Thursday May 11 - The Cotswold Way - Painswick to King's StanIey

First day on the Cotswold Way. I walked from Painsville to King's Stanley in beautiful sunshine. Many people and their dogs were out on the trail. There were "yellow flag" warnings about intermittent downpours in the afternoon. I hoped to get to my BnB before that! 
In fact, I did make it to Troy House just after big drops started falling from the sky! It didn't last long.
The biggest surprise of this segment of the walk, was meeting the other guests at breakfast the next morning. Norma and Winston are from Sacramento too! It really is a small world.
Here are photos from the first day's walk. 
I'm leaving the Troy Hotel and walking to the church where I will begin to walk on the Cotswold Way.
The photo below shows you a typical post with the Cotswold Way directional "arms". You are seeing a gate that allows one person at a time to enter. Cows and sheep cannot get past these gates.
The path often crosses a pasture. It is merely a footpath, not a sidewalk.
The path goes through woods as well. These ferns were just now unfurling. Looking at the bottom of the photo, you are seeing English Ivy. It's everywhere in the woods.
The Cotswolds follow an escarpment. It is a raised section of ground. It's high. To see views like this, you have to walk serious hills.


This is a genuine Ploughman's Board. There was enough here for two meals.
This entry point is called a Roman Style. To cross it with daysack on, I would step up on the first ring, switch my feet around as I passed through the middle. It was awkward, difficult, and frustrating. I expressing my confusion with this style at breakfast the next day. The person across from me said, "I take my daysack off and set it on the other side. Then I just step through." Oh. Why didn't I think of that?
Yes, there are vineyards in England. And don't those clouds look menacing?
Walking into King's Stanley, the only pub in town is closed. They are looking for a new owner. 
I'm looking for my BnbB, Orchardine. I finally called them and the fellow said he'd come out and wave. After a couple minutes and no one coming out where I was standing, I walked out to the road. Sure enough, a nice older guy was out there waving another 49' up the road.
This is  my bedroom. That lumpy looking bed worried me at first. Then I pulled back the bedspread. The lumpiness was caused a deep, down quilt. Yes, I slept well that night.

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