Shakespeare's Way - A 146 mile journey of imagination - Day 3

Day 3. Chipping Norton to Woodstock (16 miles – 26 km)

This section follows the River Glyme valley from the market town of Chipping Norton, through Ditchley Park and past Blenheim Palace, to the picturesque town Woodstock, which probably originated as a settlement in clearing in the woods within the Royal Forest of Wychwood.

Chipping Norton or "Chippy" as it is known is a lively market town in the North Cotswolds with a theatre, a new leisure centre, book shops, art galleries, a museum and antique shops. It has one of the finest parish churches in the Oxfordshire, a medieval guildhall, some quaint back lanes and beautiful Georgian houses.

Cleveley today is a tranquil hamlet with an old mill pond, but was once was a busy thoroughfare on the main road from Chipping Norton to London.

Blenheim Palace was built between 1705 and 1724, as a gift to John Churchill, the 1^st Duke of Marlborough in appreciation of his defeat of the French and Bavarians at the Battle of Blenheim. Despite much political intrigue which led to Marlborough’s exile, it became the home of the Churchill family for the following 300 years and Sir Winston Churchill was born there. A UNESCO world heritage site, the architect was Sir John Vanbrugh and the landscaped gardens were designed by Capability Brown.

Join us on a guided walking holiday along (all or part of) Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May 2011 in spring when the beech woods will be carpeted with bluebells.

Or do it independently on a self-guided walking tour and let us take care of the accommodation and luggage transfer.

Best wishes,

Shakespeare's Way - A 146 mile journey of imagination - Day 2

Day 2. The Oxfordshire Cotswolds: Shipston-on-Stour to Chipping Norton (14 miles – 22.5 km)

Day 2 of Shakespeare's Way starts at Shipston-on-Stour, an old sheep market town and staging post for stagecoaches, which boasts many inns dating from the 17^th and 18^th centuries on its elegant High Street.

The 14 mile walk leaves behind the black and white, brick and timber buildings of the Avon valley and midland plain (70ft asl), and heads south east, climbing over ridges and crossing valleys of the North Cotswolds to reach Chipping Norton the highest town in the Oxfordshire - at a mere 700ft [213m] asl.

On the way it passes through quiet villages, built first of rust coloured ironstone, then of honey coloured Cotswold limestone and goes by the Rollright Stones a prehistoric site on the ancient Jurassic Way.

Join us along (all or part of) Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May 2011. Or do it independently on the self-guided tour.

Best wishes

Moreton-in-Marsh station puts up signs in Japanese

Signs in Japanese

Shakespeare's Way - A 146 mile journey of imagination - Day 1

This 146 mile hike starts at Shakespeare's birthplace in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon and makes it’s way through some of the most picturesque the towns and villages of the Midlands and South East of England to Shakespeare’s workplace at the Globe Theatre on the south bank of the River Thames, London.

Day 1 Stratford-upon-Avon to Shipston-on-Stour (17 miles – 27 km)

Shakespeare's Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon - at the start of the hike
Shakespeare was born here in the centre of Stratford, in 1654, the son of a wealthy glover and wool dealer.

Join us along (all or part of) Shakespeare's Way from 22nd April to 1st May 2011.

Or do it independently on the self-guided tour.

Best wishes

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition in Gloucester

The Nature in Art Museum in Gloucester will be showing the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition’ from 18^th January to 13^th March.

Sponsored by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife, these stunning images of wildlife from all parts of the world are well worth taking the time out to see.

http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/exhibitions.html

A Sunday afternoon in January

Yesterday - what a lovely day it was, blue sky, clear views and warm in the sun.

Friday 4th - Sunday 6th February 2011: A Winter Workout

Why not join us to blow all the cobwebs of Christmas and the New Year away and get back into the swing.

Staying at a cosy Cotswold Inn, we'll walk the Windrush valley on Saturday taking in the villages of Naunton and the Slaughters. On Sunday we'll take a hike to the Rollright Stones, a site steeped in ancient history and folklore.

Check out: http://www.walkthelandscape.co.uk/walkinghikinguk/guidedwalkingholidays.php#workout

A HAPPY NEW YEAR - AND HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS 2011