The Evenlode

Yesterday, we did our Romanian reunion walk, postponed from February because of flooding. Where I stood to take this photograph (looking from Gloucestershire into Oxfordshire) would have been under water three months ago. Even now, it's boggy.

Eleven of us set out from Kingham Station up the West bank of the Evenlode to Oddington, before crossing to Adlestrop and on to Chastleton. After such a lunch as we were treated to, there was a generally glad acceptance of the offer of lifts back. A brilliant outing.

Drying out

Last month, we found the footpaths in the Evenlode Valley difficult for walking where they were not impassable: today, the three of us hardly returned to Oddington with mud on our boots. And this evening's journey to Forthampton for a jolly dinner involved no detours of the sort needed to avoid the floods of February. In between, there was time to set some lettuce plants between the rows of broad beans.

The Cotswold Triangle

Meeting certain very old friends at Easter and Christmas almost forms part of our religious ritual. Yesterday's visit to Winchcombe fulfilled that obligation: we reminisced about a particular three-day family cycle ride - to Evenlode (Day 1), on to Fairford, and back home up the Coln valley. Looking at the photographs afterwards - one appears above - I see it was precisely 20 years ago: Day 3 was election day, and the Cotswolds a sea of daffodils.