Tag: backpacking
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The Cotswold Way-We Climbed Our Last Hill
Day 9 We enjoyed a semi-leisurely morning today, our last day of walking. Tonight we would call it quits in Bath, England, the town known for its Roman-built baths. But first we had that walking to do. Upon reaching the top of our morning climb we discovered a history lesson stretched across the landscape. Lansdown…
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The Cotswold Way-A New Day Dawns
Day 7 We began our day feeling pretty good about it. Reg’s itinerary had us walking just 10 miles with an easy 450’ of ascent. “Piece of cake,” we thought. We passed by St Mary the Virgin, one of the oldest churches in the area. According to Wikipedia, it is thought that most of what…
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The Cotswold Way-Doesn’t Miss A Hilltop
Day 4 After a torrential morning downpour during our breakfast time, the sun reappeared (yay!) when we headed out on the trail. By the end of the day we had climbed up to the top of three different nature parks, all with impressive distant views. All very pretty but what happened to the charming villages…
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The Cotswold Way-Not My Favorite Day
Day 3 It rained overnight, but by the time we woke up it was dry but blustery. There didn’t seem to be much hope of sunny weather today. The walk out of town took us past a cricket club and along a nice, easy walking country road. Then we took a turn into yet another…
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The Cotswold Way-No Tipping
Day 2 The sun was out and it was a beautiful day. Our guidebook promised a 12-mile walk to Winchcombe which is where we would spend the night. It also promised a couple pretty steep climbs and we tackled the first one soon after leaving the town limits of Broadway. Today we skirted around fields…
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The Cotswold Way-Chipping Campden
Two trains and a bus transported us across England, from York to Chipping Campden, where we will spend two nights before we set foot along the 102-mile Cotswold Way.This quintessential English Village was known as a wool trading center in the Middle Ages. Today, there is an active arts and crafts community as well as…
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Via Francigena Draws To An End
Day 21 Reg and I are feeling like old trail horses heading back to the barn. Just two more days of walking and we will be in Rome, a bittersweet destination. The Via Francigena has been much more challenging than we expected and most days the mileage exceeded our predictions. Nearly perfect weather, comfortable accommodations,…
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Via Francigena Getting Easier
Day 19 This will be a quickie post. We’re reaching the end of our Via Francigena adventure. The hilltop town of Sutri is our destination for Day 19. We left Vetrella at 8:00 a.m. as vendors set up for market day, blocking off half of the main two-way street through the historic city center. The…
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Via Francigena Those Bloomin’ Flowers
Day 17 Once again our day began with a hike uphill. There really wasn’t reason to complain though. Our day was another short one. Just 11 miles with only 800 feet of climbing. After a quick stop at the corner bar for sandwiches, we climbed as high as we could go in Montefiascone before plunging…
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