Thursday, October 8, 9am and, our outing to Tetbury and Westonbirt Arboretum was under way. Before some of us had finished reading the day’s newspaper we arrived in Tetbury and a morning of exploration began.

Impossible to miss is the 17th Century Market House, where wool was once traded; open all round at ground level with a cupola on top, it is a sight of which Tetbury is justly proud. Another step into the past is the old GWR Goods Shed. The line has been closed since 1964 but the Shed is currently housing a sculpture exhibition and development as an Art Centre is planned with local bodies and individuals leading the project, a truly team effort. Having been rebuilt in 1777, the mediaeval St Mary’s Church is a now a wonder of Georgian Gothic design, spacious and well-lit within, and graced by the fourth highest spire in England. The small town is alive within independent shops – the Highgrove outlet, of course, but also antique shops, and three bookshops, one of them second-hand. Having seen all this, we discovered a variety of places to eat and at 1.30pm left for Westonbirt.

En route we passed Highgrove, a residence of the Prince of Wales, and Robert, our driver, entertained us with tales of his earlier encounters with the security team there. Happily he is still a free man and we were soon at Westonbirt Arboretum. Just to stroll around is always a pleasure, and particularly so at this time of year with the remarkable onset of the autumn colours. The stroll left time for modest refreshments sitting outside in the sunshine.

And so to Evesham, still awake and enlivened by our day and safe and entertaining journey.

BRIAN REID