Cotswold Strolls - Broad Campden to Blockley Walk

The right path

The day our comfortable 5 mile walk on footpaths around Winchcombe turned into a 9 mile 'lost-in-the-middle-of-nowhere' hike was the day it all changed for us. We've always struggled with the public footpath walks and their vague descriptions "Turn quarter right at the 3rd bush and look for the tree with floppy leaves where you squeeze through a gap in the wall and proceed 3/4 right across the next field" and that day was the last straw. We just couldn't do it.

That's when we hit on the bright idea of walking the lanes. At least there were 2 defined points, no muddy fields or blocked footpaths to negotiate and road signs and Google Maps to help keep us on the straight and narrow. It's easier than you think to walk on the roads. As long as you walk to face the oncoming traffic, you'll find that most drivers give plenty of distance.

So, one of our first walks was from Broad Campden to Blockley, a pretty straightforward walk from A to B of about 2 miles, 4 miles in total.

Broad Campden

Broad Campden is a quiet village of pretty houses and a very good pub, The Bakers Arms (https://www.bakersarmscampden.com/), serving tasty food and real ales. It has a large beer garden for those nice summer days we're all hoping for! If you've ever seen the 'Father Brown' series on TV, starring Mark Williams, you'll already be familiar with this pub as they use it a fair bit in filming.

We parked up off road by the village hall on Kitchen Lane then, looking back in the direction of Broad Campden, soon spotted the road sign for Blockley. The road is quiet with little traffic and, although it does climb pretty steeply, it is perfectly doable if you pace yourself . There are a few benches at the roadside along the way to catch your breath or just admire the view. It's a straight road too so no chance of getting lost.

Blockley

Once the outskirts of Blockley village come in sight, there is a pavement on the left hand side and the road winds down to the village centre. Once past the bowling green you soon come across the community store and the Blockley Cafe (https://www.facebook.com/BlockleyCafe), which is well worth a stop. At the end of this little lane you come to the lovely old church of St Peter and St Paul, dating back to 1180. Most of the storylines and action for the afore-mentioned 'Father Brown' series centre round the church, though some of the local houses are also featured.

It doesn't take long to explore the whole village and the thing that struck us most was the silence. The only sounds were those of the workmen doing renovations and improvements. The houses are lovely examples of typical Cotswold stone lining the High Street and tucked away down little lanes. About halfway along the High Street, on the right hand side, is the Russell Spring which provided pure drinking water for the village from 1850.

Literary connections

As well as the Father Brown series, Blockley was home to the author M C Beaton who wrote the Hamish Macbeth books and the books about Agatha Raisin, who gave up her busy and successful city life to retire to a cottage in a little Cotswold village. I wonder where she got her inspiration?!

Don't forget your walk back to the car will seem a bit easier because it's more downhill. Those views are just as spectacular though.

Sue McGreal