Stanton Stroll
Andy & Emily’s Saturday Shorts Ramble – 1 November
We were lucky to have mostly sunny dry conditions for our walk up and down the hill by Stanton and Laverton – it rained before and after.
After a warming climb up to the ridge, we were rewarded with lovely views to Broadway and Bredon and beyond. After a short stop for refreshments we headed back down towards Laverton and then back across rolling fields to Stanton. A short and sweet outing on a lovely November morning.
Andy and Emily
3.7 miles.
Ignore the Weather Forecasts
Hazel and Paul’s Midweek Ramble – 12 November
Intrepid walkers wearing waterproof gear left their cars in Colwall Church carpark and set off for Ledbury up and over the Malvern Hills. The rain threatened, but held off luckily but soggy leaves underfoot were everywhere.
We passed The Hope End Estate, the former home of the Barrett family, and then eventually reached the exit of the railway tunnel from Colwall into Ledbury. Here the building of the tunnels for coal transport from Wales, was discussed and the possibility of a cycle track in the future. We also viewed the large Beverage Factory which processes the fruit that is locally grown, in mass quantities.
Lunch at the Prince of Wales in Ledbury was enjoyed by all, and then we set off back in the rain, which quickly subsided. After an uphill push, the terrain leveled off, before we decscended back into Colwall.
Hazel & Paul
5.0 miles (am) 5.0 miles (pm)
What? Another stile??????
Paul and Fran’s Short Ramble – 19 November
22 Ramblers gathered in the car park of the Ounce Pub in Bishampton. The good news was that the early morning rain had stopped by the time we started to arrive. The not so good news was that there was a bitterly cold wind blowing through the car park.
We didn’t hang around and set off across fields, following the ‘Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Walk’ route. But fields mean stiles. Four of them. In very quick succession. Which went down well.
We then climbed by road to the top of the Lench Wood plateau, stopping just below the summit to admire the view across to the Lench’s before taking a right turn to walk through the Lench Wood. The narrow path along the side of the hill, again, part of the ‘Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Walk’ was very muddy and a bit of a challenge. But everyone got through.
The reward on the other side of the wood was an easy walk down off the ridge, across the Vale Golf Course to a stop for drinks and snacks and most of the group were able to find a spot in the sunshine.
Refreshed, we then headed across fields towards Bishampton. No stiles this time. And by now the cold wind had abated and we could see across to the Malverns, and the town bathed in winter sunshine.
On the outskirts of Bishampton we once again headed out across fields. And more stiles. There were three stiles on this leg, along with a couple of unco-operative gates and some difficult electric fence wires. But everyone got through. We were treated to a display from four muntjac who bounced across one of the fields in front of us.
It wasn’t long before we were back in Bishampton – and the end. And no more stiles. Most of the group took their just reward for the mornings adventures at the Ounce Pub, where, because it was Wednesday, steaks were £1 per ounce. A great lunch to end a great ramble.
Paul and Fran
6.6 miles
Bordesley Abbey, Arrow Valley Park and Redditch
Diane’s Sunday Ramble 30 November
The weather Gods were definitely on our side; the rain of the previous week had been replaced by glorious sunshine as we set out on this circular walk from Bordesley Abbey.
Demolished in the early 16th century, the monastery is now preserved as a complex of humps and bumps covering approx. 98 acres. In 1969 The Bordesley Abbey Project Team began a sustained programme of excavation and research continues to this day. The majority of the remains remain hidden.
When the monks arrived at Bordesley – Redditch did not exist. During the Middle Ages it became the centre of needle making and later prominent industries were fish-hooks, fishing tackle, motorcycles and springs. Information on the history of those industries can be found at The Forge Mill Needle Museum, on the same site as the Bordesley Visitor Centre.
From the Abbey, we followed some good paths and open grazing land heading towards Arrow Valley Country Park – the largest open space in Redditch covering 2.5 square miles. The park was created in the 1970s by the Redditch Development Corporation which built Redditch New Town. Arrow Valley Lake was created at the same time after massive quantities of material was dug out to landscape the new town. Skirting around the lake we were able to watch people enjoying water activities. Ducks, geese and other wildlife, were equally enjoying their own water activities.
Redditch is known for its cycle and pedestrian greenways. As we headed towards our lunch stop, we followed the more ‘urban’ part of the ramble along well maintained paths and over or under dual carriageways designed to allow pedestrians to enjoy being ‘outdoors’.
After a picnic lunch in the grounds of the Holy Ascension Church, we headed uphill over farmland towards a reservoir before continuing the upward direction towards Upper Skilts Farm. Again good paths and quiet lanes towards Gorcott Hill and then onwards to Green Hill Farm. From here we followed muddy paths followed by an uphill stretch to Pink Green.
Another muddy path later we came across a small herd of cows that had managed, with the assistance of the torrential rain earlier in the week, to completely churn the ‘field’ into something more suited to hippos than humans! Ankle and then calf deep in mud it was definitely a walking boot water proof test.
Heading down hill and then along another muddy track towards Holt End we found ourselves going uphill again but the view over Beoley and Redditch and longer range, over Worcestershire and Warwickshire countryside was well worth the effort.
From here we wended our way back towards the northern part of the Arrow Valley Country Park and Bordesley Abbey.
An enjoyable ramble over two types of terrain: the first mainly flat and definitely more urban; the second definitely much more rural, undulating, mostly over farmland, quiet lanes, great views and mud.
Diane
4.5 miles (am) 6.0 miles (pm)