Day 2 - Three Choirs Way

 Another early start to try & beat the rush-hour traffic. 

It was a bit of a grey start to the day here in Worcester as Denise attempted to take a start photo of me in our garden looking alert and ready for the off - NOT!!

The route down from Hollybush to Whiteleaved Oak was easy enough. It's a route that I've done many times before. 

I then took the lane down to Chase End Street. 

Then it was across the fields towards King's End where I encountered problem number one of the day. A field of very curious, frisky young bullocks!

They were all lying down, basking in the little bit of sunshine that had appeared, as I approached. 

Then they espied me on my side of the stile. 

They rose as one and galloped towards me. 

I stayed my side of the fence and tried to find an alternative route into another field. 

No such luck to the right although the bullocks did follow me on their side of the fence. 

I retraced my steps and tried the other side . . . . and they followed me all the way!!

Eventually I found a way out onto the lane and paused to take a lovely portrait of one of the 'cooos' 

From a distance, with a substantial hedge between them and me I have to admit they almost look kinda sweet!!

Almost!!

Panic over and I continued on my way to Pendock mostly by quiet lanes. 

My walking gizmo decided to have a hiccup so I hastily took a slightly blurry photo of the distance from Hollybush to Pendock.

4.84 miles - a bit further than expected thanks to the cattle!! 

I think my gizmo was put off by the cattle - I know I was!

Gizmo restarted after a lot of swearing and I was able to continue. 

From there I followed some clearly defined pathways across cattle-free fields until I reached the Chartist settlements around Staunton. Lovely names to the hamlets and villages in this area: 

Snig's End, Corse, Corse Lawn. 

Very "English"  

I could see a ridge in the distance and knew I'd have to climb it. 

The only real climb of the day. 

It was a short but incredibly steep climb followed by another field of cows with young calves! They were far more docile and not near my path so I carried on. 

I crossed another lane and then came across herd number three. Young cattle in my field, their mums and a bull in the next door field! The stile was right beside the gateway where Mums and calves were chatting over the fence!! the youngest calves were very interested and the older ones very skittish. I managed to find a way onto the farm track and ended up in the farmyard where I met the farmer & explained why I was in his yard. (No photo this time!!)

The rest of my walk was either on lanes, arable fields or with sheep. I have a feeling that I'm going to be doing some more lengthy detours to avoid cattle before the week is out. 

I wandered through the village of Ashleworth. There must be some money in the village. It's quite close Gloucester city and there was a lot of renovation building work going on and some very picturesque, large cottages. 

The lane leading to the river was long and I was hungry.

My late lunch was beside the River Severn, again sitting in the sunshine. 

Once fed & watered I made my way along a lane towards the village of Maisemore where I caught my first glimpse of Gloucester Cathedral. 

Here in Maisemore I crossed over the West Channel of the Severn. The river divides into a West and East Channel just north of Maisemore and rejoins a bit further south.

I'm not sure if Alney Island refers to the land between these two channels or the large road roundabout (& island) that sits on it!! 

Some of the land is a Nature Reserve, Richard's Wood, which was created to commemorate the 500th Anniversary of the charter given to the people of Gloucester by King Richard III.

There was a little dicing with traffic as I made my way towards the city centre. 

I arrived at Westgate Street Car Park moments after Denise had arrived from Worcester and we walked the last few hundred yards together. 

The Cathedral looked as magnificent as I remembered.

So that's 12 miles from Pendock to Gloucester and 4.84 miles from Hollybush to Pendock. 

If we discount detours for cattle I've probably walked another 16.5 miles on Day 2. 

That makes a total of around 35 miles between the two cathedrals in two days which sounds about right. 

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