Another bright day, another day with no show. It’s half nine and I’m ready to turn in really. Partly just from a fried brain after finally watching (and loving) Everything Everywhere All at Once, but also from another good old active strike out into the Cotswolds.
Broadway to start with, and the tower there, but it looked too expensive to go in even though I know it’ll go to maintaining the place. A day like this you can find things that are free, so we did. We drove to Buckland and eventually found a legal parking place within access of the walk up the hill to Burhill Iron Age Hill Fort. It’s not very well signposted. “I’ve lived in this village sixty years and I’ve never been to the barrow,” we were told yesterday. Much the same story with this hill fort. One of the pathways was completely overgrown to the point of inaccessibility. The other one was very steep and felt like a rarely trodden pathway. Some interesting mushrooms. I got my first strike of Meadow Waxcap, which isn’t particularly exciting to be honest. Lots of little brown mushrooms, and a few smoky spindles, largely the worse for wear, edible but not prized, looking like a bucket of eels.
Up the hill and past some very fluffy cows to the fort, which is largely someones field now. It was only really identified as having historical interest in 1960 and the way the footpaths are organised it feels like there’s one that we are trying to be encouraged to forget. It has been grazed a long time and will continue to be. Peaceful up there. Didn’t see anyone else.
Too late for posh lunch at Dormy House, where straight haired highlighted blonde ladies dine and serve in abundance. Instead to The Swan, where straight haired highlighted blonde ladies dine and serve in abundance. There’s a degree of homogeneity up here in these small villages. Some Avon Lady sold hair straighteners brilliantly back in the day and now it’s just the thing. Either that or straight blonde haired brood parasitic aliens have been at work up there.
The Swan is down in Broadway. It’s a village that specialises in taking your money. Grown up toy shops (not that kind) and chocolate shops and all sorts. I bought a present for a friend and lots of expensive chocolate and I’ve already eaten half of my swiss white chocolate truffles, largely as I’ve been writing this. mmmm nom
Back to cosy cottage time.
AlBarclay 