The roads and country lanes in the Cotswolds are fringed with drystone walls. They frame the landscape like a painting as they run along the verges of the roads edging the fields, woods, churchyards, and gardens.
Sometimes in the summer we see Another Roadside Attraction.
Vincent Van Gogh - The Caravans - Gypsy Camp near Arles, France.
via wikipedia
Brightly decorated Gypsy vans with smoke puffing out the chimney. A retinue of tethered horses, little children running around, a large fire blazing, and men busy making wooden objects to sell, or sharpening tools.
When we come across them, we always get excited; it is a sight we love to see, but we wonder for how much longer.
I've always loved drystone walls. Where I grew up there were these lovely big houses with drystone walls...As a teenager I dreamed about living in them. Now I'm dreaming about taking another trip by car through the UK. I don't think i've seen much of the Cotswolds.
ReplyDeleteDear Roanna - you must visit the Cotswolds if your take a trip through the UK by car. It is known by many to be quintessential England and I love it.
DeleteWow Rosemary, that first stone wall is a work of art. I also loved the last picture. A few years ago Gene and I walked through Wales, Great Britain with a horse by the name of Basel who was hitched to our Gypsy Wagon. We lived, ate and slept in the wagon for 7 days and walked more than 70 miles. It was a wonderful experience.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina - we had a skilled stonewaller working in our garden for about 2 years. It was just a joy to see the walls develop from piles of stone into as you say a 'work of art'.
DeleteWhat a delightful and memorable holiday for you both to have - something I have not done, but think about trying.,
What lovely Photos Rosemary..
ReplyDeleteEngland is truly beautiful.
What fun to do the link..but unfortunately i dont know how to do that..
We have the "Gypsies" here.. We too often wonder for how long.
lovely blog
val
Dear Val - thanks for the comment. I have only just learnt to do links myself, and it is so easy, just take the courage in both hands and you are away. When you are doing a new post at the top there are various symbols for adding photos, changing the font etc. You will see Link, press on that and an edit link will appear. You then enter the text you want to appear e.g. I put Demie, then copy and paste the web address of the link you want to appear and hey presto it is done. Give it a try, if it doesn't work no harm done. Good luck.
DeleteStunning Rosemary. There is a magical quality to stone walls and the Cotswalds would make my lists of places to visit in the U.K.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Olive, there is something magical about the drystone walls in the Cotswolds, some of which are centuries old.
DeleteHello Rosemary:
ReplyDeleteYour drystone wall roadside attraction is so very pretty and, as you say, so very representative of the Cotswolds. We love them when, as in your top image, they have attracted lichen and moss and have been weathered by the elements. It is a work of art, we feel,to build these walls.
Hello Jane & Lance - the walls and the colour of the stone are a special attraction of the Cotswolds, and the older they get and the more lichen they acquire the better. We hope that the ones around our garden will be here long, long, long after we are gone!
DeleteI love the first picture that you posted in this set, the curve in the wall and the way it flows with the land. These walls last such a long time and even when they crumble and fall, they remain a thing of beauty.
ReplyDeleteWe are fortunate that it is not a dying art around here. It is a skill that young people are happy to learn, which is lucky as it is a central part of the character of the area.
Deletethe drystone walls at the Cotswolds is one roadside attraction i particularly love - except from nymphs of course ; )
ReplyDeletei can never explain way.
these leftovers from other times ( why don`t they make things like these anymore?)
a bit like your Gypsy vans...
thanks for joining Rosemary, enjoy the rest of your weekend : )
Dear Demie - thanks for the challenge, made me think outside the box. The walls, however, are still made today. Our garden is surrounded by them and all only 15 years old.
Deletein that case, thats another reason to love England. never forgeting your history , keeping the right look, adoring whats beautiful : )
DeleteThanks Demie - I have enjoyed joining you, and looking at the other contributions.
Deletemmmm....
ReplyDeletethose drystone walls
are one of the things I like
about the UK
thanks for joining
and sharing!
greetings from the Netherlands
Dear Patrice A - thanks for visiting and for your comments. Its interesting to consider the many different styles of drystone walls up and down the country. If I had time to do a comparison drystone wall post it would probably be quite an interesting exercise for me to try. Must think about that at some time in the future.
DeleteRosemary, the drystone walls are some of my fondest memories of travelling in Brittain. Thank you for photographing them so beautifully. I would love to come across a Gypsy caravan along the roadside! Enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteDear Carole - so lovely to hear from you. Coming across a Gypsy caravan is a real thrill, but we only ever see them in the summer months. I think that they are sometimes travelling north for the horse fairs.
Deletehello rosemary, pleased to meet you.
ReplyDeletei saw a program on drystone walls recently, they are amazing, and too right to see them for the roadside attraction that they are. oh, so delighted you should bring me a little english authenticity, this sunday morning. cheers!
n♥
Hello woolf - thanks for visiting. Pleased you enjoyed seeing the drystone walls. It takes a good eye and much skill to build a good wall. Do call again.
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteLove those drystone walls - so English...:-)
thanks for joining!
Hello Hagar - thanks for your visit, and I am pleased that you enjoyed the drystone walls.
DeleteHello Rosemary,such beauty along your roadside, fairy-tale like, i especially like the first photo, i can almost dive into it and walk along that wall, touching the stone, beautiful! x
ReplyDeleteHello Renilde - thanks for visiting and for your lovely comment. You are right the first photo does entice you to dive in and follow along the route.
DeleteThe first one is very, very beautiful! I love drystone walls, and your picture is very good. And I like it that you also have a photos, so it is not only me doing it this way...
ReplyDeleteDear Lise - thanks very much for visiting. I think that you can use any medium you choose to convey the theme. My son also lives in Norway, and I love the drystone walls I see there, quite different from here, but also lovely.
DeleteI visited the Cotswolds about 10 years ago as a tourist. I imagined how charmed it must feel to live there. What beautiful and simple, old world surroundings. Thank you for taking me back. And Van Gogh, I am a fan as well of his depictions of country life and work.
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel - when I first moved here I felt as if I was on one long holiday I loved the surroundings so much.
DeleteHi Rosemary! You have a beautiful blog and I'm your newest follower! I'm so happy you have joined me too, AND be sure to let me know WHEN you find the HOBBIT HOUSE!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Donna
Dear Donna - thanks for your comments, and for becoming a follower - for some reason your icon (avatar) does not seem to have appeared. Blogger is very temperamental at times! I have tried to find the Hobbit house on google, it seems it is quite difficult to locate. Apparently down a lane, and then across some fields, and the locals are not much help, but I will give it my best shot.
Delete