Midhurst Footpath Companions
Walking in Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey.

Bourton-on-the-Water Summer Holiday May 2018 Day 2

We started out at a convenient bus stop in Bourton to catch a bus to the nearby town of Stow-on-the-Wold. The market square was the site of the last Battle of the first English Civil War in 1646 but luckily it's been cleaned up since then. It also has several narrow passages, originally used to control sheep at the market. On a good day as many as 20,000 would be sold. We had an hour or so to look around and those wishing to walk then met up and headed for the Church. The rich wool merchants were often buried with a tomb lid representing a bale of wool - there was also a law which meant a body could only be buried in wool - hence the saying " you can't pull the wool over my eyes". From the church we headed south towards Lower Slaughter, stopping at the Cricket Club on the way for coffee. More refreshments in the The Slaughters Inn before walking upstream to the historic mill. Finally a pleasant walk taking us back to Bourton so we could follow the River Windrush back to Harrington House.

Stow-on-the-Wold market Square

Waiting for the bus

Drinks at the Cricket Club

Clear water in the River Eye, Lower Slaughter

St Edward's, Stow-on-the-Wold

Bales of wool on top of the tombs

Slaughters Inn

Where next?

Narrow alley to control and count the sheep

River Eye

River Windrush, Bourton

About 5 miles

Mary's been collecting for her boat!

Mill shop Lower Slaughter

Mill Wheel Lower Slaughter

Harrington House

River Windrush

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