Cotswold Farm Park - it could have been worse.
Nick Lilley, Wednesday, 26 March 2025
As well as an entertaining morning’s ride, I intended the trip to Cotswold Farm Park to be akin to a rural idyll, a transport of delight. A glimpse of Spring as the countryside embraces the lengthening days and the rolling views beyond green budded hedgerows, glisten with fresh growth emerging beneath a warming sun. Well, that was the theory and indeed my actual experience when I recce’d the route earlier in the week. On Sunday however it was a somewhat different story. To be fair although the roads were still wet from the previous evening’s thunderstorms I don’t remember there being any rain on the ride itself and the traffic was light. In fact, as we bypassed Shipston and passed through Brailes towards Bloxham I was almost cheerful.
Chipping Norton was fairly quiet, its inhabitants probably still duvet-bound, fuming at their neighbours four page spread in Homes and Gardens and hoping nanny wasn’t feeding the offspring Coco Pops– apologies for exposing my prejudices. By the time we climbed up to Stow things were getting a little misty and it was decidedly gloomy when we parked up outside The Ox Shed. Equally gloomy was the fact that their kitchens didn’t open for hot food till 11:30, a fact they neglected to mention when I’d called in earlier.
Watered and somewhat fed, with the obligatory photo taken, we set off for Guiting Power which is when things started to go downhill, both literally and metaphorically. In Victorian gothic novels, fog is often used to symbolise sinister unease or impending doom which pretty well summed up my state of mind at the time. The route followed 13 miles of narrow country lanes mostly sticking to one of the high Cotswold ridges. The mist rapidly became fog and the magnificent views were 25 yards of whiteness. Without white lines to assist, leading became something of a challenge, conditions in which I would normally hesitate to venture out.
Leaving the fog behind as we dropped down into Chipping Campden we started to make progress towards Ilmington. Pillerton Priors then Kineton led us past Compton Verney. During the 1940s Compton Verney was commonly known as the ‘Smoke School’. Experimental smoke-screen techniques were developed and the Pioneer Corps were trained in their use. I’m not sure what use smoke would have been against the V2s but the resulting lack of visibility would certainly have disconcerted unwary motorcyclists in the Kradschützen Truppen. Given the previous hour, I experienced a slight sense of irony as we passed the gates.
Returning to Longbridge McDonalds just before 1:30 I tried to be positive, reflecting that after 95 miles the 15 of us had managed to stay together and returned in good time. After several trips to the Farm Park, I think I have found the perfect route, I simply need to select a better day on which to invite others. I am indebted to John riding at number two, Martin sweeping up at the rear of the group and of course everyone else for putting on a brave face.
