Started off my ride in Stow at our new Community Garden on the site of Stow Surgery. I met up with our Lead Volunteer Chris and saw our new shed for the first time! Many thanks to Ed and the team at Travis Perkins Bourton, who so kindly arranged the donation of the new shed for us! The flowers are looking lovely following the recent garden opening and the herb bed is already starting to establish itself. We are still looking for volunteers for the garden, which will be starting up in earnest again next Spring now – so if you are green-fingered (or have no experience but would like to learn!) please do let us know.

I also met up with Keith from Men in Sheds Bourton in the garden. The Bourton shedders have very kindly donated two garden chairs that they have made and a gazebo, as well as making bespoke wooden stands for our planters – they look amazing - thank you! I made my way through the Oddingtons (Upper, Lower and Oddington!) and also visited Bledington, Maugersbury, Icomb, Wick Rissington, and Adlestrop. One hill was so big, I felt the need to stop and take a picture back down it! Practice on the hills is definitely helping though!

I discovered a lovely seating area with an inset poem at Adlestrop. “Adlestrop” is a poem by Edward Thomas, based on a railway journey Thomas took on 24 June 1914, during which his train briefly stopped at the now-closed station in the Gloucestershire village. It was lovely to sit there for a drinks break and read it! I wasn’t too happy with the final part of my route as I found myself on the Fosse Way for the final mile and a half, heading up the hill on the dual carriageway back into Stow – not to be recommended on a bicycle!