Day 6: Cotswold Way, King Stanley to Wotten-Under-Edge, 12 miles
King Stanley, Dursley, North Nibley, Wotten-Under-Edge
Today was a shockingly difficult day.
Yesterday Gary and I were both champs for 13 miles, but I fear yesterday’s success borrowed from today’s joy. We left the comfort of our bed and breakfast in King Stanley this morning feeling positive. I was well-rested; Gary had not slept as well as he’d hoped, but seemed fine. It’s still a challenge getting used to the length of the daylight here on this part of the earth. It remains light outside until 9 pm. Sunrise is at 5 am.
In addition to the unusual daylight hours, the windows are always open as there is no air conditioning in our rooms. Every morning, we are serenaded by a symphonic menagerie of foreign birds that sound like nothing we’ve ever heard.
Since our arrival, we’ve awakened by both the birds and the brightness of the 5 am sunshine. In our stupor, we struggle with the possibility that we’ve slept through our alarm and have missed the whole morning. If this were to finally happen, tomorrow would be a really nice day for it.
From start to finish today, I really never found my hiking mojo. Most days I warm up in the first couple of miles of hiking and start to look alive. Today that never happened and tomorrow isn’t looking promising either.
One blessing this morning is I caught myself just before I swallowed my supplements, realizing that in my hand was melatonin, not my multi-vitamins. What a day it could have been.
Tonight we struggle to hold our heads up having made our way over a lot of significant inclines across 12 miles of the Cotswold Way. Covering 2484 feet of elevation, we hobbled into Wotten-on-Edge late in the afternoon after 5.5 hours of hiking. A shower and a nap never felt so good.
We are fortunate that The Swan Hotel where we are staying is also a pub and restaurant. Looks like it was an old coaching inn back in the 1600s. Our dinner here was wonderful.
Despite our being whiney slackers today, we were still awarded plenty of beautiful scenery to appreciate.
Dursley was a curious little town. I would be remiss if I did not mention that the Dursleys from the Harry Potter series were named after this town. Stavros the bartender and cook set us up nicely for our light lunch and ales at the Ye Old Dursley Hotel. We’ll call the other guy Nigel.
Below is Tyndale Tower located in North Nibley. It was erected in honor of William Tyndale who translated the New Testament into English. Our friend Dan from Arizona actually climbed the 121 steps inside the tower. We opted out since the day had been brutal enough. Learn more about the monument HERE.
Two more photos before I crash. You can see the River Severn in the shot below. It’s the longest river in Britain. More information about the river HERE. In the second photo you can see the Severn Bridge where it crosses the river from England into Wales.
I played it safe during lunch and opted for just a half-pint of Hetty Pegler’s Porter. It was good, though I’ll admit not the best choice coming off a trail warm and tired. Gary opted for a pint of Thatcher’s Juicy Apple. He reports that it was really good. It wasn’t too sweet as he had been warned.
I relaxed over dinner with a Wicked Wolf ale. Gary had a half-pint of Cornish wish Orchards Gold Cider. It was equally as great as the one he had for lunch.
Wish us luck tomorrow; we’re gonna need it.
We wish you the best of luck tomorrow! You are on an adventure that so few Ohioans (and folks from all over) will ever experience, except through your blog. We pray you find the determination and strength to tackle tomorrow for yourselves and for us! :)
Here in Northern Idaho, we have those same sunrise/sunset time frames! So yea I get it and it is a tough adjustment even when easing into it. Sure hope that you both get a great night’s rest tonight and are up and going fresh tomorrow. And Melatonin in the AM? Yup that would have meant an extra long day indeed!
Today’s Pints & Pours
Hetty Pegler’s Porter
Origin: Gloucestershire
Named after the 17th-century woman who owned the land where the famous Neolithic burial site "Hetty Pegler’s Tump" (Uley Long Barrow) is located. This porter is often brewed by Uley Brewery, a small traditional operation near Dursley. Expect deep malt character, a nod to old English brewing traditions.
Thatcher’s Juicy Apple
Origin: Somerset
A newer cider offering from the century-old Thatchers Cider company, Juicy Apple is made from dessert apples for a lighter, fruitier profile. While sweeter than some of their traditional ciders, it’s crafted to remain crisp and refreshing—ideal for a broad audience.
Wicked Wolf Ale
Origin: Exmoor, Somerset
Brewed by Exmoor Ales, Wicked Wolf is a golden ale named after the wild and mysterious character of Exmoor. It offers floral hops with a subtle malt backbone—bright and invigorating without being too bitter. A good all-rounder at the end of a day’s hike.
Cornish Orchards Gold Cider
Origin: Duloe, Cornwall
Produced by Cornish Orchards, a modern yet craft-minded cider house, Gold Cider is a medium-dry blend of traditional and dessert apples. Known for its clean finish and balance, it showcases the orchard character of Cornwall while appealing to both casual and seasoned cider drinkers.