From: Box to Sherston
Distance: 15m / 24km
Cumulated distance: 335m / 539km
Percentage completed: 32.6
I woke up in Revd Awdry’s bed this morning. And I’d spent the night with Henry .. and Toby .. and Gordon .. and Thomas .. and of course, the Fat Controller. Lorne House in Box, my B&B for the night, was once home to the author of all the Thomas the Tank Engine books. How jealous would my boy have been, when he went through his train phase, several years ago.
Thomas et al
Lorne House is just a couple of doors away from the railway line and apparently the young Wilbert Awdry would lie awake at night, listening to the steam trains whistling past, his imagination running wild. Little did he realise just where it would take him.
Box station
The curiously named Box originates to Roman times. Limestone, called ‘Box Ground’ locally, has been quarried here since the 8th century and a lot of it was used in the construction of beautiful Bath, which is only five miles away. Legend has it that St Aldheim threw down his glove on Box Hill and pronounced ‘dig here and you will find treasure’! And indeed they did. However, it’s thought the name ‘Box’ actually comes from a corruption of the word beech, of which there are many in the area.
Box is probably better known for the Isambard Kingdom Brunel railway tunnel, which runs beneath Box Hill. It is 1.83 miles long and was built between 1838 and 1841 to carry trains from London to Bristol on the Great Western Main Line railway. At the time of construction it was the longest in the world! 4000 men were employed to build the tunnel.
Brunel’s tunnel
It was a long, long climb out of Box this morning but wow, were the views worth the effort. Had the day been clear there would have been good views of Bath. As it was I loved the misty, veiled scenes that were gradually revealed as I got higher up the hill.
Veiw across the vale
Looking westwards
Down in the valley the mist hung low. It made for very beautiful, mystical scenes. I had the countryside all to myself which added to the atmosphere.
Farmhouse with Canada Geese
And then the rain arrived. And it stayed put for the rest of the day, lashing down, getting into just about every corner and crevice of me and my pack. It forced me to take refuge a couple of times. The first time in the village of Ford, where there was an inviting hostelry called The White Hart. It is most definitely a place to return to in the future. They served great coffee but the gin menu also looked very enticing.
The White Hart at Ford
As I squealched along, extremely slowly and guardedly, I decided I would rename the Macmillan Way the Mudmillan Way. Maybe in the summer months it is drier and easier to negotiate but today it forced me to look for alternate routes, along farm tracks and byways.
Narrow mud trenches on the Mudmillan Way ..
.. extremely wide, unnegotiable avenues on the Mudmillan Way
But to be fair, there were warnings of what lay ahead.
No sh*t Sherlock
Along the way nature still revealed its beautiful self ..
Fabulous fungi
Taurus
In time for a tea-break I arrived in Castle Combe, the achingly beautiful Cotswold village, sadly best known for its race track. Dr Dolittle, Warhorse and episodes of Downton have been filmed in the village. My chosen tearoom served the best Victoria Sandwich cake.
Castle Combe
The church in Castle Combe
And now a question for those green-fingered readers among you. What is this plant, which grew lavishly everywhere I walked today ..
Garlic or lily of the valley?
Answers on a postcard, please ..
Flooding everywhere ..
I’ll apologise for the fact that there are few .. well, let’s be honest, NO photos from the afternoon. The rain poured so heavily that I became afraid for the survival of my phone and decided to keep it parcelled up inside my jacket. Not that there was much that would have tempted me to take it out either.
I was very happy to reach Sherston around 5 o’clock and to check into the comfortable, very clean and dry looking Angel Hotel. I’m not sure they were so delirious about welcoming me as I walked in, looking like the proverbial drowned rat, dripping muddy water.
Don’t get me wrong. Despite the rain I had a great day today, loving the green, green countryside and the mellow-stoned Cotswold villages which sat within it. I felt very at home.
Black Dog Tails
Bradley was the very definition of a little hero dog, punching well above his weight. He protected his master and mate from a bear in Canada, by charging full steam ahead towards the beast.
Go Bradley! Jules knows that when I was a lad, our dachshunds were known for being ferocious in the face of any retreating enemy, including two huge Alsatians once… though equally prepared to retreat in the face of stand-your-ground-hostility, including choosing discretion over picking a fight with a very fired up chameleon once…
I note that a Dachshund museum has just opened in Germany, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-museum-sausage-dogs/the-world-needs-a-sausage-dog-museum-so-german-owners-provide-one-idUSKBN1H51VT
Great news for all our Dachshund-lover friends! xx
Where else in the world would you get so much variety in one day! A classic walk. Hope you’ve dried out.
I suspect that the greenery is wild garlic, Ramsons, it leaves and flowers before the tree canopy gets started. Walk in some tomorrow and you will get the aroma. If you get chance in some decent eatery try some steamed with poached eggs – delicious
Well dry now, thanks. I’ve walked through so much of the plant now .. so interesting to realise that it gets a head start in growing before the tree canopy takes away its light. Thanks for that. And for the recipe. Sounds divine.
I’m no botanist, but my guess would be wild garlic. Well squelched today. Hope you dry out overnight.
Fully dry now .. and how are you going??
Love the greenery of the Cotswald country you are trudging through, Jules. As for that mystery plant…could they be what in North America are called ‘ramps’’? Half way between onion & garlic, ramps have a leaf like a lilly plant.
Think wild garlic is definitely right. Interesting that you call it ramps and another reader has said that it is sometimes called ramsons here. Sounds like there’s a linguistic origin in common. Do you eat ramps? x
Apologise not for the lack of afternoon pics. The morning ones are just stunning, Jules! Particularly the ethereal landscapes. This is stirring the excitement of us joining you in Scotland.
Good to see you’re in good spirits despite the mud and being singularly squishy yourself 🙂
Love from us
Thank you Tigger! We will have fine subjects for photos when you arrive in Scotland, methinks. xx
Dear Jules – just back after a great walk in your hood….Neutral Bay to Chowder Bay in cooler, much more comfortable walking weather – and sorry – it didn’t rain! Does all your gear dry out completely overnight? Garlic is the answer to your woodland question – the bluebells will be coming up through or near in about a month – at least they do in Dorset! What a gem Castle Combe is – so beautiful. The farmhouse with Canada Geese made me think of where Laurie Lee might have started out from…in my imagination anyway! Lots of love xx
I totally agree with your idea that the farmhouse could have been in Slad. I LOVED Cider with Rosie .. read it with Patrick, back in the day. On a practical note .. yes, all the gear dries out over night, as long as there’s a radiator in the bathroom! xx
Glad you had a good day. I would say that is Wild Garlic. Its season is late winter to end of Spring and the flavour is quite mild. It grows in great profusion on woodland floors. It is true isn’t it that rain is secondary to the pleasure found in the colours and form of the countryside. Hope though for less mud for you in coming days. xx
You are such a glass half full sort of person, Marilyn! The grass is of course much greener because of the rain. xx
Now that is a fearless sausage!! And pretty good looking too.
Glad you had a good, albeit muddy day.
And such spirit! Just look at those ears! x
No wonder you are exhausted Jules , spending the night with Henry, Toby, Gordon and Thomas ! 🙂
Joke aside , your feet may be bruised and sore but obviously your hands are not as your drawings are soooo exquisite , and minutely drawn . I can picture all those supporters of yours discovering as they read your blog the drawing they have purchased. Are there still any that haven’t got a home ?
Am really happy that you got a second wind Jules, chasing the clouds away . Much love xox
Yes, it was a big night! Thank you for your kind words about the drawings. I think about 60 of them sold at the dinner .. so still 30 or so left. Love your image of ‘chasing the clouds away’ .. but then of course, as an expert in painting skies, it’s just the sort of phrase you would come up with! xxx
Dear Jules, what a day. What weather! I remember the face that Michelle pulled on our evening at the Cranbrook fund raiser when you announced the dates of your walk. Your Spring walk. Images of soft sun and flowers, flowers, flowers. “Rain!”
mouthed Michelle, Canadian/Australian Michelle. Rain that threatened your phone.
David and I had a week in Bali (stunningly beautiful green rice terraces from the volcanic soil and lots of rain) when I didn’t read your posts. So I have had a feast of catching up with you since our return.
Pleasant hours of looking at your sketches, your map and photos and reacting to your ups and downs on all fronts. Good to hear of you feeling “at home” in the also stunningly beautiful Cotswolds.
I remember well the box of Angus’s trains providing lots of fun for many kids. The popularity of Thomas and his friends and the very distinctive voice of Ringo on TV. Who would have thought!
It’s your lovely voice that I hear as I read Jules, and your laugh. Only on our drive to and from the Hunter Valley have I spent so much time with you.
Lovely getting your beautiful message, Jo. I too can hear your voice as I read your musings. Thank you so much. xx
Definitely wild garlic aka ramsons
Thanks for that! Never heard of ramsons .. new word for the vocab.
Well done on picking up your mileage despite the mud and rain…..how far in advance are you booking your accommodation?