Day 3: Cleeve Hill to Birdlip

Weather:   Cool and sunny with a gentle breeze

Distance   covered today: 25.5km ( 15.9 mi)

Last night’s   B&B: Cleeve Hill House Hotel (£60)

% Complete:   40.7%

GPS satellite   track of today’s route: Day3 (click)   I thought that today might not yield much.  From the route, I knew that we would be constantly in the lovely rolling hills and craggy cliffs of the upper Cotswold Way, very definitely away from the architectural magic of the last couple of days. I also thought that having my daughter, Anna with us might constrain the conversation and present its own problems. I thought that maybe today would be a polite interlude, with introspection being the favoured mode of behaviour. I’m clearly not good at predicting these things. We did indeed have an early pipe opener as we scaled Cleeve Hill and I was roundly abused, with no justification, for taking the walking party straight up the hill to the top, ignoring the gentler slopes that would have achieved the objective but at a lower heart rate. I claimed that I had experience in these things and was criticised by all. I began to realise that there was developing an unholy alliance between John and Anna in which I was the enemy and the obvious target, and I might well have to protect myself from their double-barrelled assault. Fortunately, Yasmin is just never drawn into these jousts and, as the only mature adult amongst us, could be relied upon to keep the rational calm. We were embarked on by far the longest leg of the trip so far, and the others were understandably apprehensive, none more so than Anna who was concerned that she might not make it to the end at all. She is exhausted after a hard week of work, with all sorts of short-term issues and a horrible head-ache.   I was hugely complimented that she had made the effort at all. Though if she and John were going to join forces to attack her father, perhaps I would have to review her inheritance! As it turned out, our walk was peaceful and relaxing in the warm sunshine.  Without trying we swapped walking partners all day and the company was friendly and stimulating and the countryside varied between stunning views down the escarpment (with endless views of Cheltenham as we seemed to circle it for ages), interspersed with relaxed ventures through the woods. Everywhere there were flowers and butterflies. And also those strange kamikaze black insects from last year that have eyes only for each other and may well fly into your mouth if you don’t close it! The real interest of the day lay in the conversation over dinner tonight. John and Anna launched forth into a spirited discussion of their business experience. I found myself being infinitely proud of both of them. In many ways they have been forged on the same anvil. John had much to say to Anna that may be useful in her business career, and I felt that he was impressed at how much she understood about the dark arts of management. All the while, when each of them went too far, Yasmin was on hand to drag them back to reality with an understanding but very firm hand. In the end, I had nothing to add, and I left, secure in the knowledge that my eldest daughter knows her mind and can hold her views to even the most searing scrutiny.  No doubt, I have not heard the last of it from John. Anna leaves us tomorrow morning and no doubt the psychoanalysis will then commence. If there are any failings, I am sure they will be traced back to me!  I am forewarned! All of us on Cleeve Hill, the highest point of the Cotswold Way The crags on the edge of the escarpment with cheltenham below John in yet another phographer pose! What is this? A baby lamb rushed over to Anna, presumably looking for a feed rather than recognising maternal instincts That is a vertical path ahead, and Anna seems happy about it! I wasn’t! The fingernails of the non-fingernail biting Anna, displyed proudly top her Dad, who was mightily impressed! Especially under the circumstances! The three of them on a bench above Cheltenham The Devil’s Chimney! An outcrop from mining times… What is this? I always wondered where GCHQ was! Interesting