Start - Crickley Hill
End - Coaley Peak
Distance - 22.25 miles / 35.8 Km
Walking Time - 7 Hours
Assent - 3,110 ft / 948 meters
Another hot September day but one with thankfully more shade than the previous days. The woods of Cranham, Painswick, Woodchester and countless others shielded me from much of the heat whilst the sun light danced between the branches creating endlessly changing patterns on the floor.
For the first time since starting I met two fellow through hikers heading in the opposite direction. It was a great to chat for a few minutes and share tips of what lay ahead for each of us.
The award of prettiest village of day goes to the delightful Painswick which truly is a little gem of a place. Narrow streets of endless Cotswold stone buildings cram together and with not even a hint of a high street to speak of it really has managed to retain its sense of history.
Down into the Stroud valley (thankfully skirting the town itself) before rising up once again the other side to views that stretch across the Severn Valley to the black mountains and beyond.)
Over halfway now and all being well should be just 2 more days from the finish line at Bath Abbey.
