The Hulks and Frampton on Severn

A Purton Hulk

Another day of perfect weather. We awoke late and decided to walk to the local Purton hulks before setting sail (or starting the engine). These are the rusty remains of redundant old river boats that were deliberately beached for many years from 1909 until1965 to protect the canal embankment from river erosion. In recent years it has been realised that they represent a unique historical collection and so the site has been given official protection.

View of the Cotswolds

Then we started our return trip to Gloucester. We often find a return trip looks quite different to the outward journey. Today was no exception as the scenery was dominated by the Cotswolds, a view we had missed on the way down.

Old house on Frampton village green

We moored at Frampton on Severn just in time for lunch. In the afternoon we walked around the attractive village at the centre of which is the enormous village green some 0.5 miles long and perhaps 75 yards wide containg a cricket pitch and three "natural" ponds full of fish and surrounded by rushes and flag iris. Facing the green there is a pub at each end and an attractive mixture of period houses along the sides.

It's time we had a meal out, and have decided on the Bell Inn in Frampton which had an interesting menu and as we discovered on our walk serves very good small-brewery beer.