Eileen Burns sent these photos from our brand new Cotswolds hiking tour which wrapped up successfully last week. Eileen writes, "Stonehenge was a magical experience at the end of a marvelous trip. Saw a double rainbow come out twice!"
Here's a shot of Snowshill Manor and Gardens. Snowshill Manor is a traditional Cotswolds manor house located in the village of Snowshill, Gloucestershire, and it's listed on the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest. The house is filled with all sorts of treasures, and as you can see, they have beautiful gardens too.
Below: Another beautiful Cotswolds home with a moat around it. There are only a few homes left like this in England. This is a private home belonging to a friend (Rosalie) of Ryder-Walker trip leader Rogan O'Herlihy's mom. Our group enjoyed the exclusive privilege of a private tour.
The bluebells were out all over the Cotswolds.
This is our fearless trip leader, (and Cotswolds native) Rogan O'Herlihy explaining the trail signs and the green, circular Cotswolds Way icon on the signs.
And in case you're wondering, yes, the phones do have a dial tone so bring change if you need to make a call whilst out on the trail :)
Eileen jumped for joy when she was able to visit Shakespeare's birthplace and childhood home, a 16th-century half-timbered house in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Broadway Tower, in Worcestershire, is the second-highest point of the Cotswolds. The tower's base sits at 1,024 feet above sea level.
Of course, what would the Cotswolds be without sheep, and in particular, cuddly lambs? They were everywhere along the hike and sooooo precious!
And last, but certainly not least; here's a shot of our guest Sherrie Vollmar hiking in the Malvern Hills. It is said, that a line drawn due east from Worcestershire Beacon (the highest summit in the Malverns at 1,395 feet above sea level) will hit no higher point until the Ural Mountains of Russia.
You can read the full Cotswolds hiking itinerary by clicking here. Images and photo descriptions by Ryder-Walker managing director, Eileen Burns.
