Mince Pies to start the New Year
Emily & Andy’s Saturday Short – 4 January
The weather was very cold, the sky grey and snow was on its way. Our small rambling group braved the weather and had a lovely ramble on the hills around Stanton.
The ramble started with a serious uphill climb on a path close to the Mount Inn pub (unfortunately closed for Jan). By the time we reached the top, we were all warm. Not a bad way to start a ramble on a cold day. The frost was on the grass and was beautiful. The views were stunning in spite of the grey day. There was some ice and frozen mud at the beginning of our ramble. By the end, the ice was mostly gone and the muddy bits slippy. It made the gentle downward path more exciting. 🙂 Fortunately no one fell. We ended the walk with mince pies. A perfect way to start 2025.
Emily
3.61 Miles
‘Mud could have been worse’
Clive’s Midweek Ramble – 8 January
After welcoming two new members, Paul and Elaine, and sorting the important lunchtime pub food, we set off down the lane from Elmley Castle to take the path along the lower reaches of Bredon Hill towards Great Comberton.
The terrain was fairly flat but wet and muddy and wellies were definitely useful. The weather was dry, overcast, with little wind and not too cold, probably around zero.
At Great Comberton, we stopped for a break, before moving on across the fields to Little Comberton. Walking through the village we took the path leading to Bricklenhampton, little knowing that we were to cross through our new member Paul’s ‘back yard (in reality a field) and wave to his wife. Passing by the Bricklehampton Hall Nursing home and down a (very) muddy bridle path and back down the lane to Elmley Castle where Moira joined us for lunch.
Thanks everybody, for a great walk and stimulating conversation.
Clive
5.1 miles
Earlswood Lakes Circular
Hazel & Paul’s Short Ramble – 15 January
We met in the carpark of The Blue Bell Cider House, Earlswood, after a misty start. This is on the border of Warwickshire and West Midlands.
The walking route explores the fascinating local waterways, including a stretch of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal and a circuit of Earlswood Lakes, with lots of history and wildlife around. Earlswood Lakes is actually made up of three individual 22-acre reservoirs; Terry’s Pool, Windmill Pool and Engine Pool.
We also walked through part of Clowes Wood & New Fallings Coppice which are ancient woodlands. They support a range of 49 species of birds and bats.
The sun didn’t stop shining all morning, but there was still plenty of mud. Trevor Dingley joined us for lunch in the Cider House.
Hazel & Paul
7 miles
In the company of Herminia
Lesley and Trevor’s Sunday Ramble – 26 January
The High Wold – Cleeve Hill and Cleeve Common
We gathered on a windy and bright morning in the clubhouse of Cleeve Hill Golf Club. Purchase of a beverage came with free parking, and thus sustained we set off almost due east alongside the 1st Hole, eventually dropping downhill to a gate.
Following a stony and muddy track to another gate, we turned right for 200yds and then due north through three more gates alongside very wet ground and an ancient water culvert leading to a yard. Passing through more gates to rough pasture we reached an access lane to a large house and a number of estate houses. Alongside a fast-running brook, a feeder to the River Isbourne, the path reached open pasture, and still dropping, we arrived at Postlip (paper) Mill, originally so positioned as to use the water as a source of power and process.Here at least since 1698 as a flour mill, its’ function in 2025 is as a manufacturer of a paper used in industrial face masks.
We now sensed the onset of the impending storm!
Continuing north east along the Isbourne adjacent to the mill’s extensive buildings, water treatment ponds and plants, we passed into very muddy and awkward trenches, eventually reaching a a small bridge, the lowest point of our walk. Turning south, we walked into heavy rain, now gently climbing to Corndean Farm and then more steeply in deep mud, across a bank through an orchard alongside a fenced field, to a tarmac road to Corndean Hall. Crossing this, the climb steepened: the views from here down to Winchcombe and beyond into the Vale are wonderful, albeit somewhat shrouded that day by heavy rain. Belas Knap was but some (3/4 mile) ahead, signposted at a road ahead.
Through trees the climb beckoned to an open grassed hillside, at the top left hand corner of which a gentle path arrived at this ancient burial mound. (Google provides inexhaustible info). At this stage we were very wet and while hungry and thirsty, aside from stopping briefly, the party elected to march south west on with the promise of a dry(ish) barn “just along the track”. The flat path of the Cotswold/Winchombe Way(s) between hedges eventually reached said barn (disused farm buildings), where out of the rain we were able to refuel.
After some 20 minutes we left shelter, heading due west on the last uphill stretch along a chalky track and rough field edge to a gate to the Common. Once out in the wide open space, heading north west and eventually joining the Winchcombe Way, we became truly aware of the quantity of rain and exceptional wind strength, thankfully at our backs. We were blown along the last couple of miles to arrive wet and somewhat bedraggled, foregoing a closing gathering for a return to a warm home and shower.
The Leaders thoroughly enjoyed the company of the stoical* party, and hope that they derived a sense of achievement in coming through relatively unscathed.
Lesley & Trevor
8.8 miles 14.16 km