A Weekend in Broadway

Hi there everyone 😀

In Monday's post I shared our visit to Sudeley Castle, which was the prequel to our annual weekend meeting up with old friends ... this year we were in Broadway in The Cotswolds. It was but a short drive from Sudeley Castle to The Old Station House, which was to be our home for the weekend ...

It was a great find, in a perfect spot, just tucked up at the top of the road by the station, which was perfect, as our friends were staying in their caravan just across the main road.

We were greeted and shown around and soon settled into our room, which had great views both over the garden and to the open countryside beyond ...
... and of the steam railway ...
We spent Thursday night catching up over a meal in one of the local hostelries whilst planning what we would do on Friday ... as the weather forecast was pretty dire.

Friday morning and the weather was pretty much as forecast ... rain all day. We had hoped to perhaps have a trip on the train but, alas, no trains on a Friday 😒.

We opted instead for a bit of a later start with a mooch up and down the main street, avoiding the showers by nipping in and out of the shops ...

 

 ... and stopping from time to time for refreshment of course ...

It was then back to The Old Station House to dry out and get ready to head out again, this time to The Broadway Hotel for tea ... it was definitely not BBQ weather.

Saturday and the weather was due to clear about lunchtime. The plan was to visit Broadway Tower ... some on foot and some by car.

Our heading out just coincided with the arrival of a steam train which gave us a good excuse to have a good explore of the station ...

As Broadway is at the end of the line it was really interesting to watch the engine uncouple and move from the back to the front of the train ...

 

... before being ready for moving off again ...

 We finally managed to drag ourselves away from the station ...

... and hightailed it down to the caravan park where we managed to get to watch her leave the station to set off on her way ...

Finally ... we were ready to head off for the tower ... three and Charlie the springer spaniel were walking and three of us were taking the car, with plans to meet up at the tea room.

The tea room was great and we managed to grab a table and hunker down with the paper and a drink while we waited for the walkers to arrive.

We were soon reunited, with the walkers looking like it had been a bit of a slog up the hill ... but they were soon refreshed and ready to go off in search of the tower and a ROC listening post, which was open for the weekend ... some of our party were really keen to 'go down th'ole' 😅.

We wandered up past another snack stop ...
... and were soon heading across the field to the tower ...

It was tricky trying to get any shots with no people in but I managed to get a couple ...

... and I think the chap in this one just adds to the picture as it gives the scale of the size of the tower ... well that's my story and I'm sticking to it ...

We couldn't see sight nor sign of the listening post so there was time for one quick selfie in the shelter of the tower before the walkers headed off back to the village ...
Martin and I headed back for the car, stopping at the snack stop on the way to ask where the ROC listening post was. Apparently it was in the corner of the field past the tower. We decided we couldn't not go and at least have a look and headed back towards the tower, then veering off to the right.

We soon spotted what we were looking for in the corner of the field and, whilst there was no way we were going down 'th'ole' we did manage to get some pictures ...

It was now definitely time to head back so it was good bye to the tower for today ...

... and back to meet up with the others ...
And ... would you believe it ... the sun came out just in time for our annual BBQ at the caravan and we managed to sit outside enjoying the evening sunshine till gone 9.00pm ...

So that was pretty much it for another year. It was back to The Old Station House for one last night before getting up and heading off for home.

The 'gang' will be back together next year for another catch up ... this time it looks like we are heading for Hawes in the very lovely Yorkshire Dales. We will see you there 😀

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