

Making good time (despite my trademark navigational hiccup), I reached the Lansdown Battlefield.

⚔ Lansdown Battlefield Factoid: The site marks a 1643 English Civil War clash between Royalists and Parliamentarians. It’s also home to what is considered England’s first war memorial — an obelisk erected in 1720 to honour Sir Bevil Grenville, a Royalist commander who died in the battle.

After wandering the site and reading the plaques, I carried on to my meeting point — arriving on time, though the family were fashionably late. As golfers from the nearby course passed by (“At least your walk isn’t spoilt” was my favourite quip), the crew appeared: Janine, Sophie, George, and the surprise additions of Uncle Al, Jacqui, and John. The fellowship was restored, and we turned for Bath together.

The company made the final miles fly. Fields became streets, and Sophie and George pushed through their aches to stride into Bath Abbey with me. My final Cotswold Way passport stamp was collected, and we took photos by the end stone outside the Abbey.

Then, in a shock twist, Uncle Al suggested a couple of proper old English pub stops in Bath. Naturally, I accepted — purely for hydration purposes, of course.

And that was that — the Cotswold Way complete, and with it, The Big Plod. I’ll post one final wrap-up in a few days, once I’ve gathered the stats, stories, and thanks. For now, a huge thank you to everyone who’s followed along or supported me in any way. This has been a fulfilling, unforgettable way to spend my sabbatical, and raising money for charity along the way has been the cherry on top.

Here’s to whatever the next adventure brings — and to your own journeys, wherever they may take you.