After the energy and heat of Amalfi coast, it’s like a different world here in this little village of Ewen in the Cotswolds, west of London.

We’re staying in the upstairs room with the open window.

Brigid and Neil, our hosts at the B&B who are both in their 80s and very sprightly, fed us on the heartiest, most sumptuous breakfast this morning. Everything you ever hear or read about B&B breakfasts come true! There’s another two couples at separate tables for breakfast too – one from Belgium and an English couple. But most of us were too busy enjoying our breakfasts so much, that there was very little inter-table conversation!

The front of the house was built about 300 years ago, but the back part was built by Brigid and Neil about 20 years ago.

Part of the back garden where it’s lovely to sit outside. You can see a thatched cottage in the centre – it’s their neighbour.

We’re ready for a “down-day” today, after the busy agenda we enjoyed so much last week. There’s no public transport here in this village and we have no inclination or desire to go anywhere further, so a quieter day was our best plan.

You can’t really notice Philip, but he is sitting out by the back stone wall on the right side. The apples on the old apple tree in front of him aren’t edible, but the blossoms cascading onto the lawn are beautiful.

After breakfast, we sat out in the back garden for some Sunday contemplations together, then put a couple of apples in my backpack, put our jumpers and coats on for a walk. Today it was several layers of coats we needed, not sunglasses or hats! Cloudy, almost misty rain, and a fresh, chill breeze to set us on our way. I did see a grey squirrel running across the back garden.

We decided to walk to the next village of Kemble, about a mile (1.6km) away. We stumbled upon a public footpath – called the Thames Path – as the Thames River has its headquarters nearby, starting off as a little stream or creek.

The most “English” of walks, along the little Thames creek and under big oaks. Alongside crops of broad beans. Over a stile, with two horses nearby.

Past a field full of tall, white shasta daisies.

We wandered round Kemble village and found the church at Kemble which was open. It’s Sunday morning, so we thought we’d join them. But no-one there. This particular Sunday of the month, they worship together in another church in a nearby village. We looked around the inside, empty-of-people church, but lots of other interesting things to see and admire inside there.

We wandered around some other streets. Beautiful old houses made of Cotswold stone – it’s very expensive to buy property around here! I found what I “think and believe” to be an old cherry tree and sampled lots of the fruits. Very sour and tart but refreshing.

We walked back to Ewen on the same path but made a little detour and sat down by the Thames Creek to eat our apples and enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of the tall, green trees, the clear water of the Thames (only several inches deep) very slowly wending its way to bigger things, listening to the birds.

We’ve sat out in the back garden of where we’re staying and it overlooks an empty field and chatted to our hostess, talking of “cabbages and kings”. We did take books out there to read, but Brigid came out for a chat, so we did that instead.

And that’s all we’ve done so far today! And probably won’t do much more for the rest of the day. But it is recharging our batteries and renewing our souls!

And after my saying how quiet and peaceful it is here, now I can hear continuous gun shots coming from somewhere. I wonder if it’s target practice or they’re shooting rabbits or something.

Ahhh, now the gun shot noises have stopped! Peace reigns again. When we’re out walking around, we don’t see many people around. Maybe they’ve all gone elsewhere for their holidays!