Yes, here we are again in the wild west frontier village of Chedworth in the delightful Cotswolds; home to those fugitives from justice Billy (the Whizz) and his sidekick, Ollie. It’s late March, the daffodils are rampant, the buds about to burst and the streams and bournes in full post-winter vigour. Just a mile or two away from the A roads and better known villages and there is so much beautiful country to explore. A year has passed since we last had this pair of varmints in custody but the status quo remains. Billy as eager, vocal and affectionate as ever, Ollie, as his senior, a little more restrained as befits his rather smaller stature. That said the pair could still walk the legs off us ! The setting here is just fantastic, with a selection of great walks starting from the doorstep - along river valleys, open grassland, woods, agricultural fields and up and down the, surprisingly tiring Cotswold hills. Good job the Seven Tuns at the head of the village offers great vittles and a decent swig of rye ! But be warned - pub snacks are not your usual 'cheesy chips'. Oh no, these are truffle infused fries, dusted with parmesan - bloody lovely with a pint of Norton's finest. And, if you have the good fortune to step into our temporary shoes, the included tennis court provides plenty of larks, especially playing in wellies - Alcaraz, eat your shorts. The icing on this cake is the inclusive benefit of having a ball-dog ! Much faster than the human equivalent but, alas, with one minor drawback - we don’t always get Slazenger’s finest back, or if we do they tend to be coated with a thin dressing of saliva. Pigeons at Wimbledon ? Try serving with a pooch the other side of the net in pounce mode. A week was much too short - so many more places to explore. This time we just started and finished from the house but throw the pooches in the boot and many more miles of glorious walking opens up - through woods, across hills and valleys and along beautiful rivers. One can see why that Clarkson chappie likes it here. Now, who will create a public transport network to service these few stops (especially as I am now the proud owner of a lightly used bus pass) ?
1 Comment
Justine Barnes
17/4/2023 11:10:52 am
Once again, we were delighted to welcome back Stephen and Bobby, but nowhere near as delighted as Billy & Ollie were. Billy knew Stephen & Bobby's patience for throwing tennis balls way exceeded ours (hours!) and both our doggies greeted them like long lost friends.
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'23 Adventures
January 2024
photosby Bobby ! |