Chipping Campden to Broadway

The official start of the Cotswolds Way is at the Market Hall in Chipping Campden where a plaque marks the spot.

Like many of the Cotswolds towns Chipping Campden owes its growth and prosperity to the wool trade.  It's origins can be traced back to the 13th century at which time the Abbey at Gloucester had a flock of 10,000 sheep roaming the region. The church was

the main beneficiary of the wealth, and this is particularly evident here at the church of St James I.

Yesterday was Anni's 50th birthday and we celebrated with a night at the Abbey Hotel and spa 50 miles away near Redditch.  Whilst I enjoyed the  leisure centre Anni had an invigorating back massage! I took Anni's  bottle of perfume into the shower instead of the shower gel, an expensive mistake, but at least I smell good! 

After so much pampering and great food it seemed inappropriate

to start the next day with a gruelling walk, so we are beginning our journey with a gentle 6 mile stroll to Broadway. We drove there first and caught the bus back to Chipping Campden to start the walk.

We walked up Dover's Hill to the top of the escarpment at 230 metres above sea level. There is a magnificent view here across the Vale of Evesham, although today it was somewhat shrouded in mist. 

Market Hall Chipping Campden

In 1612 Robert Dover instituted annual games here that came to be known as the Olimpick games. We can envisage the running and jumping events that took place on the broad, grassy expanse behind us, but it takes a little more imagination to conjure up a picture of the backswords, coursing and pike-tumbling events.  The Games still take place each Spring Bank Holiday and some of the older events survive, although I admit I do not fancy the idea of the shin-kicking contest.

The path then followed a wide grassy track, known as the Mile Drive, where we

encountered an organised group of walkers coming towards us through the mist, before rising again to the Broadway Tower, the second highest point in the Cotswolds.  The tower was constructed around 1800, a quirky folly to impress the neighbours.  On a clear day one can see thirteen counties from here. William Morris, of wallpaper fame(!), was a regular visitor along with Dante Rossetti and other founders of the Arts and Crafts movement.

From here the walk descended quite steeply eventually arriving in Broadway at the top of the High Street where we enjoyed well deserved ice creams!