A Day Out along the Cotswold Way

Happy days,
Best
Anne

January can be a great time to walk the Cotswolds

Joy on the way to Blockley

Winter can be a great time to walk in the Cotswolds.  We have crisp days with blue skies and bright sunshine intermingled with warmer cloudy days.

January last year we we suffering drought, January this year the ground is very wet.      

Paths are still passable, but with care and we recommend guided rather than self-guided walks. 

Walking boots with a deep tred/lugs for a good grip on wet and icy ground are essential and gaiters for protection from the mud are extremely useful.

Happy Walking

Anne

Walkthelandscape.co.uk

A Late Afternoon in January - A Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR
Anne
walkthelandscape.co.uk

Winter Sunshine and Wide Views

The cold, crisp days in December and January offer wide views over expansive landscapes and some of the best days to walk.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hiking

Best
Anne
Walk the Landscape

Walking in Wiltshire: Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral displays the magnificent skills of medieval artists and craftsmen.

Best

Anne

walkthelandscape.co.uk

The Oxfordshire Way in Autumn

Now that we are well into mid-summer and the main holidays are just about over, it's time to start thinking about how to enjoy the landscape in all it's autumn glory.

So why not join us to walk the Oxfordshire Way from 15th to 21st October?

This trail starts in Bourton-on-the-Water and wends it's way through the Oxfordshire countryside to Henley-on-Thames, passing through the Cotswolds, the Thames Valley and the Chiltern Hills along the route.

It moves from picturesque villages built from honey coloured Cotswold limestone

to the beech woods of the Chiltern escarpment, with their secluded villages in flint and brick architecture

and prosperous towns along the River Thames.

We arrange B&B and luggage transfer, seek out good pubs to relax in for dinner after a good day's walk and our guide ensures your holiday is trouble free.

If you're interested please contact us at Walk the Landscape and we look forward to walking the Oxfordshire Way with you in October.

Best

Walk Shakespeare's Way - 22nd April to 1st May

Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon

Why not join us on a small group walking holiday from 22nd April to 1st May, along Shakespeare's Way travelling from Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to Shakespeare's workplace, The Globe Theatre on the banks of the River Thames in London.

Shakespeare's workplace- The Globe Theatre, London

Springtime, when the beech woods and meadows are at their most beautiful, is the best time to do this walk. The hansom trees will be unfurling their fresh yellow-green leaves and the ground will be covered with a deep blue carpet of bluebells and a multitude of spring flowers.

Contact us to find out more.

Regards

Shakespeare's Way - Day 9 - The end of the road

Day 9. Kew Bridge to The Globe Theatre (16 miles / 26 km)

The last leg of the journey follows the Thames Path along the south bank of the River from Kew Bridge to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre at Bankside in Southwark. On the day I walked, it was rather a cold and damp February day and both the river and sky were grey, and although enjoyable and full of interest on a sunny day with blue skies the walk would be fabulous.

Hammersmith Bridge

Wandsworth Park

Over this section of Shakespeare's Way, the River Thames is wide and tidal and the route passes many of its famous bridges; from Kew in the west to Chiswick, Barnes, Hammersmith, Putney, Wandsworth, Battersea, Albert, Chelsea, Grosvenor, Vauxhall, Lambeth, Westminster, Hungerford, Waterloo and finally Blackfriars before reaching The Globe, with Southwark and London bridges visible just beyond.

Blackfriars Bridge with St Pauls and the Gerkin on the horizon

(it was a grey day and getting dark!)

And it also passes many famous London landmarks; the beginning and end of the University Boat Race at Putney and Mortlake, Fulham Football Stadium, the Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station, Tate Britain and Tate Modern, the London Eye, Saint Pauls to name but a few of the most well known.

The Globe Theatre

at the end of the Shakespeare's Way

And then there’s The Globe Theatre, the destination so longingly anticipated on the long walk over 146 miles of varied landscapes through central England. The round, black and white modern reconstruction with its dark thatched stands out from the rest, almost out of place amongst the stone and concrete buildings of the Thames embankment. A great place for a celebratory cup of tea, hunk of piece of cake (actually a pint of beer and plate of chips at The Anchor pub along the river!) and after a little rest, a tour of the extensive Shakespeare Exhibition.

Why not join us on the guided walk along Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May, in the springtime when the beech woods are at their most beautiful; when the majestic trees will be unfurling their fresh yellow-green leaves and the ground will be covered with a deep blue carpet of bluebells and spring flowers.

Or self-guide the Shakespeare's Way and we'll book your accommodation and luggage transfer.

I hope you decide to come along.

Shakespeare's Way - A 146 mile journey of imagination - Day 8

Day 8. Iver to Kew Bridge along the Grand Union Canal (14 miles / 22.5 km)

Soon after leaving Iver we cross the M25 to walk along the Slough arm of the Grand Union Canal. This was the latest section to be built and links the brickfields east of Slough to central London.

Houseboats on the Grand Union Canal

We then take the towpath along the Grand Union Canal proper as far a Brentford where it meets the River Thames. The Grand Union was built in the late 18^th century and was the main route for goods into the capital city, linking up with canals from other parts of central England. ‘Though not built until 200 years after Shakespeare’s death, it is for walkers a green corridor through northern suburbs into London!

The flight of locks at Hanwell

Once an extremely busy commercial highway it’s now used by house boats and leisure boats, and is the home to flocks of water birds, mute swan, mallard, coot... We walk down the Hanwell flight of locks and past the few remaining docks where industrial goods were loaded and unloaded.

Dry dock for river boats on the River Thames at Brentford

On reaching Brentford, the landscape changes, the narrow canal carrying long, low barges is replaced by the wide and tidal River Thames with larger river boats and working boatyards with dry docks. The last mile along the Thames to Kew Bridge is a taster of the last leg of the journey to the Globe Theatre.

Why not join us on a guided walk along Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May, in the springtime when the beech woods are at their most beautiful; the majestic trees will be unfurling their fresh yellow-green leaves and the ground will be covered with a deep blue carpet of bluebells and other spring flowers.

Best Wishes

Anne M