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Members’ Corner
We appreciate each and every one of our CPRE Gloucestershire members. Here we share some of their stories.
Across the River by David Brooke
“Gloucestershire?” they say. “Yes, we know Gloucestershire – we love the Cotswolds”. But from the lanes and gardens where I live in west Gloucestershire, we get a rather different perspective. From here it’s a county of parts.
The Cotswolds, certainly – they’re the purple hills curving across the entire eastern horizon. On good days the scarp stands out with gin-clear clarity. Fields and woods twenty or thirty miles away but so close that we can almost touch them.
Swinging round behind us broods the Forest of Dean, mixed woodland pasture on the green valley slopes and thick forest on the plateau top. It’s a stiff climb whichever way you go.
Round further still is the broken hill country of ancient Silurian rock. May Hill with its wedding cake summit beckons but its fellow hills fade into the distance. Beyond those hills, but not visible from here, are the green farming lowlands around Newent and Dymock.
And the thread that binds this beauty? The broad vale of the Severn is before us, the sweep of its meanders catching their moment in the sunshine. The angle is too low to see much from here but the impression is of measured timelessness.
As the evening falls, the lowering sun picks out the mellow ochre tower of Gloucester Cathedral, some ten miles distant. What a county. And thank heavens CPRE is here to help protect it.
David Brooke
Richard Dewick lives in Winchcombe with his young family and received the gift of CPRE Gloucestershire membership for Christmas
“An advantage of lockdown (there are a few) has been finding local walks literally around the corner from where we live in lovely Winchcombe and gradually as conditions have eased, slightly further afield. It’s embarrassing to say, but I’ve lived in Winchcombe for 5 years, moving here from Bromley, Kent (the garden of England) and I’ve found walks I never knew existed. Over the weeks our 6 and 4 year old girls have become seasoned walkers and can go for longer distances with less moaning and we’ve really enjoyed finding some beautiful places.
I’ve been inspired by my dad’s Christmas gift of CPRE membership, and there’s nothing like just getting out and seeing where you end up. Having a young family and running my web design business Creative Sketch, I haven’t always had the time to explore but with family visits and play parks off limits, country walks have been a godsend. My favourite to date has to be Crickley Hill. What magnificent views, all the way to the Black Mountains in Wales, woodlands for the kids to explore and dozens of trails to follow. When life returns to normal we aim to keep up our walks and continue to explore beautiful Gloucestershire.”
Richard Dewick
Want to be featured in Members Corner?
Get in touch and tell us a bit about yourself. Include pictures if possible. Things we’d like to hear about include:
- what led you to becoming a member of CPRE Gloucestershire
- what you love about the countryside and how you make use of it
- your favourite spots – countryside/local green spaces
Over to you!
Email: info@cpreglos.org.uk
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