They shall find a little Saxon Chapel there
(from a poem by RA Hopwood).
Today’s walk was the longest so far and probably also the wettest. It began outside the Red Lion at Wainlode Hill and rain soon made its mark. There was also some mud as overnight rain had made a difference to the path in places. I decided to use the road to Apperley rather than the Severn Way path to avoid the wet foliage on that path. Bob caught me up and we walked to Odda’s Chapel, a small Anglo-Saxon Chapel at Deerhurst. It is a simple building built in 1056, to remember the brother of Earl Odda, a local Saxon landowner. It is now maintained by English Heritage.
From there I rejoined the Severn Way and walked into Tewkesbury. In 2012 Hannah had come this way on a very hot day and my Dad and I had waited in the Abbey which was lovely and cool. Today was very different but shelter was still very welcome. The Abbey is a wonderful Norman building, originally a Benedictine Foundation. I particularly appreciated the small square stone corner made to remind us of the Tomb of Jesus On Easter Morning: empty and simple. I had a long conversation with two volunteers in the Abbey Shop about LEJOG while I bought some chocolate (I later ate some of it under the M50 bridge).
The Park was an ideal location for a wet picnic. Then we followed the Severn Way out of town via Avon Lock. The Severn Way swaps to the left bank of the river for the path to Upton upon Severn. This was the wettest part because, as I predicted, the long grass, nettles, docks and cow parsley were very wet and I was soon soaked from the knees down.
The rest of the route, including under the M50, which was a dry bit, was fairly uneventful. Bob came back for me and we walked to Upton upon Severn together.
After we finished walking, the late afternoon was drier and overall the best part of the day weather-wise. However from the orchids at Corse Lawn in the morning, to the little Saxon Chapel of Odda and the Norman Abbey Church at Tewkesbury later in the day, this long walk through the quiet Severn Valley had its high spots, even if it also had quite a lot of wet ones too.
The green grass, the brown earth, the grey skies:
Signs of the rain we need.
The flood gates and water height indicators:
Signs of the conflict between humanity and environment.
For centuries human industry and the flow of the river
Have striven to keep pace here.
In our generation we need the wisdom
To maintain a healthy balance for all creation.
In your mercy, empower us to make mindful decisions for a sustainable world.
JAL 08.05.2019
Day 33 of the End to End from Red Lion Wainlode Hill to Upton upon Severn via Odda’s Chapel and Tewkesbury Abbey.