6.30am start yesterday doing Gloucestershire Historic Churches Ride and Stride. After clocking some local churches it was Highnam via path. Heavy mist met me at Highleadon and a diversion to St Mary’s Hartpury. A quick retrace and the next stop was at St Mary’s Oxenhall followed by St Mary’ Upleadon (back in heavy mist). Onwards to St James Staunton, then to Frocester Church followed by St Peters at Bushley. Arrived at Tewkesbury too early so retraced to St Mary Magdalena at Church End then back to Tewkes to bag the Methodist church and Abbey and watch the start of the stage. Saw the bunch pass Tewkesbury roundabout and followed the route to St Gregory’s at Tredington and St James the Great at Stoke Orchard (a real jem). Onwards to St Nicholas at Bishops Cleeve and then St Mary’s Prestbury. Bagged a few in Cheltenham then back to Christchurch Abbeydale to soak my feet in iced water. Then off again on short loop around Gloucester and a pint of shandy. 78 miles and 3600 ft ascent.
