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"The B's have it" especially for walkers

When you are walking on your own, the mind tends to turn to all sorts of funny directions.  Last year, I did three walks in and around Blockley, which I greatly admire, and which has all the facilities, like a good pub or two, easy car parking, a tea shop and of course plenty of good footpaths.  It then dawned on me that there were a host of other Cotswold villages, also beginning with the letter B that were almost as good and interesting, and some that CRC members had not often visited.

I therefore propose to put on a couple of full day Saturday walks in each programme for the next year or so (knees permitting).  Do you have a favourite B village that I haven't thought of?  I hope you may join me on some or all of them and the first two (but four Bs) are on 2 September and 14 October 2017.

Guy Vowles

Donnington Brewery and the Donnington Way

Some members who have been on the first two legs of the Donnington Way have asked me about the origins of the brewery and the Way. So here's an outline of both. The brewery, which we passed on the first leg, is based on Donnington Mill and is thought to be possibly one of the mills of Broadwwell Manor and so date back to 1291. In the 16th century it was used as a cloth mill, but was then rebuilt and converted into two corn mills around 1580.

In 1827 the buildings were bought by Thomas Arkell, whose descendant Richard Arkell started a brewery there in 1865. The brewery has been owned and run by the Arkell family ever since; the current owner, James Arkell, being the great-grandson of the founder. 

The Donnington Way is a 62 mile long circular walk created in 1991.  It linked together all the 15 Donnington Brewery pubs that existed at that time.  Only one of the original 15 pubs has closed since then (The Coach and Horses at Ganborough) but three have been added, so there are actually 17 at present.  We are unlikely to be able to include the new arrivals but should get to see 14 of the original set.

David Johnson

Club essentials

Cheltenham Rambling Club is a membership club with a Chairman, committee, rules and constitution. The club also strives to provide a duty of care to its' members and so members should familiarise themselves with the health and safety guidance.

The following club information can be downloaded.