DAY 10 – WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2026
We woke up a little stiff, but reasonably rested after yesterday’s long hike. Our bags had to be out by 8:30 AM, but knowing today’s walk was a bit shorter, we did not feel quite as rushed getting out the door.
After breakfast at our inn, we packed up our backpacks and headed out into the very cute village of Broadway. It really is a delightful little place. Some tour books even call it the “Jewel of the Cotswolds,” and honestly, that feels pretty accurate. We poked into a couple of shops, mailed some postcards, and then officially started the day’s hike.
Almost immediately after leaving town, we began a steady uphill climb with plenty of sheep along the way to wish us a good morning.
We also noticed far more hikers than we had seen on previous days, although most seemed to be heading downhill while we climbed upward. Our guess was that many were simply making the trek out to Broadway Tower, our first major stop of the day.
As we climbed, the wind picked up and a light rain started to fall, though it was nothing dramatic. We easily pulled our raincoats out of our backpacks and kept going.
After about 1.5 miles of fairly continuous uphill climbing, we reached Broadway Tower. We decided to pay the admission fee to tour it, and we are glad we did. The tower is what is known as a “folly,” meaning it was originally built purely as an ornamental structure with no real practical purpose. According to the story, the owner built it because his wife wondered whether something on top of this hill could be seen from their home. Apparently, it could.
The tower itself is wonderfully quirky with three turrets, each with a spiral staircase. It has rounded sides, three floors, and a rooftop terrace. Early owners simply admired it from afar, though later it was actually lived in by a writer, his wife, a painter friend, and a caretaker couple. That must have made for some very close quarters.
We enjoyed climbing through the tower and listening to the audio tour. By the time we reached the rooftop terrace, the sun had returned, though the wind was still fierce. We even got to watch a couple taking wedding photos with the tower as their backdrop, which felt appropriately dramatic given the weather.
As we descended from the tower, we decided to stop at the café for a quick lunch since there were no other food stops along today’s route. When we came back outside, we noticed dark clouds and falling rain in the distance. A few minutes later we heard thunder and decided it was probably wise to prepare for whatever might be coming our way.
We put on raincoats, rain pants, and backpack covers and headed out. Five minutes later, while walking across a wide open ridge, it started hailing. Not tiny little hailstones either. This was pea-sized hail that quickly upgraded itself to garbanzo bean status.
We turned our bodies sideways to protect our faces, but it turns out that hail mixed with strong wind really stings when it smacks into you repeatedly. We half laughed in disbelief and half questioned our choice to continue, but with no trees or shelter nearby, the only real option was to keep walking.
Then, almost as quickly as it started, the hail stopped. Fifteen minutes later the sun was shining brightly again as though none of it had happened.
Nearby, we noticed a herd of sheep sheltering under a tree during the storm. Once it cleared, they began crossing our path toward a wooded area, perhaps wisely deciding they were done trusting the weather forecast for the day. Our pace slowed behind them as we carefully picked our way across a layer of hail covering the trail. The last thing we wanted at that point was to slip and fall into something unpleasant.
The rest of the afternoon took us through more fields of bright yellow rapeseed and barley, wooded stretches, and open pastures. We passed through 19 gates, saw countless sheep, and spotted several pheasants along the way. Although the sun appeared fairly often, we kept our rain gear on because brief showers continued to pop up throughout the afternoon.
Near the end of the hike, our route detoured slightly so we could walk across the ridge at Dover’s Hill for more panoramic views. Sure enough, just as we stepped out into the wide open space, we heard an eerily familiar tap tap tap against our raincoats.
Hail. Again.
Apparently lightning may not strike twice, but hail certainly can.
Thankfully, this second round was much shorter and less aggressive than the first. Soon enough, the skies cleared and we finished our walk in sunshine as we arrived in the lovely village of Chipping Campden. Fun fact: the prefix “Chipping” indicates that it was historically a market town.
We found our hotel, though it was still too early to check in and our luggage had not yet arrived. Naturally, with time to spare, we found a local café and ordered a cream tea. This turned out to be an excellent decision, partly because we have grown very fond of scones, and partly because it started raining again while we sat inside enjoying them.
Once the rain eased up, we made our way to the spa at our hotel. Thinking ahead, we had booked treatments to help with recovery after several long hiking days. It was the perfect place to relax sore muscles, rest, and wait out the off-and-on rain showers.
Eventually we checked into our hotel, showered, changed clothes, and headed out to dinner at the Eight Bells Inn. It is the oldest public house in Chipping Campden and appears on many lists of the “Best Pubs in the Cotswolds.” It absolutely lived up to the reputation as we had a truly delicious dinner.
One especially interesting feature of the pub is a priest hole located right in the middle of the dining room floor, covered with plexiglass and softly illuminated below. During the reign of Henry VIII and the dissolution of the Catholic Church, priests often feared for their lives. Hidden spaces like these were built into homes and buildings so clergy could hide during searches.
After dinner, we made the short five-minute walk back to our hotel and settled into our now traditional evening routine of stretching and a hot bath.
Only one more day of hiking to go!
Hammond Adventures 