It’s a lovely, crisp
sunny day in the beautifully preserved market town of Chipping Campden. I am
outside the 17th-century Market Hall that was built as a shelter for market
traders. Gorgeous archways surround the perimeter wall as the building takes
pride of place in the centre of town. At one end is a discrete plaque marking
the Cotswold Way with the words “The Beginning and the End”. Beside the sign on
the ground is a circular marker stone with a brass acorn in the centre, the
symbol for all UK National Trails, and a quote encircling the acorn by T.S.
Eliot with the words: “Now the light falls across the open field, leaving the
deep lane shuttered with branches, dark in the afternoon”. Such wonderfully
inspiring words as I am about to embark on my journey.
The
Cotswold Way is a long-distance walk from Chipping Campden to the Roman city of
Bath. Running the length of the Cotswold escarpment, the route travels through
historical villages, past stately homes, churches and battle sites. Along the
way, wooded areas with ancient trees are interspersed with rolling pastures and
wide-open meadows. The route can be tackled in either direction, hence the
words on the plaque.
As I begin my journey, I
head down High Street and take in the honey-coloured buildings lining the road.
Most of them date back to the 17th century and are constructed from the oolitic
limestone that is known as Cotswold stone. The oldest house in town, further up
the street, is Grevel House. Built in 1380, parts of the house were remodelled
and extended in the 1800s. Two gargoyles at the top of a perpendicular bay
window stand guard, whilst a sundial sits in a gable above leadlight windows
with coat-of-arms designs. The house used to belong to William Grevel, a
wealthy wool merchant whose family has been residents of Chipping Campden for
more than a century.
Less than a mile out of
town, I passed by Dover’s Hill, one of Cotswold’s many great viewpoints. Near a
bench is a toposcope illustrating the visible landmarks, and the views down the
grassy slopes are accentuated by sheep grazing and chestnut trees hugging the
perimeter. It is here that Robert Dover started the Cotswold Olimpick Games in
1622, where games such as ‘shin-kicking’ (yes, it’s true), tug-of-war,
wheelbarrow relays and running races are the highlights. With the exception of
a 101-year gap, it has been held every year on the first weekend of June.
Perplexed by the thought of the shin-kicking contest, I slowly toddle away from the hill and towards Broadway.
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