Cheltenham to Tewkesbury- 13 miles

It had rained most of the night and the morning had a similar theme to it, as I broke free of the urban area and out into the countryside. My route left the Cotswold way and followed a series of minor roads and footpaths in order to join up to the Gloucester way that would take me to Tewkesbury. There is always something very uncertain about public footpaths, that centres around their maintenance (or lack of it).This is how it was to be today as the footpath I had been following suddenly headed into a maize field with just a very muddy track through the middle. I emerged through the other side with mud laden boots only to be confronted by the path continuing across a ploughed field. This was too much for me and I headed around the narrow field margin to ensure I picked up the minimum of mud on my boots. I still managed to reach the other side walking like an astronaut with heavy space boots on. It took a few miles and lots of wet grass to shake off the farmers field.  Eventually I reached Tewkesbury and found a tea room where I ate my way through a toasted sandwich,some carrot cake and ice cream, washed down with a pot of tea and a glass of beer. I thought I would push the boat out! I found my B and B which was friendly and comfortably and showered away my aches and pains before finding an Italian  restaurant for my evening meal.