As you probably guessed, this post is about Swell. Well, to be more precise, Upper Swell and Lower Swell. And Stow-on-the-Wold. Because its a very nice little walk from the centre of Stow through both of these villages, and is beautiful even on a cold, rainy, leaden-sky day....as evidenced below.
The River Dikler is pictured, where I spotted a brook trout (I tried to photograph it, but there was too much glare off the water) just by the old stone bridge.
We (my dog, and my eldest daughter- a 9-year old adventurer who comes on all these walks) also found a geocache on this walk, of which any true geocacher can spot the hiding place amongst these photos. I won't give any further clues, apart from the fact that it was Swell, and we did Well. If you can name it in a comment left on this blog, I shall buy you a pint of best bitter the next time you are in The Cotswolds.
The most widely accepted theory behind the name "Swell" is that it relates to a spring that rises in the grounds of the Abbotswood Estate to the north of the village and is an abbreviated version of "Our Lady's Well". The well can still be seen today. It is pictured below, as a small stone ornamental arch over a natural well.
