This month's caravanner
Stacie Pardoe & Mark Bigault
Outfit used
2007 Mitsubishi Outlander Elegance
and 2007 Avondale Dart 475-4
It's surprising what you discover when you go against the grain. Take the Cotswolds, for example. For most people, this region is all about picturesque hamlets, thatched cottages and warm, honeyed stonework.
When Stacie and I visited we were happy to see all of this in spades but went in search of something a little different.
From the moment we hopped on our bikes and pedalled away from the Moreton-in-Marsh Caravan Club site, we realised there was more to the Cotswolds than charming villages. It's bursting with attractions, excellent eateries and hidden treasures, some of which we stumbled across, thanks to the unrivalled access afforded by bicycles.
If you were to ask me, I would say bikes are the best way to scout out the region. At the beginning of the trip, Stacie, however, was a little sceptical about whether two wheels were actually better than four. But
I was determined to show her just how much fun cycling is. We figured that the Cotswolds would have enough attractions to satisfy us, and they were only a couple of hours' drive from base, so we set off with our Avondale in tow.
During our short break we wanted to cycle two routes. The last time I went for a long ride was in the New Forest, where
I made the schoolboy error of
not taking a map. Four hours later,
my saddle-sore behind reminded me never to make that mistake again.
We tracked down dedicated cycle maps at the Moreton-in-Marsh tourist office, near the traffic lights in the high street. After a little debate about realistic distances, I did the sensible thing and agreed with Stacie; the best two routes for us were Moreton-in-Marsh to Chipping Camden, and Bourton-on-the-Water to Stow-on-the-Wold. The first is a gentle six-mile ride and the second a more demanding 12-mile circuit.
We were only a few minutes into our cycle trek when it was already time to stop. It had nothing to do with me needing a breather; it's just that we had planned to pop into the Wellington Aviation Museum, which was down the road from our site.
It's easy to spot the museum: just be on the lookout for the large propellers and landing wheels propped up outside. As we arrived, we noticed there was nowhere suitable to lock our bikes. The museum's owner, Gerry, came out and suggested that we leave them around the back in his secure garden.
Once inside we paid our £2 entrance fee
and Gerry was happy to show us around and talk us through the aircraft pieces and prints
on display. This former RAF man set up the museum 18 years ago when the local flight training station closed down.
The museum lost some delicate pieces in
last summer's floods. It was fortunate though: the water rose only 12 inches inside, while other properties in the area sat in up to four feet. The museum still has an abundance
of memorabilia, full of personal stories and local history.
Gerry said that some visitors spend up to three hours wandering around. Unfortunately we had to get on, so we happily signed the visitor's book, fetched our bikes and resumed cycling in earnest.
(Extract)
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