River, Railway, Rambling
Christine’s Midweek Ramble 14 September
A change of start point and venue for lunch was necessary as the pubs in Harvington weren’t serving lunchtime food. Everyone gathered as newly advised, and we started our walk from Village Street heading out past the allotments and Green Farm.
The allotments were abundant with vegetables, fruit and flowers. A friendly group were sat chatting together with their tea and coffees. A reminder that it’s not just about growing things, but friendships as well.
A short walk along the main road led us to a track on our right which took us past hedges of blackberries and fields growing beans, down to Abbots Salford. We had a fine view of the Hall at Salford, now a hotel. The hall was built around 1470 as a living place for monks from nearby Evesham Abbey. It then became the private residence of the Stanford family, before being lived in by Benedictine nuns in the early 1800’s. The nuns commissioned the building of Stanbrook Abbey and moved there in 1838.
We walked over the A46, a hurdle for ramblers looking for any walking routes in this area, and then through a caravan park before turning into Worcestershire meadow and heading for the river. All was not as peaceful as first seemed as gleeful shouts were heard from a group of bellboaters out from school.
More blackberries were sampled along the river walk, and then it was back to the pub at Abbotts Salford for lunch outside in the sunshine.
In the afternoon, we walked back to Harvington and down to Norton to join what can be seen of the old Redditch, Alcester, Evesham to Ashchurch railway line. This is accessed again by a bridge over the A46 and mostly follows the line of the Avon. It is proposed that this becomes a part of the Alcester, Salford Priors, Harvington, Evesham Cycleway. It must have been a lovely journey, as there are fine views across the Vale.
We walked as far as Twyford, leaving Rosalind to go down to the river and enjoy the peace of it halfway. At the turn to the Country Park, we followed the signs for ERC’s Circular Walk number 1 back along the river. With Rosalind picked up, and a large, lonely brown cygnet admired, we retraced our steps back towards Norton.
Back on roads again, we turned off through orchards (obviously the apples had to be tasted!) to arrive back in Harvington at our cars. We all agreed it had been a lovely days rambling in perfect weather.
Christine
am 5 miles, pm 4.3 miles
