IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Buckholt Road, GLOUCESTER, GL4 8HF

Misty view on a late-January afternoon.

For the moment this image will have to suffice to record the fact that, not far from the building just about visible through the midday mist, the acclaimed author George Orwell (nom de plume of Eric Arthur Blair) stayed at a sanatorium for several months in 1949. He had always had 'weak lungs' attributed to genetic factors and exacerbated by exposure to tuberculosis, heavy smoking and living in London in the days before the Clean Air Acts. Fighting in Catalonia in the Spanish Civil War didn't help as he was shot in the throat in that conflict fighting against the Nationalists. George Orwell died aged 46 on 21 January 1950. He achieved immortality largely through two works, 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four', both published not long before his death. Although unmistakably a socialist, he was opposed to the manifestation of it presented by the USSR under Stalin as is clear from a reading of those works. His gravestone can be seen here Image and one of the places he worked at before he became famous is here Image Fortuitously the sixty-first anniversary of Orwell's death takes place the day after this image was obtained. There is a wealth of information about George Orwell and his fleeting connection with this hidden corner of the Cotswolds obtained simply by inserting 'Cranford Sanatorium' into Google. Most, if not all, of Orwell's writings are available online.

This is a view to the south-west along one of the various tracks and paths through the National Trust-managed woodland. Shortly after midday the mist formed overnight persists.

This track is on the northern edge of Cranham Wood, which appears to be under the management of the National Trust. The Ordnance Survey maps are a little confusing depending on the scale. A bridleway marked as such on the 1:25K version doesn't show on the 1:50K map. The NT logo can be seen on the 1:50K map but not on the 1:25K map. Presumably, those tracks not shown as public footpaths or bridleways can safely be regarded as permissive footpaths.

The cottage, which is the traditional-looking building at the centre left, is listed Grade II https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1408515 Planning permission was granted for the significant additional structures that are under construction. The viewpoint for this image was provided by the National Trust-managed Cranham Wood. The maps show public footpaths passing much closer the use of which would provide a closer look at the extensive works which are being carried out. The construction was completed some time after this photo was taken and it featured in a Channel 4 programme 'Extraordinary Escapes with Sandi Toksvig' broadcast on 03 March 2021.

The reason it gets cold in the northern hemisphere in winter is because the sun doesn't rise high enough above the horizon for it to transmit much heat. This photograph was taken shortly after midday and the air temperature is barely above freezing. To get a shot like this in the middle of June you'd have to be here at about the same time as the lovely Christine Bleakley has to get up to present 'Daybreak' with that Baggies supporter.

This is the same track as shown here Image but a little further east. It is still a little misty.

The Cotswold Way, day three 8:24am

The Cotswold Way, day three 8:27am

House in Buckholt Wood above the village of Cranham.