Your two streamlined OAP relatives did over a mile of cyclo-cross from remote Heythrop Park Hotel into idyllic Church Enstone village. Lifting the bikes over stiles and struggling through one awkward kissing gate on dry, cracked mud footpaths and through fields. Then, deserted bridleways and country lanes to chocolate box cottages and houses, many with thatch and all in beautiful Cotswold stone. Quite magical, especially from being so different from the West Midlands!
What was so special was the empty lanes where we could ride two abreast. Nothing too steep that bottom gear could not easily cope with as we enjoyed heaps of white blossom from hawthorn, horse chestnuts, buddleia and cow parsley. Even a few horse chestnuts loaded with rarer, red candle flowers. The bikes meant you could stop wherever you wanted to and, so much easier to talk to the locals.
Three nights at Heythrop Park, perfect weather even if cold in the mornings, meant two days of cycling and no use of the car, at all. AND, the very first mile of cycling brought us right up against zebras, hares, monkeys and penguins in their enclosures! Later, donkeys too.
On the way home, at Cotswold View Garden Nursery we had our closest view ever of a red kite swooping across an empty play area in front of our window. And, an even longer view of a woodpecker pecking away at one of the wooden play frames.
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