A Thankful Village in the Cotswolds, UK

While on a HF Holiday walk in the UK, 
our walk guide mentioned the village of Upper Slaughter was one of the Thankful Villages. 


I always search for something new, anything I have never read about or been told and this was totally new.  My guide for this walk
mentioned 'thankful villages' which prompted a search for more information.  The title was coined by the writer Arthur Mee in his 1930's book, "Enchanted Land".  

           

Some of the paths are well marked while other you may just follow the worn path in the field

During WW I and WW II the United Kingdom suffered staggering losses of service men and women.  War memorials to those who gave everything for the wars are in most towns and cities in Britain.

                        The rolling pastures and field on the way to Upper Slaughter.

Upper Slaughter does NOT have a war memorial.  All the service men and women from this village returned after the war qualifying Upper Slaughter as a thankful village

St Peters Church, Upper Slaughter

The village was quiet.  Perhaps the rain kept everyone, except the hikers, inside.   The church was open and other visitors were exploring.  There was a table with bottles of water and shoe laces for sale if hikers were in need.   Such a quiet, peaceful spot.

My visit was over Remembrance weekend.  There was a parade and ceremony in Bourton on the Water but Upper Slaughter had no celebration. 

   

An article in British Heritage stated there were more than 16,000 villages in Britain but only 53 had all their soldiers return from the WWI.   Doubly tankful villages, all soldiers returned from WW I and WW II, only number 14, and Upper Slaughter is included.

The Village may not have strong cell phone signals or just enjoys this tradition.

                      I hope to return one sunny day for outstanding blue sky photos!

HF Holidays have a large assortment of walks that show a solo traveler more English towns and villages.  

Have you visited a thankful Village?   Share your visit in the message section, remember it must be in English please.   Advertisements can not me posted.

           

Walking in the Cotswolds, UK, easy day trip from London

Even a rainy day in the UK did not prevent me from visiting the Cotswolds  

During many years of taking the short American vacation to London, I have visited the larger towns of Bath and Cheltenham since they are on a train route from London.  


The catalogue from HF Holidays* surprised me with additional towns I could reach without a car so off I went to Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswolds in November.   


Taking the train from Paddington Station in London, to Oxford for a quick change to
the local train for Moreton in Marsh I had my first look at a Cotswolds village!   The train arrived late so I missed the hourly bus to my destination of Bourton-on-the-Water.   This gave me an hour to see Moreton in Marsh in the pouring rain.   

Rain does not stop the British nor the traveler with only one day to see everything!   A kind woman under the bus shelter suggested I go into town for tea while I waited for the next bus.   A short walk from the train station via narrow streets lined by 'charming stone buildings'  just what I love about Europe, brought met to the high (main) street of Moreton in Marsh.  Since I had not planned a stop in this village, I was not prepared, but I followed the 'T' signs to the local tourist office.  

I arrived just as the Tourist office was closing.   One of the reasons I try NOT to travel to busy tourist areas on a weekend:  open hours are limited and often the trains schedules are shortened. 


Arriving in the Cotswolds:
Taking the train from Paddington Station in London, to Oxford for a quick change to the local train for
Moreton in Marsh.  This was my first look at a Cotswolds village!   The train arrived late so I missed the hourly bus to my destination of Bourton-on-the-Water. 

Perhaps the single verbal 'draw' for this area is the
Cotswold stone you see on all the buildings.                       
A warm golden color that is striking in the sunlight and there was a moment when the sky was cleared to take one photo.

golden limestone walls
 

 


Bourton-on-the-Water on the River Windrush

                                                                           





Even in November the green of the wolds (hills) was striking.   The many villages are crisscrossed  by water and bordered by the River Thames on the south and River Avon on the north.
Bourton on the Water is called the Venice of the Cotswolds. 

Even visiting during November there were many tourists in town but I did not see the ubiquitous   tour buses.  Along the main street there are a number of shops and even more teashops.   hops!  Perfect! Visitors must be a large part of the local economy. 
A chat with one of the locals confirmed that the crowds in the summer were much larger. 

I had a late lunch at one of the restaurants.   Later than a local would have a meal but there were a few other customers there.    Both Morton-in-Marsh and Bourton-on-the-Water offer great facilities for travelers with clean restrooms.  Thank you.

Other villages I wish to see next year:   Broadway, Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Burford, Stroud and Cirencester.

A very helpful clerk at the Paddington station 'future ticket' desk searched for a brochure that outlined a train route through the Cotswolds.  The Cotswolds Discoverer:  A  three day ticket allows you to use the connecting bus service to see many of the other villages in the Cotswolds.  You can also pay for a oneway or round trip bus ticket on the bus.

NOTE:   there are more trains Monday to Friday and the bus service does NOT run late into the evenings so plan ahead.     Of course if you have a car you can go to many

*  A detailed story on my adventure with HF Holidays follows

Harrington House, Bourton-on-the-Cotswolds

 

A visit to Canterbury: Canterbury, UK

The Canterbury Tales: *    If you read this classic in high school than you may expect a stream of pilgrims walking on the ancient walls towards Canterbury cathedral.   You will find local citizens using the walls as a very easy route without cars and stop lights, day travelers coming from the train station or the occasional runner and bike riders.    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Canterbury_Tales

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An enormous structure but with perfect scale

More than 25 years ago I visited Canterbury for the first time.       My memories were of a town that made me fill as if I stepped back in time 500 years and a vesta box.    I am sorry to say I did not remember the cathedral but I did remember and still have the unusual silver box a man would have worn on a chain to carry small matches in.

So a second visit the Canterbury had the goal of seeing the cathedral and the town.
S
When the opportunity to overnight in Canterbury on my was to Dover arose, I decided to stay overnight on the cathedral  grounds at the Cathedral Lodge.
.   I think I expected monks or brothers to be in residence as they are during my stays in convent hotels in Italy where I have met travelers and nuns from all over the world.     http://hometoitaly.blogspot.com/2013/03/italy-try-convent-instead-of-hotel.html         But this is not the case at the Cathedral nor the lodge on the grounds.  The hotel is a professionally run conference center and hotel.    http://www.canterburycathedrallodge.org/?gclid=CKnF2P6Zl7gCFc0WMgodRiIABA

A short walk from the train station atop the city wall or you can leave your car in the car park outside the main door.   The friendly staff quickly checked me in and even helped me with my bags to my room since I was in the older building without an elevator:     A nice large room with windows overlooking the town.  
A full breakfast as only the English can do, is included with your room.   Wifi is available in most rooms and in the library on the first floor.   A truly lovely stay.

Since I had returned to Canterbury to see the town and the church, I started with the high (main) street that was busy with shoppers and the weekly market.   I am a travel shopper.  I shop stores, markets and particularly grocery stores to see what local life is like.  



Because I was staying at ‘the Lodge’ I had full access to the Cathedral for my entire stay.     There was no choir practice that evening so I sat in on the organ practice.   The deep sounds resonated off the walls and the soaring ceiling.   Walking in the main nave I tried to imagine a service here hundreds of years ago.      Living in a country that only goes back a few hundred years,  I enjoy visiting towns and buildings that whisper me.  All the footsteps of the generations that walked in the streets and lived their lives….. 
One overnight was NOT ENOUGH time to experience the town, meet some of the locals or enjoy all the English culinary treats:   a Sunday roast, pub grub and high tea.
I shall just plan to return.

All solo travelers are not 20 somethings:  
I met India at the check in counter at the Lodge and she kindly agreed to a short video to explain why she would not consider traveling solo……I found this interesting since everything you read is that solo travel is for backpacking, hostel stays, young travelers who want to go around the world.

Since I research and write about mature solo travel I thought this was enlightening.

http://www.canterburycathedrallodge.org/?gclid=CKnF2P6Zl7gCFc0WMgodRiIABA