Cat Sitting in Tresham, Cotswolds

Sunset last night

We’re cat and house sitting and on holiday again in Tresham in the beautiful Cotswolds in Middle England. Tresham is a tiny village in the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, comprising about 70 houses and a population of around 600 (according to the 2001 census). It is high up on a plateau of about 200m with great views over the surrounding countryside and is about 8 miles from Highgrove House, the country home of HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and first in line to the throne of the UK.

Fiona and John's house - our home for a week and a bit

Isla

We’re looking after the house (a beautifully converted barn) of our friends Fiona and John who are now in Cape Town on a part business trip and part holiday/safari for just over a week and we’re pandering to the needs of their two Birman (we think) pussy cats, Isla and Fitz, who are both very cute and full of character.

and Fitz

Sleepy Isla on Jackies lap

We got here yesterday in time to have the full run down of the running of the house from Fiona, before they departed in their executive taxi for the airport (well, John is going business class, even if Fiona is only in ‘premium economy’). The house is one of about four houses down a private drive, a former farm, built in Cotswold stone, full of character, beautifully restored and overlooking fields with breath-taking views, not a bad place to spend a week and a half and a bit of a change from Birmingham!

Walking through Tresham

Today, our first day here, we’ve been for a 7 mile walk so, after catching a really good sunset last night, Jackie having really good cuddles from Isla last night, both cats starting the night on our bed, before being relegated to their own room due to them becoming over-active and running around, we set off around 10:00am today in cloudy but clear skies. Trevor, our neighbour, was out last night, this morning and when we got back, working in his garden, so we’ve had a good chat and, we hope got accepted (was he checking up on us? Don’t think so, he just seems to like pottering in the garden).

She might like grass, but she won't take it from your hand Jackie!

Anyway, all walks from here start downhill (except for the highest point round here, which is 207m, with a OS Trig Point and about 12m higher than where we are), so we were off through the village and downhill into really nice countryside and past a number of very impressive houses: Ozleworth Park, which is a relatively modern house with a 12^th century Norman church alongside, Home Covert, which looks a much older grand property with crenelated battlements and Boxwell Court, a 600 year old country house. 

Ozleworth Park House

There were no pubs on the way, a fact I kept from Jackie until well into the walk, which was just as well as I realised I’d left home without my wallet! However, I had prepared a delightful lunch for her: sandwiches, an apple and some water to wash it all down – I know how to treat a woman, but I did carry everything, including the potatoes and corn on the cobs she collected on the way round (not stolen, but foraged and would otherwise have rotted).

Foraged potatoes

The old church at Newington Bagpath, now privately owned

The Motte at Newington Bagpath

Interesting house at Holwell Farm

Home Covert House

On the hunt for corn on the cob in a 'wind-break' patch

Jackie trying to make friends with the locals

Back to a nice warm house (Fiona does like it warm in her house!) and two ‘pleased to see us’ cats and tea and biscuits (haven’t baked a cake yet!) and a few hours to wait before preparing dinner. It’s a tough old life!

Still in Birmingham but my head is in a spin

Charles at the top

Again we just don’t seem to have stopped, Wednesday was spent with Alex helping pack, they are finally moving! Hurrah. Followed by a trip to the climbing wall, which was cold as usual, but where we had another good week – the first couple of trips were very depressing, getting quickly tired and finding climbs quite hard that should be well within our grade, for the last couple of weeks though we’ve tried some harder climbs and have rediscovered some technique so feel we have finally achieved!

Thursday we sorted through the skiing gear as Aldi had their new seasons gear in, we justified some new socks and a spare pair of goggles but on the whole were very restrained, before going to see Fiona and the kids.

Charles, Jon, Caroline and Jackie

Friday we thought we actually had a day off, but by the time we’d shopped, washed, and practised putting on and taking off snow chains and B had washed the car! The day was gone in a flash.

Saturday we met up with my brother Jonathan, and Charles and Caroline at the climbing wall in Milton Keynes. It’s an interesting wall which despite our many visits we’ve never actually climbed at, we’ve only ever been ‘belay bunnies’! Jonathan left after lunch as his back was playing up, leaving us and the kids in the bouldering section. 

Jackie belays Jonathan

Caroline

I may have weakened and put on Charles’ shoes (well they were mine originally) as he’d taken them off to give his crushed feet a break (he’s only 11, yet my shoes are nearly too small, and my helmet fits him perfectly!) to do an interesting boulder problem. It was exciting to see the difference in their attitudes over the last year. Before we went trying to persuade them to do a route and work at a tricky bit was never going to happen, this time however they were both much more focussed, Caroline particularly trying over and over again on a particular part of a problem till, despite the blisters she finally succeeded, only to realise she was higher than she felt comfortable with and needed ‘rescuing’! 

Charles, under Jackies guidance, belays his sister

Charles and Jonathan bouldering

Dynamic move by Caroline

This looks better than it is, he fell off just after

Look, no hands, I can balance (almost!)

So with sore hands and feet we decided it was time to go home, quick board game and well deserved pizza was ready before Jonathan and Lucy went out for the evening leaving us ‘home alone’ with the kids. We must have climbed them hard as good as gold they both went off to bed and not a peep was heard till just before 8 this morning when our peace and tranquillity was shattered. As this was half an hour later than expected we couldn’t really complain though. Lovely relaxed morning in bed with the kids before coming home to repack for our 10 days cat-sitting, from tomorrow, in the Cotswolds. Cats and chilling, here we come!

Carolines 'boulder problem', probably her 20th attempt, but she did get as far as the upper roof before being 'rescued'