Having left Gibbo and pinned his sheet to the map board we went back down to Lydney and turned right for Chepstow, Bob at the wheel and me making a mess of the camera work. As a result I didn't capture a single one of the places on Gibbo's list because I was concentrating on reading the map, following the list, spotting the places and trying to take pictures. Let's face it, us chaps are not known for multi-tasking but here is the miserable output I got on the way to the next river crossing:
![DSC_2081.JPG (243.89 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27445&t=1)
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![DSC_2082.JPG (273.45 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27446&t=1)
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![DSC_2083.JPG (249.92 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27447&t=1)
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I did warn both of you!!!
When I planned the route I selected the M48 Severn Bridge because neither of us had ever been over it before, we have always used the M4 bridge further downstream so we were looking forward to yet another previously untrodden river crossing and we were not dissappointed:
![DSC_2084.JPG (240.46 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27448&t=1)
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![DSC_2085.JPG (215.77 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27449&t=1)
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![DSC_2086.JPG (221.58 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27450&t=1)
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Given our general distaste of Motorways on the Stroll we turned off the M48 at the first opportunity which was only just over the river and then headed up through country roads towards Cotswold Aerodrome our next planned drive by.
![DSC_2090.JPG (251.08 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27454&t=1)
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![DSC_2091.JPG (221.66 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27455&t=1)
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![DSC_2092.JPG (225.53 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27456&t=1)
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![DSC_2093.JPG (301.91 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27457&t=1)
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Throughout the Stroll we had not been inconvenienced by Covid at all, excluding the odd pub one way system, and it was when we arrived at Cotswold that we became truly aware of the effect it has had on the aviation industry. Row after row of British Airways Boeing 747s were standing forlorn and forgotten, not to mention numerous other aircraft spread around the field like a WW2 scatter policy. Needless to say such a sight brought the Covid crisis home to us, although it is providing the aircraft spotters with an opportunity to fill in some gaps in their collections:
![DSC_2094.JPG (317.76 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27459&t=1)
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![DSC_2095.JPG (316.08 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27460&t=1)
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![DSC_2101.JPG (440.28 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27465&t=1)
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Having taken that in we set course for Didcot and our much anticipated tour of the Railway Centre. Not far along the road we came to Fairford and I was impressed with the apparent ingenuity of the locals to get round Covid restrictions. I suspect they had had to cancel a planned Jumble Sale in the village hall but came up with the idea of turning it into a Jumble Trail. It looks like the idea was for the planned stall holders to set up their stalls in their own front gardens and the organisers sold a map to customers showing them where to find the stalls. Obviously that is my supposition from the poster we passed sited next to an extremely well buried tree. I am hoping more arborially (if such a word exists
![Big Grin :-D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
) aware members can identify the tree?
![DSC_2102.JPG (504.39 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27466&t=1)
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After Fairford we motored on until we reached Didcot. Interestingly I had routed us to the station but as we approached we saw a sign to The Railway Centre and obediently followed the arrow. This took us on an entertaining (not!) drive through an industrial estate emerging at the roundabout where we had first turned off with no further signs!! Hmmmm!! We reverted to the planned route and headed for the station, drove past it and onward to the road out of Didcot, Hmmmm!! A U-turn took us back towards the station where we saw a sign for "Station car park and Railway Centre". Obviously you are only expected to approach the Centre from that direction!! We followed the signs to the main car park for Didcot Station and it was there that we got our second reminder of Covid. Bearing in mind that it was 14.30 on a Thursday afternoon we did not expect the car park to be like this:
![DSC_2104.JPG (351.1 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27467&t=1)
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We wasted another five minutes trying to find a space to park in and eventually settled for an undercover space up near the car park exit. It was a very sunny afternoon and keeping the plum jam fresh was a concern!! Having left the car we followed the pedestrian signage to the 'Station and Railway Centre' and found ourselves going up 2 floors in a lift and then out onto a bridge and down a ramp to the station car park???? I took the opportunity to take the first of many planned photos in Didcot and caught a west country express pulling out of the station from the ramp:
![DSC_2103.JPG (367.41 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27468&t=1)
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The end of the ramp brought a new sign which read 'Entry to the Railway Centre through the Main Station ticket barrier'. We walked into the forecourt/booking hall and saw the barriers to the platforms in front of us. Over we strolled and informed the ticket collector that we wanted to go through to the Railway Centre and he told us to go to the middle turnstile and he would let us through. We had of course donned our Covid gear by now and following his directions we set off through the turnstile, along the tunnel past stairs up to various platforms to the far end where we came out of the tunnel, turned right and walked along a footpath signposted The Railway Centre. The anticipatory excitement was building as was the need to use the loo as soon as we got in. The next right angled bend in the path brought the actual centre gates into view, at last!!! As we approached we noticed that the building beside the gates seemed deserted but we ploughed on, now in urgent need of the gents. Arriving at the gates the last of the signage greeted us 'Opening Hours - Weekends 10.00 - 17.00 Weekdays 10.00 - 16.00
School Holidays Only HMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!! Suffice to say the weeds around the shed are now either dead or growing profusely!!
Considerably dismayed we retraced our steps along the path and through the tunnel to the barrier. I decided not to even raise it with the ticket collector as I would have ended up calling him names which generally would have been more commonly used to describe Mr Pastry or Mr Bean!! Out of the forecourt we sought refuge in the pub across the road to discuss our next move. Having been pushed for time in the morning it was now even more frustrating to have 4 hours to spare and only 45 minutes needed to get to our dinner appointment with James. We used the first hour having a non alcoholic refreshment and a general chat about the Stroll's highlights and lowlights, of which this was really the only one, and we decided to go on to Henley and have a stroll around and along the river before heading to our dinner pub:
![DSC_2105.JPG (299.86 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27470&t=1)
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Eventually we headed up to the pub, arriving 30 minutes ahead of schedule, and took our seats at a very decently sized round table. Again ordering tonic and coke in preparation for a long evening before our final drive, we discussed the week while we waited for James and possibly Michel. James texted to say he was in Henley and on his way and soon after he arrived in a flurry of hellos and laughter as he entered with his cue ready for some post dinner pool action. He told us that Michel was not going to make it so we ordered and sat back and discussed a myriad of subjects while the food was being prepared. As James has already posted, a few minutes before the food arrived the pub was plunged into darkness with a power failure in the local vicinity. We had my phone torch and James' LED equipped baseball cap so we were able to continue as we were. The landlord came out of the kitchen and I asked if they cooked with electricity or gas. "Gas fortunately" he replied with a big grin "Won't be long". By now the landlady had found some candles and brought one to our table so we could enjoy a "romantic candle lit dinner at no extra charge!" Just what we needed! then the food arrived and we all tucked in with relish finally ordering a beer from the local selection and passed a couple of hours of high amusement and entertaining conversation. Sadly we had to call a halt as we still had to get back to Elstree and then Bob to Reading and me to Hertford so we went to the bar to settle up. HMMMM No tills, the landlord made an item by item guess at the prices and arrived at a very amicable total of £43. We gave him £45 in cash and told him to treat the change as payment for the candlelit atmosphere and general bonhomie!! I will be going back there next time I'm in Henley!! The three of us then walked back towards the town together and we came to a point where the street lights were on and the darkness was behind us. A bit further along we said cheerio to James who had parked in a diffent place and headed back to the car for the final leg around the M25. I did of course take one final picture in the darkness before we left the pub so that I could now offer this image to the last remaining reader as a memento of one of the best weeks we have ever had!!:
![DSC_2113.JPG (206.47 KiB) Viewed 558 times Own work](./download/file.php?id=27476&t=1)
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So a final thankyou to Steve, Neil, Paul, Gibbo and James for taking the time to come and meet us and make the whole Stroll such a great holiday for us.
However if anyone has managed to read this far then thankyou too for tolerating my sense of humour and poor camera work and hopefully enjoying the tale of our adventure. There will be more trips to come, so watch this space!! Cheers for now