Stow-on-the-Wold sits high. At roughly two hundred and fifty metres, it is the highest town in the Cotswolds, and the wind across its market square is famously keen. Old roads meet here, including the Roman Fosse Way, which runs along the edge of the town, and the place has been a market since the Middle Ages.
The ride's earlier legs crossed Essex and Suffolk, so the Cotswolds are a very different sort of country. The honey-coloured limestone of the buildings is the first thing you notice, and the lanes around Stow are lined with drystone walls and grassy verges. The roads are narrow and quiet, with gentle bends and short hills, and the surface is mostly good, though cracked in places. In summer, the lanes fill with visitors, so try to come early in the morning or late in the evening, and in winter, ice can linger in the shadows.
The wool trade made Stow rich, and the enormous market square, big enough to hold thousands of sheep, is a reminder. The church of St Edward has a north door framed by two ancient yew trees, which is said to have inspired Tolkien, though the claim is not certain. The last battle of the first English Civil War was fought nearby in 1646, when the Royalists were defeated, and many prisoners were held in the church. Two horse fairs are still held every year, in May and October, and draw large crowds.
Fuel is a point to consider: Stow is small, with about two thousand people, so fill the tank in a bigger town before you arrive. The town has many tea rooms, antique shops and pubs, and the cheese and chutney shops are good for snacks. A bench in the square is the ideal place to eat.
Walk round the square, read the old stones, and enjoy the hush that falls when the coaches leave.