Walk 5: Cleeve Hill to Dowdeswell (5.5 miles)

 Five of us started this walk at Cleeve Hill, and we also had a guest dog Jack with us today. 

The warm and sunny weather we have been experiencing had left us, and it was a humid day with  threatening clouds obscuring the views we should have been able to see of the Malvern Hills and Black Mountains. However the views were still stunning, and the clouds lifted later in the walk.

We climbed steeply 

to reach the highest point (1083 feet) of the Cotswold Way, marked by a trig point.

Despite the clouds, Cleeve Common afforded some lovely views, including some of the steam train that runs from Cheltenham to Broadway. 

As we came off Cleeve Common, we weren't quite sure of the way but despite consulting both old and new technology, 

we still went the wrong way until Ali spotted a waymarker down below. We corrected ourselves, but as we went down the new path we encountered a herd of quite frisky young bullocks. Ali made a run for it over the top of Cleeve Common - she's never climbed a hill so fast - hoping to join up again with the rest of the group past the cows. 

At first we thought we had got behind them all, but it turned out they were all around us, and unfortunately whilst trying to avoid a particularly frisky one, Danielle made a sudden turn and strained her calf quite badly. Sadly, despite valiantly trying to carry on, it was clear she would not be able to walk the remaining miles ahead, so she and Ali turned back to get a taxi home.

The remaining three of us, and Lily, continued through Prestbury Reserve 

and through a lovely wood, where we stopped for lunch. Unfortunately Lily's lunch and most of Deborah's had gone home in Ali's backpack so were glad of Danielle's ham sandwich which Deborah was carrying!

The route then went along some quiet country lanes, and some beautiful country tracks, until we entered Dowdeswell Wood, and the long descent down to the reservoir, where this leg of the walk ended.

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