Day 23 - London to Gloucestershire

Our Backroads Tour of England, Wales and Scotland begins today.  There are 15 members of the group, all from Australia and NZ.

English weather is beginning to show a pattern.  Cool/cold in morning, then showers, and by mid afternoon is warm/hot.  One must be prepared for anything when leaving your hotel or the bus.

Note - crumbed deep-fried fish and chips is AWFUL!!!

The first stop was at Oxford where we visited Oxford and other university colleges in the town.  This is a revered place of learning and literary excellence.  David Cameron studied here, as did many other world leaders including Bob Hawke, Tony Abbott and John Howard.  Tolkien wrote "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" here, and "Cinderella" was created at Oxford.  

After Oxford we visited another Woollen Mill where high quality fleece is shorn for weaving.  The farm has two pet sheep which are quite large by our standards.  One has no ears, because he fell into a canal and crayfish ate his ears!!

The Cotswald countryside is beautiful - rolling hillsides with sheep grazing and crops growing on rich pasture land.  Narrow lanes cut through the country.  Housing here is very, very expensive.

Oxford University.

A vast array of historical learning centres not destroyed in WW2.

Called the bridge of sighs which links two buildings, but not like the real bridge in Venice.

The library and study rooms.

Stunning architecture.

A small church in the Cotswolds 

The wheat farmer from South Australia thought he would give the group a sermon in the small church.

This is a typical house in the Cotswolds, with a thatched roof in a remarkable setting.