Broadway Tower

If you're staying in Broadway, an interesting side trip.

Ever since I first visited Broadway 2 years ago, I have wanted to hike up to the top of the hill to Broadway Tower. But no-one in my family ever wanted to join me. This time around, I decided to go, alone if necessary. Which it was.

Sunday was an off day for us. In the morning I took my son to the excellent playground they have here in town, but in the afternoon, everyone else wanted to rest, so I took the opportunity to hike up the hill.

The 1000-foot climb begins with a warning to dogs:

Despite that, there were quite a number of hikers who had brought their dogs along, and not all of them were on a leash.

The hill was quite steep, but my military training from two decades ago kicked in, and I persevered. To stop and rest would have been the end, so I just put one foot in front of the other all the way up the hill. I am proud of the fact that I, a 45 year-old fat guy, overtook absolutely everyone I saw hiking up the hill.

Halfway up. Because I refused to stop on my way up, this picture was actually taken when I was halfway down going the other way.

By the time I got to the top, I was hot and sweating, but the cool Cotswolds breeze was such a pleasant reward. And the view from the top of the tower, which, it being a clear day, you could see clear into Wales 50 miles away.

Some of the history of the tower is on display. The tower was used as an observation post to spot and track enemy airplanes during World War II.  During the Cold War, it became a nuclear observation post to assist in case of nuclear war. I took a tour of the bunker they had there, which was very interesting, and also kind of chilling. It reminded me how serious the Cold War had been. It was reckoned that Soviet missiles could strike England within 4 minutes of launch being detected, so the bunker was equipped with telecommunications equipment to get the word out, and the staff of the bunker had a 4-minute drill to fire off the sirens and batten down the hatches, and then measure impact, radiation, and fallout. The bunker was in operation until 1991. Despite there being some 1500 bunkers in operation during the Cold War (you were never more the 10 miles from one), the one at Broadway Tower is one of the few that have been preserved for tourists.

There were 20,000 sirens throughout Britain during the Cold War to give people a 4-minute warning of nuclear attack. What could you do in 4 minutes? Well, for one, every 12 inches of brick you could put between yourself and the outside would reduce your radiation exposure by 50%.

The hike would have been miserable with my family, so I cannot recommend it as a family-friendly activity. Your kids would complain all the way up, and it would take about 5 times as long. On the other hand, it is an opportunity for you to get away from your kids. :-)