Leg 4: Broad Campden to More-tea-and-cakes-in-Marsh

It is quite a feat to get nine people into a starting selfie, but more of an achievement to work out the logistics of getting all those people to the start of the walk at Broad Campden and home again from Moreton-in-Marsh. We have Di to thank for brilliantly sorting out the logistics. Having successfully arrived at the Bakers Arms, the regular crew and dog, along with Steven, Melanie, Ro, Janet and Julia set off in glorious sunshine.


We walked up a gentle hill and before we turned left along the side of a field we looked back on the lovely view.


We followed this track for a while, through a couple of hunter's gates and past a beautiful house, where a collection of 4 dogs greeted us enthusiastically from the garden.


On we walked, admiring the beautiful views on the way.

This walk had more hills than the earlier ones on the Monarch's Way, and at the top of a particularly steep climb, 


we paused and were delighted to find that Di had baked some delicious biscuits for us all, which we all accepted gratefully. Lily was also very happy to find that there were a couple of streams where she could cool off, as it is hot work for a black dog to herd 9 people on a sunny day.


Soon we came to the beautiful Cotswold village of Blockley (ABCV).  We stopped here to eat our lunch, supplemented with coffees, teas and ice creams supplied by the excellent village shop and cafe.


Blockley is an ancient place. The Domesday book notes that it had 12 mills powered by a stream that has never been known to dry up. The village was famous for its silk manufacture. The church has a lovely stained glass window.


After lunch we tackled another steep hill, and paused at the top to admire the views back to Blockley.

Soon we reached the highest point of the walk and began our descent into the Evenlode valley. We walked through lovely woods on the perimeter of Batsford Arboretum, 

and down straight grassy paths 



until we reached our destination, Moreton-in-Marsh, and its welcome cups of tea and cake.

We have now walked 23 miles of the Monarch's Way - nearly a quarter of the way to Bristol.

Blog written by Deborah

We are walking in aid of Grassroots Suicide Prevention

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