Missed the 8:50 and caught the 9:50 train :(...

Hope to catch up with any fellow walkers around lunchtime.

- John N

In short, a full fab day out in good company on a picture perfect late spring day . Kudos to all participants for completing the full marathon!

In more detail, 4 alighted from the designated train in bright sunshine which stayed with us for the day...In fact, all 4 ended up in shorts by the end of the day! The going went swiftly in the morning and we arrived at the lovely (and very efficient) pub in Ford at 1:30pm where 3 spent a leisurely hour in the garden enjoying a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and various local asparagus inspired dishes....Eventually, we set off for the spectacular afternoon section of this walk with fabulous views from the escarpment punctuated with charming Cotswold villages. Although the Mount Inn in Stanton has an afternoon closure, we took a break at one of their outdoor garden tables before re-ascending the escarpment. On top, we caught-up with the picnicker having lunch number 2 and all carried on to Snowshill, arriving just before the pub opened at 6pm.... 3 opted to stop and were first in line for a refreshing beverage when the bar opened.....As we were leaving the pub, we bumped into a late starter from the 9:50am train who had done the whole route, including a brief lunch stop at the pub in Ford, making for 5 in total. This foursome finished up the walk in the soft evening light....negotiating a VERY inquisitive herd of young bulls...We arrived back in the Marsh about 9:20pm in the fading light with just enough time to gather some hot take-outs and beverages before meeting on the platform with our earlier companion for the 9:54pm back to London. Really a great time of year for this walk with loads of rapeseed at their brightest yellow; pockets of bluebells still looking fresh; good stretches of wild garlic and even a few lingering wood anemones! Also spotted were purple orchids and a few butterflies (1 orange tip, a few brimstones and various others).

Intend taking the 9.22 with a taxi to Ford, followed by lunch at the Mount Inn in Stanton and then another taxi from Broadway back to the station.

Jane is hoping to do a slightly less challenging Cotswolds walk to Broadway. This will involve a later start ie 10 05train from Ealing broadway to Slough then pick up Moreton train.

In addition it will be necessary to take a bus at the beginning and the end.

If anyione fancies an easier option they are welcome to accompany me.

jfk

I'm planning on getting the 9.22 followed by a taxi to Longborough.

7 emerged from the specified train to meet 1 special guest on the platform and 3 more arrived on the later train, making for a total of 11 on this epic journey on a warm largely sunny with some clouds late summer day . Of the original 8, one took at taxi to Ford with plans for lunch at the Mount Inn (in Stanton) and of the later group, 2 took a taxi to Longborough, arriving about 10 minutes before the 7 earlier starters (the whole group came together about a mile further along) with the third continuing in the taxi to Ford to also eat at the Mount Inn. After lunch at the Plough Inn in Ford, 1 of the main group decided to do the full circular walk back to Moreton and set off at a pace; while the remaining 8 continued in a more leisurely fashion to Broadway, enjoying the picturesque villages of Stanway, Stanton and Snowshill along the way. To our surprise we found the Snowshills Arms open (apparently it stays open all day on weekends during the school holidays) where we enjoyed restorative bevies of choice before the final push along the escarpment to Broadway -- timing was perfect to enjoy a setting sun against some western hills on our descent from Broadway Tower. In Broadway, we reconnected with the 2 Ford starters and were all whisked back to Moreton in our pre-arranged chariots with time to gather provisions for the delayed 20:48 back to London....A long and rewarding day out in good company and with all enjoying the particular routes chosen....

I am definitely interested in a shorter option using a taxi. The simplest of these seems to be Moreton to Snowshill (17.5 miles), booking a taxi from there at 7pm (eg) to give time for tea, though I could be persuaded to Longborough to Blockley (19 miles: the walk creator says this includes the best of the route) if someone is keen (this needs a taxi at both ends, but a fairly short one in each case).

If interested, please post a comment below.

IF doing the shorter option, does it make sense to get a later train, and then make a judgement during the afternoon about where to get a taxi back from, planning to get the last train back?

The suggestion of taking the 9:19 train and having a taxi bring you to Longborough is a good one -- as Longborogh is 6km/3.5 miles into the walk -- so you should arrive there at a similar time as those walking from the earlier train. However, I would not wait too late to book a taxi from Blockley (around 20:30) if you think that you may want to stop there.

Courtesy of Thomas G -- there is now a GPX file available for the route. Thanks, Thomas.

Is anyone planning to do the full 26 mile version of this walk?

Yes -- I will be...

I know of at least two others who say they will do the full walk.

For my part, I have booked a taxi at 7pm from Snowshill, 17.5 miles into the walk. Anyone is welcome to join me - subject to space, of course. If you want to make a firm commitment to secure your place, post a comment.

I intend to take the specified train in the morning, however, and start with the main group. As far as I can see this gives a 10 mile morning (with an earlier start than usual for SWC walks, so we should get to lunch in time) and then a 7.5 mile walk after lunch, hopefully arriving at 6pm in time for the pub opening.

I intend to get the 9.17 train and take a taxi to

Longborough. Is anyone else planning to do the

same?

Before we get the report from the LDWs here is the "wimps" report of their day. I set off on the 9.20 train with the aim of doing the short circular walk via Longborough but using the gpx route for SWC 115. There was only 1 other SWC regular at MinM station clutching what I first thought was an early draft of her unpublished novel but in fact turned out to be the entire 20+ pages of the walk notes and directions. She was happy to accompany me so we set off reaching Longborough just before noon and stopping for a drink at the pub. Sadly we were too early for the village fete so we continued on along trails and rarely walked narrow paths through lovely woodland and open undulating countryside with terrific views sidestepping some difficult cattle churn/mud in a couple of fields. We ate our sandwiches on a wooded hilltop but with the weather strating to freshen and some threatening clouds we soon continued on to Blockley. here we were in time to have a huge pot oF excellent tea and a mmassive slab of walnut and coffee cake which I am sad to report did not meet SWC quality thresholds: its topping was some beige, glutinous concoction which was not very pleasant. We continued on the last leg up the hill and down into MinM in glorious late afternoon light and across fields filled with buttercups and other wild flowers. A leisurley drink in the 3 Bells (an eminently quaffable Malbec) and the journey back on the 18.44. A brilliant Cotswolds day out.)

This walk goes through some lovely remote countryside but suffers from a slight shortcoming in that the pub comes too early in the walk and the early closure of the tea stop. Its only been posted once I think but its worth another summer outing.

Finally I only briefly looked at the pdf walk file but as someone who knows how much time and effort it takes to research, write and walk check a simple 12m walk this effort by Stargazer is truly a Labour of Love. Epic stuff which pushes even further the boundaries of SWC adventures.

I am not a LDW either, but was with the main group on the 8.18 train. I counted 12 but others said 11. We set off at an extraordinary pace - even an experienced LDW later confided to me that she found it shockingly fast. I soon got separated from the pack, as did a few others. In fact maybe there was no pack and everyone went at their own speed: I don't know.

The terrain on this "boring bit" (the author's own words) was pleasing enough. The weather was cloudy and windy but experienced LDW-ers said this was better than blazing heat. Towards lunch, 10 miles in, there was a short cut which I took, adding a further shortcut of my own, so I actually got to lunch first. On the way I encountered two more SWC walkers who had taken the 7.17 - yes, 7.17 - from Paddington and who had already lunched. These two plus the 11 on the specified train plus the two who did the short walk (see separate report) makes 15 total on the walk by my count.

The section after lunch was the scenic highlight - the gobsmacking Cotswold escarpment with a magnificent view towards Wales. We had some sun here too and the walk descended to the very pretty stone villages of Stanton and ....err....the other one, so life seemed very nice. A visitor to our group saved us from serious injury by expertly wrangling several enormous horses out of the way (you put your hand on their noses and push backwards gently, it seems, but don't try this at home, kids.)

If I had any gripe in such lovely scenery it was that it would have been nice to stop and look at it. Or sit down for a rest. In Stanton, 15 miles in, I did the latter and that was my big mistake. When I stood up again most of my leg muscles had gone AWOL and I also realised my water had run out. I had to do a huge and steep escarpment climb in sticky heat and then descend the other side and cross a valley to Snowshill. How I did this 2.5 miles, Lord knows.

I arrived as the pub was opening, however, and with another walker who had decided to stop there indulged in an orgy of sugary drinks and calorific foods. It was by now raining and we took our pre-booked taxi into Moreton (£18 if anyone is curious). The other walker and one of the 7.17 starters took the 7.43 train. I went to the surprisingly empty Indian restaurant (it has always been packed before) and had a vast veggie curry. All the other 26 milers arrived just in time for the 8.43, having had no tea stop whatsoever, and having hurriedly shopped for food for the train. We then all had a convivial and cheerful ride home.

Another time I would take a taxi to the lunch pub, 10 miles in, and do the rest of the walk. There is lunch in Stanton, tea in Blockley and this is the best of the scenery. If a group booked a people-mover taxi the shared cost might not be expensive. But if you are one of the superhumans* who can do these distances, it is a great day out

* Talking of superhumans, on the Cotswold Way were runners doing a 53 mile race along it: someone is always tougher than you!!!

I am exhausted just reading the report! Glad you all enjoyed the midsummer madness.