Enjoying the Autumn Sun
Geoff and Rachel’s Saturday Short – 5 October
In beautiful, warm Autumnal sunshine, we set off on the Millennium Way from The Nevill Arms, which is situated at New End on the Salt Way. The Salt Way is thought to be one of several ‘Salt Ways’ radiating from Droitwich, and was an important route in Roman times.
After negotiating two stiles, (built for people with very long legs!) we arrived in a meadow with amazing views across to Coughton and Alcester.
A short while later, after a fleeting glimpse of a hare streaking across the open field, we met the Spittle Brook. This brook, more like a deep ditch, originates at Hanging Well just south of Redditch, and flows to Alcester, where it joins the river Arrow at Oversley Mill.
A short detour, to avoid a submerged bridge, led us to a shallow ford. Luckily, some well-placed stones made the crossing relatively safe and dry.
Just before Cold Comfort Wood, we joined the Monarch’s Way. This 625 mile long distance path, running from Worcester to West Sussex, follows the approximate escape route taken by King Charles 2. It is waymarked using a logo of the ship ‘Surprise’ above a Prince of Wales three-pointed feathered crown on a silhouette of a Royal Oak Tree.
After a coffee break in the Wood, we continued to follow the Monarch’s Way across a large field, through a coppice and across the road to Cookhill. In the Doomsday Book, Cookhill is recorded as having a total population of five households-2 smallholders, 2 slaves and 1 Burgess.
Leaving Cookhill we soon reached the quiet village of Cladswell. A quiet country lane and well defined paths led us back to our starting point where several members enjoyed a leisurely lunch at The Nevill Arms.
Rachel
5.5 miles 8.8 km
Lucky with the weather
Richard and Debbie’s Midweek Ramble – 9 October
Given the wet weather leading up to the 9th there were a few causalities to the attendance list and despite a very misty start the determined group were treated to a very pleasant day with only one shower, near the end, that saw us running (ok a brisk walk) for cover in the Church at Ebrington, only 25 meters from the pub.
The walk proceeded as described with a quick stop in front of the gates of Foxcote House for a photo and a brief history on the ownership to include the current owner Les Wexner who just happens to own Victoria Secrets, which did cause a bit of amusement. The surrounding land was awash with pheasants as we are just about to reach the start of the shooting season and we were treated to the sight of a white pheasant, apparently there is a rule that these birds can not be shot, so obviously a very luck pheasant.
We continued on the walk to reach the Lark Stoke Transmitter, the highest point in Warwickshire before starting the decent down towards Hidcote Manor.
Up until this point the paths had been fine, the odd puddle but nothing serious, that was to change as we came across a puddle that completely covered the path. Not a real problem for the intrepid walkers but standing the other side were an American couple, not probably what they were expecting, as their foot-wear was not the most appropriate. They watched as we waded through, so they had a better idea of the depth, before they made their attempt. It was only later when we were getting refreshments in the pub that numerous ideas of how we could have a) made money or b) transferred footwear (to include welly flinging) were suggested.
Lunch was at the National Trust entrance at Hidcote. Refreshments and comfort break over we headed down the road to Kiftsgate Court Gardens where we picked up the footpath to put us back on track for the return trip. After a steep climb back to the road we picked up the Heart of England Way to go through Bakers Hill Wood, stopping briefly to look at the Belgian soldiers carving before heading down the track and on to Mickleton Hills Farm, picking up conkers on our way.
it was a bit of road work back to Ebrington turning off to go via the church, where a bit of rain signalled a pit stop inside the church and Geoff took refuge in a stone coffin. Rain stopped, we all set off to return to our cars, change footwear and get refreshment in the Ebrington Arms.
Debbie and Richard
9.5 miles
The Madding Crowd?
Maggie’s Short Ramble – 23 October
The walk along the banks of the River Avon from the Pershore bridges car park proved to be extremely popular with 32 members and one guest assembling for the 10am start. I am led to believe that this is a record for the club and if correct this is the only record that I hold!
It was probably the wonderfully warm bright sunny weather which attracted so many to undertake the walk though undertake is probably too strong a word for a walk with no stiles and only a slight incline to walk up!
Despite the recent rain the walk along the river bank was not too muddy though those wearing wellingtons were a bit smug.
We walked a couple of miles along the river bank and through a couple of fields to then entered Tiddesley Wood where we stopped to enjoy the view, have coffee and catch up on chat as the river path is single file only.
We then made our way through these ancient woodlands which have been here since medieval times. Once out of the woods we encountered more mud before descending to the town via Holloway. On Holloway we encountered a letterbox wonderfully decorated for Halloween.
After being mistaken for a protest march a short stroll brought us to the Abbey Park where we admired the wonderful memorial to the thousands of horses that died in the First World War.
We the made our way back to the car park along the old paths flanked by the ubiquitous serpentine walls and twenty of us then retired to the Pickled Plum Pub for a well-earned lunch.
Maggie
5.5 miles
Steam engines, post boxes and lots of sunshine
Paul and Fran’s Sunday Ramble – 27 October
I suggest that the measure of a good walk leader is the lengths that they go to in order to make for an interesting walk.
Therefore the October Sunday Ramble was arranged to start from the Wheelbarrow Castle pub in Radford. Not just a pub that does a half decent carvery, but also the start point on the day of the ramble for a rally of vintage steam engines. Which made for an interesting start as the steam engines had got to the pub car park the night before – and had pretty much took it over. Matters were not helped by the fact that this walk was a combined affair with the Ramblers and so we had an amazing 37 participants presenting the two groups – and rather lot of cars to be parked… After a fair bit of ‘jenga’ car parking, the walkers were happy and the steam engine people were happy, so we set off and left them to steer their huge machines through the array of parked cars. What could possibly go wrong? Thankfully nothing did go wrong.
The walk was in two sections, a 6 mile (ish) walk in the morning followed by a 4.5 mile (ish) walk in the afternoon.
The morning walk started with a walk across farmland, skirting Morton Wood to Rous Lench. And this is where, I suggest, that the walk leaders excelled again with the arrangements made for the weather. Within the hour most participants were taking off layers of clothing (calm down, neither ERC or the Ramblers are that kind of club) as the full effect of autumnal sunshine was felt. Once in Rous Lench, we walked past the cider press, the lovely post box at the village green, to the top of the village, then looped back down to St Peter’s church where we had a short coffee stop.
Next up was the gradual climb up past the deer park to a hill high above Rous Lench with amazing views over the Worcestershire countryside and beyond. Then it was downhill, through the rather muddy and slippery Slade Wood, then over more farmland and back to our start point.
The excitement of the morning, and maybe the effects of the carvery lunch meant that the numbers for the afternoon were whittled down to 14. Nevertheless these hardy souls set off across farmland again towards Inkberrow. On the outskirts of the village we skirted around towards Abbotts Morton, taking the opportunity to use two kissing gates that had been installed by ERC – and what beautiful kissing gates they are. In Abbotts Morton, some of the group took the opportunity to look up the lovely post box before we headed out past the remains of a castle high up on a hill (where else would you build a castle?) towards our start point in Radford. And then things went a bit wrong as each of the walk leaders had a different idea as to which tree in which field we needed to head for. As it turns out, both were wrong, so that little battle was awarded a score draw. Despite the confusion, we soon got back on track and finished the walk across more farmland, carefully chosen by the leaders to have enough damp grass to enable muddy boots to be cleaned before arriving back at our start point.
As always, thank you to everyone who attended.
Paul
6 miles AM 4.5 miles PM