Trip 17. Cotswold View Campsite. Charlbury.
It took us just over three hours to get here. I did make an error but the Sat Nav was correct as usual and we turned around and continued to follow her instructions. One day I will learn not to question a machine.
Not much rain on the way down but it started to drizzle once we were set up. Our grass pitch is level so no ramps and each pitch has fresh water and grey waste drain. Just having a bite to eat before we have a wander around the park and find the paths ready for tomorrows expedition.
We went for a walk around the site, there is a large wooded area that has a Disc Golf course. Around the wood is also a series of fitness machines, we tried two of them. We left the wood and found The Shed the onsite calf where we had a tea and I indulged in a slice of Bakewell tart.
The site is very close to closing for the winter and although there are quite a number of caravans on site they are semi permanent and we saw hardly anyone else. A really peaceful site at this time of year but with full facilities.
We made our way back to Iona and relaxed until it was time for tea. Tonight we have a Chinese from a range of ASDA products.
Day 2:
Today we walked into Charlbury through the campsite wood and down through a nature reserve to the Church Yard and then on into the village. The town is full of pretty 17th and 18th-century cottages built of Cotswold stone. It is a beautiful village with narrow streets and very old houses. We were amazed at the number of old shops that were now residential houses. If the name of the house did not give it away then the old shop frontage did. We saw a Fishmonger, Coaching Inn, Bakery, Butcher plus there are three Pubs. We also found four churches which all seemed very much in use today.
We walked around the village and found the village green complete with a water fountain that commemorates a visit by Queen Victoria in 1886.
Our walk took us back to the church yard where a path lead us to the Charlbury Mill walk. We followed the route but it was flooded so we cut across a filed and found an alternative path that took us over the river Evenlode by a weir.
This was where the river divided around a Mill. The weir was the overflow for any water that the Mill did not need. Nowadays the main river goes over the weir and there is a sluice gate holding back the old mill race just after this point the bypassed river channel rejoins the original river bed.
Our circular route was nearly complete and we headed back to the campsite. The heavens opened and Sue pinched my waterproof because I had a fleece on. I got soaked.
Back at Iona we were soon in dry clothes and Sue started to make some sandwiches. She went to the Microwave to get the bread and found the rice for last nights meal. She did heat it up but forgot to serve it to us. I wonder what we won’t have tonight.
Day 3:
We went for a walk today through the woods and we found a permissive footpath to Charlbury. Our first stop was in the town centre to take pictures of houses that were mentioned in a brief history document we found. The old Fire-station and Albright House, named for the influential local family who purchased it in 1813. The house itself probably dates to the 17th century. Opposite Albright House is The Bell Hotel. You might be inclined to think this attractive building was built in 1700, as that is the date on the ornamented plaque above the door. But that is just the date the hotel was remodelled. The foundations of the Bell probably go back to the establishment of a market here in 1256.
We left the town centre and walked out of the town towards the south. As we followed the road we came across a planning application, the applicant was Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill. We continued on and found a rather grand house and parkland. Cornbury House complete with a huge deer park.
The path followed the edge of the Deer park but we could only find a route that would be an extra couple of miles to get back to the start. We gave in and turned around to retrace our steps.
We walked into town and the Bell Hotel was a welcome sight, Sue needed their facilities so I went along with her and we stayed for a drink and a pub lunch, consisting of a beef and blue cheese baguette , coleslaw and chips. It was a good thing we had a mile walk back to the campsite because we could easily have fallen asleep in the bar.
Day 4:
Today we are going to stay around the campsite. The sun was out and we even got the chairs out so we could sit outside in the sun and read. However we had not been out there for long when the wind changed and we were engulfed in smoke from a bonfire in the opposite field. The chairs went back into the cupboard and we retired inside to read.
Then it started to rain but it was only a shower and the sun appeared now and again from behind the clouds. We had a short walk around the campsite wood and saw a Muntjac deer for the second time.
Iona’s Travels 