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We left friends Pat & Graham with instructions on what best to see between Dorset and London. We had closed to go via the Cotswolds, so on a day that gave us all four seasons we set out.
First stop in Dorset was the Cerne Abbas Giant or ‘Rude Man’. This is a formation, carved into the chalky rock and set on a hill, in the shape of giant with club in hand and some very visible private parts. There is some discussion on how old the actual work is and whether the private parts were part of the original carving.
Photo is not good – all agree it is best seen 1) on a bright sunny day and 2) from the air and 3) without the sheep who quietly graze to keep the grass short and the carving visible.
We used the ‘avoid motorway’ GPS option to meander through narrow country roads and tiny villages. I was in the driver’s seat in our right drive car on England’s drive on the left roads. So it was all eyes on the road.
Our next stop was Avebury which has the largest stone circle in the world, put in place almost 6,000 years ago. The stone circles are so large that a pub and a chapel were built within it and roads run through it. The stones are set in varying circles and even as a path way, so you wonder what rituals took place here.
Avebury’s other claim to fame is the lovely manor which is the site of the BBC series ‘Manor Reborn’.
Our last stop was to see another famous chalk carving – the White Horse. It is also best seen on a bright sunny day and from the air, however it is immense.
We stopped at Lechlade on Thames and stayed in rooms behind the oldest pub The Crown Inn on High Street. An interesting night!
First stop next morning was Burford. A pretty town, glowing in autumnal colours. After a pleasant coffee I found a wool shop. Bruce enjoyed driving so much that I needed a project for the long kilometers we were covering. Gloves seemed a good idea, a small project but complex enough to keep me occupied! Hayden was my first customer.
We drove a circuit of the Cotswolds, enjoying the countryside. Last stop was Stow on the Wald in Oxfordshire, before heading to the big smoke.
