08-Jun-2000 -- On the 8th of June 2000, I found myself working in
Cheltenham. I was only 8 miles south of the 52N 002W confluence which
AutoRoute 2001 put in the village of Alderton in Gloucestershire.
Taking advantage of the light evenings I checked into my hotel and then
set off for my first confluence. Finding the village was not problem, it's a typical
Cotswold village complete with thatched cottages and a village pub (see village
photo).
At first it seemed like it was going to be too easy, it looked like the village
playing field would host the point, but appearances can be deceptive and I
had to track round the other side of the village. A path along a wheat field took
me within 5 metres of the goal, so close, but ground zero was in the next field!
I took four photographs anyway (north, south, east, and west views) just in
case this was as close as I got.
I asked a passerby who the land owner was, he directed my to one of the
thatched cottages I'd seen before. A quick knock on the door revealed a family
having quiche and white wine in the garden. They were a little bemused about
my tale, but gave me permission to tramp across their land.
Got it! Spot on, a quick photo' of the GPS then the land owner called me
back. What now?
It turns out all he wanted was to ask some further questions, and to offer me
some quiche and wine. The perfect end to my first confluence.