Take me home country roads

Since April I've been on a few excursions to some of our favourite places, both with my partner and solo. A week or so ago, we travelled to Weston-super-Mare by train, I will write a separate post about this on another occasion. For now I will concentrate on my very recent bus trip to Stroud. I began my journey with the intention of travelling to Devizes via Swindon, but due to time constraints I opted to catch the connecting bus to Stroud, from Cirencester. The journey was enjoyable for two reasons, the helpful bus driver and the lovely country roads filled with wild flowers. I was unable to stop and take photos, because this particular service is infrequent. Thanks to Cotswold Green for a most pleasant journey.

I got off the bus at Bowbridge, which is a short walk from Stroud town centre. I wanted to photograph The Bowbridge Arms, which has had quite a chequered history in recent years. When I first photographed the pub back in 2016, it was known as The British Oak and had been closed for a while. There were ambitious plans to reopen the pub and link it to the restoration of the nearby canal, hence the new name The Bowbridge Lock. The reopening went ahead, at the time of our first visit to the pub, there were 8 real ales available, we predicted that it would have a bright future. However it closed not long after, within a few weeks it was open again, but with a reduced range of ales.

The pub closed again in December 2016, but within weeks it reopened under a new name The Bowbridge Arms, new signage and management. I have speculated about what happened with the change of management in a very short space of time, but I am not in possession of all of the facts, so I will stay silent on this issue. After months of uncertainty regarding the pub, they seemed to put their troubles behind them. My partner and I visited on a few occasions during this period in 2018, and enjoyed good food in pleasant surroundings. I have no idea what the current situation is, because it was closed when I was photographing it.

The British Oak 2016

The Bowbridge Lock 2016

The Bowbridge Arms July 2021

Some of the original etched windows from 

when the pub was The Bristish Oak, are still in situ.

After I had finished photographing The Bowbridge Arms, I walked into Stroud to have a look around. I was dismayed to discover that The Little George micro pub, was closed. A little while later, I walked up to The Alehouse, another pub with an excellent choice of beverages and good food. Unfortunately The Alehouse was also closed at the time that I was photographing it, so I decided to travel a little further afield to Cashes Green, to visit The Prince of Wales pub.

The Prince Of Wales Cashes Green, 2013

The Prince of Wales 2021

 

The Lounge Bar at The Prince of Wales 

The Prince of Wales is a popular community pub in Cashes Green, which is on the outskirts of Stroud. Looking at it from the outside, it is rather deceptive, it is a lot bigger on the inside – rather like a tardis! It is basically a two roomed pub, the main bar and lounge bar which proved to be a pleasant surprise. There is a charming stone fire place and wood burning stove, it must be quite cosy sitting here during the Winter months. As soon as I walked into the pub, I was greeted by a friendly bar person, I was made to feel welcome, even though I had never set foot in the pub before. I ordered a meal, and a drink, It was then that I began to realise how difficult being a bar person actually is, they have to be friendly and polite all of the time which isn't easy.

After a thoroughly enjoyable meal, I left and attempted to photograph the pub, the sun had gone in so the photos that I took were rather dull. I narrowly missed the bus back to Stroud, so I decided to walk to Ebley to photograph the Coach and Horses Inn which has been closed for quite a while. There are two pubs in Ebley, the aforementioned Coach and Horses, and The Old Crown Inn which stand almost side by side, separated by a car park. I photographed both pubs, and caught a bus back to Stroud, then headed back to Cheltenham. All in all, it was a very enjoyable day.

The Coach & Horses Inn Ebley 2015

Coach & Horses pub sign