Walking Day One: Bird Songs, Blackberries, and Sore Feet

What a beautiful day to walk 12 miles from Moreton-in-Marsh to Bourton-on-the Water! Through fields and along streams, serenaded by a myriad of birds (could only name one: a pheasant), in and out of small villages, picking blackberries, enjoying the partly sunny day.

The actual walking time (minus the moments spent dawdling, gawking, getting lunch, etc.) was 5.5 hours! There were several steep hills, but manageable. We arrived at our hotel shortly after 3 p.m. Sore feet up, relaxing, and drinking lots of water. Frankly, eight to nine miles would have been ideal, which was the point where fun and play morphed into work, leaving us with joyfully tired feet. But all told, it was amazing.

I could dump so many pics, but I'll try to drop only the best. This is us entering the pathway this morning.
Monarch's Way - the path we followed most of the day. Not the butterflies (where my mind goes), but the trail followed by King Charles II, pursued by Cromwell in 1651. The pathway was well marked and we had our Mac's Adventures app to guide us.
Horses and sheep (these are for my daughter, Barbara, who would love to have a farm with lots of animals.)
The roads and paths are bordered by hedges, at least some of which are blackberry bushes. They were quite sweet, so delicious.
Some general shots of our pathway and the environs. Lots of gates to climb or close. We did not see the bull in question.

And then there is this: it's J.R.R. Tolkien country. He based something in his books on the doorway of the St Edwards Church (13th century) in Stow-on-the-Wold, flanked by 2 old yew trees planted in 1701. We're not big Tolkien fans, but this door is worth seeing. The trees are so old and beautiful!


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