Jeri’s Steps: 28,148
Miles walked: 10.2
Elevation: 1,030
Pints: 2
Churches: 2
Stiles: 17
Benches: 3

After a light cooked breakfast at the Broadlands Hotel (smoked salmon and scrambled eggs), we were driven back to Northleach, actually the nearby village of Farmington, to start our walk. We appreciated the fact the first half mile descended a grassy field.

Walking today was different. We only planned on nine miles for one and so our pace was more relaxed. But the landscape was more open, with views of distant hills and woods and footpaths not encumbered with hedges. We reached Bourton-On-The-Water at noon, site of last night’s B&B. Jeri plunged her feet into the cool water.  After lunch at the Old Manse hotel we walked the short distance to Lower Slaughter, another village with a river running through it.  Unfortunately the church was closed, so Farmington remained our only church interior today. The name Slaughter comes from the Old English term “slough” meaning “wet land”.

Also today we started walking parts of the Heart of England Way, a path which we will be following on and off over the next two weeks.

We wound through Stow on the Wold to find our B&B set back from the road with a lovely view over the fields, and a huge room, shower and bed. Sounds good.