Stanway estate

I went to Winchcombe to meet a friend this morning, and we walked to Stanway along the Cotswold Way. We were due to go further, to Stanton, but it was warm work, and we dallied somewhat. Happily, the rain held off till the end.

It's years since I was on this stretch of the Way. The signage is far better now, but we still managed to go wrong, descending to Wood Stanway.

Before that, we paused near Beckbury to assess all the tree planting: not many individuals have the freedom these days to carry into operation such an extensive scheme. My friend wondered what it was for: in the age of the evanescent, I feel it's rather majestic, to conceive of a two-mile-long avenue. Perhaps some things should be allowed as an end in themselves. (NB The avenue of horse chestnuts beyond the water garden's canal from here were thought to have been first planted in 1720.)