Photograph Gallery Stage 60 Dursley to Hawkesbury Upton : Walking Englishman's 1000 Mile Walk

Photograph Gallery Stage 60 Dursley to Hawkesbury Upton

Posted by Mike on Monday, September 12, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Photograph Gallery Stage 60 Dursley to Hawkesbury Upton, Saturday 23rd July 2011

The Story:

Today I was joined for the first half of the walk by Mark Vines, a work colleague who lives locally and walked with me in the morning before leaving to duty at a family barbecue. Mark and I set off from Dursley shortly after 8.00am and by 9.00am we were enjoying lovely views south and west from the Drakestone Point viewpoint on Stinchcombe Hill over to the Bristol area. The Severn Bridges were clearly in view and though I saw them in previous days it was clear I was getting closer to them. The next hill would tell me how close. From Stinchcombe Hill we descended to North Nibley where we stopped at the village shop for a coffee. While enjoying our drinks outside we had a humorous moment with an old gentleman who was tapping elderly ladies on their bottoms with his walking stick. There was no animosity, only fun. He told us with a chuckle “I have to keep them in order” Life is different in the country, community is often stronger. After coffee Mark and I climbed steeply from the village to Nibley Knoll where a monument stands high, it being dedicated to William Tyndale, reputedly born in Nibley who converted the New Testament to English. The monument built in 1866 stands 34 metres tall and is a notable feature in the local area. Aside from the monument Nibley Knoll gave us yet more super views of the Severn Bridges and a topograph on the hill gave us a distance of 18 miles. I couldn’t believe we were that close as the crow flies to Bristol.

After enjoying Nibley Knoll we walked south into Westridge Wood which led us to Wetton Hill which gave us good aerial views of Wotton-under-Edge where Mark left me to attend his family duties. Thanks for the company Mark.

From Wotton I followed typical Cotswold Way terrain of lanes, fields, woodland and some minor road to Alderley where I had a nice chat in the village churchyard with a charming lady called Kay. We talked while her walking group sung in the church and we were still talking when they left and walked out of sight. One friend remained to talk with us; I do hope they found the congregation!

From Alderley I walked southwest to Lower Kilcott and then southeast through a very picturesque field, lined on either side by woods, to a road and then came across another huge monument, this one being just one mile from my finish for the day in Hawkesbury Upton. The Monument was built by Lewis Vulliamy in 1846 in memory of Robert Edward Henry Somerset, a general at the Battle of Waterloo. The tower is approximately 100 feet tall and can be seen from the Tyndale Monument at North Nibley where I had been earlier in the day. I recall seeing it and wondering if I would pass its way, I didn’t realise I would walk right past it. The monument was the last significant moment during the walk, it being followed by a short walk along a roadside path to Hawkesbury Upton. The sun shone a lot today, it was pleasantly warm too. Yet another nice day out.

Meandering Mikes Daily Marks:

Scenery: 7/10 – Plenty of high level views, good countryside, lovely villages.

History: 6/10 – I now know about two notable men from our past thanks to their monuments.

Interest: 7/10 – Never bored today.

Track: 8/10 – Signs great once again, some muddy woodland and some tarmac.

Comment: A pleasant days walking in Gloucestershire.

The Photographs: