Another old rusty gate in Burleigh

After the morning market in Minchinhampton I thought I'd explore a different route home using some old single track roads on the sides of the Golden Valley. Yesterday I was reminded by a blip friend of a fine old hotel in Burleigh which Helena said she always liked visiting. I'd never been so took the opportunity of driving to Burleigh Court Hotel where I had a fine pot of black coffee in the wood panelled bar. I chatted to one of the owners who told me they'd bought the property quite recently ands were beginning to  make changes. I hope to come back with Helena and try some food there and hopefully spend time sipping drinks on the terraces overlooking their extensive gardens terraced gardens.

On the way I stopped in a couple of places to check the views out across and down the valley as I'd not been there for many years. I even found a lane I'd never been along which lead to the original perched hamlet of Burleigh. I bumped into the postie who explained the network of tiny footpaths up and down the hillside around the old stone houses. 

Opposite the entrance to a rather large mansion which had big electric gates set into a high Cotswold stone wall, I spotted this quite different and more traditional entrance to a field. It is made of iron and has a slightly unusual shape and design for the area. I like to photograph old gates which are gradually being lost either through neglect or from being replaced by modern standardised steel tube structures.

This one attracted me because of the huge stone supports at either end, which are another traditional feature of the local area. They are being removed regularly too. the stone wall is rather run down and few walls like this are repaired. These walls enclosed a small area which would have been used for corralling sheep or possibly cattle, close to the farm buildings. Now the small barn has collapsed and inside the barn walls a modern concrete garage has been deftly inserted. At least they respected the remnants of the wall.

I might have blipped the hotel but I rather like the atmosphere and light of this small area under the cloud cover which was dropping mid-summer rains.