It was
gloriously sunny day as Mike and I parked up in Lechlade and enjoyed a coffee
shortly before peddling off.
This
delightfully flat part of Gloucestershire looked like it had enjoyed good dose
of room service; All the fields looked well ploughed and turned down ready for
corn or fluffed up and ready for horn.
Cycling north east and we were heading towards Burford for lunch at the Rose and Crown in
Shilton. (Panini central!)
Then we
peddled west and south along the valley of the River Leach. It is tributary of the Thames, is approximately 18 miles long, springing from the limestone
hills of the Cotswolds.
The Leach
runs clear and sweet through two villages Eastleach St Martin and Eastleach
Turville, each boasts a lovely Norman Church.
St Andrews’ fine Norman doorway gives way to a lovely Early English interior, which was flooded with March sunlight.
St Andrews’ fine Norman doorway gives way to a lovely Early English interior, which was flooded with March sunlight.
St Michael and St Martin |
Interior bathed in sunlight Saint Andrews' Church |
One can
cross the river by a footbridge of flat limestone slabs and reach the church of
St Michael and St Martin; this is now in the care of the Churches
Conservation Trust and its upkeep is perfect.
Here, at one
time, John Keble was curate here. Indeed the stone bridge, which Mike and I had
crossed, is called Keble’s Bridge.
From
Eastleach Lechlade was only four miles back and a good cup of tea awaited,
again close by Ha’ Penny Bridge.
John KEBLE
Keble was a leading member The Oxford
Movement, High Church members of the Church of England who mostly associated
with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of some older
Christian traditions of faith.
And Keble College was established in
1870, having been built as a monument to John Keble.
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Thank you very much for your comments - Tim