Cotswolds / Broadway Tower Loop (Hilly 7-mile hike)

This hike comes with Warning! : Please read this description in full before even thinking about clicking the attend button!
So there's good news and bad news about this event.
The bad news first : This route is the most challenging hike that the Friendly Faces have ever taken on.
Throughout the route there are three tough ascents, the first of which endures for about a mile and is sure to beat anyone who is not a fit and able regular hill-walker, so please consider this before clicking the attend button. Running out of steam and giving up half way is not an option, and having to stop for long breaks will not make you popular.
As a point of reference - if you have conquered other challenging 7/8-mile hikes like the Malvern Hills without issue then you should be ok with this one as well, but please be warned that this hike is not for the strollers.
If anyone would like more detail on the specifics of the difficulty level of this hike, drop me a message and I'll be happy to discuss.

The good news : This route is the most scenic hike that the Friendly Faces has ever taken on.
Make no mistake, the reward for battling up those hills is an abundance of quite incredible scenery. Anyone who has walked in the Cotswolds countryside before will tell you that its a special place, but this superb route has to be seen to be believed.
If you are a regular walker, you can be sure of a stunning day out exploring the finest countryside that this country has to offer. Amazing scenery, picturesque views, fresh air in your lungs, the sound of birds singing and cattle in the distance... nature at its finest.
An incredible outdoorsy place that will leave you in need of a good sit down at the end, but you'll feel a warm satisfied glow at having seen it and done it.

The town of Broadway (not to be confused Broadgate - another similarly named Friendly Faces hiking route) is beautiful, and there are several carparks scattered around the town, however each one is small and therefore often busy.
For this reason, I'll leave it up to each of you to decide which carpark you would like to aim for.
The meet point that we will all converge on will be a 20-minute walk away from all of the car parks, so you are strongly advised to plan to arrive in town at least half an hour early so that you've got 30 minutes to find a parking space and then to walk over to the meet point. Its not nice to make the group wait because you didnt plan your journey, and if you dont make it to the starting point for midday we'll start without you.

Need a lift?...
If you aren't a driver and would like a lift to and from the starting point, leave a message here on the event page (as soon as you sign up) asking if anyone is kind enough to offer. Do that now, because leaving that question until the last few days before the event is too late.
Don't forget to offer a few pounds to your driver towards petrol money.

Other things to note...
- Unfortunately dogs are not allowed 🐶❌ to attend this event due to there being lots of wild animals and livestock all along the route.
- At this event you'll have a fantastic outdoorsy afternoon out, you'll meet a like-minded group of super-social Friendly Faces (including first-timers as always) and you'll be amazed at how easy it is to make new acquaintances / connections along the way.
- Trainers will not suffice for this route. I do my best to advise people in the event descriptions to invest in good, purpose-made, ankle-protecting footwear, and there are always a few who either ignore it or dont read it and arrive in trainers. Dont let that be you!
- This is one of several hiking events through the summer that you are welcomed and encouraged to join as we all keep fit and active, and soak up the amazing English countryside!

Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions.
If not - click the big red "Attend" button now to be kept in the loop, and so you dont forget.
If you're a fan of good quality challenging hikes, then trust me when I say that this will be a truly amazing day out that you will not forget.

p.s. A big thankyou to Claire, Hussain, John and Sophie for helping me to test this route - helping to qualify it as a brand new and amazing Friendly Faces hike for us all to get out there and enjoy.

EVENT SUMMARY / IMPORTANT POINTS

1. To find out how to become a full Friendly Faces group member, read here... https://www.meetup.com/friendlyfaces/events/305407432/
2. This event starts at 12:00. Do not be late. Make sure you arrive early enough to get parked, and be ready at the start point for this time or we may leave without you.
3. To attend this hiking event you must be physically active, in good health, and free from injury. If you are not all of these things - please remove yourself from the attendees list.
4. Dogs are NOT allowed 🐶❌ to attend this event.
5. Hard-wearing trainers will not suffice for this route, bring (or invest in) some good quality ankle-protecting waterproof footwear. This is an essential requirement for attending this hike.