Woodhouse Eaves, Bradgate, Beacon Hill, Outwoods

Date: 21 May 2011

Area: South of Loughborough, Leicestershire

Distance: 12.2 Miles 19.6 k

Start Location: Public Car Park in Woodhouse Eaves or on Main Street

OS Sheet: Explorer 246

Grid Ref: SK 5310 1446

Outline: Woodhouse Eaves, Swithland Wood, Cropston Leas, Bradgate Park, Lingdale Golf Course, Broombriggs, Beacon Hill, Outwoods, including Buck Hill, back to Woodhouse Eaves via Brook Road

Route

I've not detailed the route we took.as using the outline above and a 1 :25,000 map it should be possible to devise a lovely walk through the beautiful and ever changing hills and woodland of Charnwood Forest.

Journey

Due to a very painful injury and the demands of large scale decorating, 'paint and paper everywhere', we have not been able to get out for more than stroll around our local fields since the 18th April 

The injury was sustained by Mrs G as she nipped out to the loo one dark night. NHS Direct thought her little toe might be been broken, but said nothing can be done about it other than to tape it to the adjacent toe and take asprins.

So our planned training walks in preparation for our Cumbria Way walk  in June have been put on hold. Until Saturday when we opted for the old favourite training walk of about 10.5 miles. In the circumstances the advantage of this walk is that there are several places where, if the foot got painful, we could nip back to the car or Mrs G could sit while I went to get the car.  A sound plan I thought as we strolled out of Woodhouse Eaves (passing the Cup Cake Shop with only the briefest of pauses) and into Swithland Woods, only to find the field path to Bradgate Park had cows in it so we implemented diversion number one.

Seeing as Saturday was such a nice day warm, sunny with a strong at times but not to cool breeze we were surprised that there were so few people about. It was the same during the rest of the walk. From the top of Bradgate Park we followed the Leicestershire Round and drop down through a section of  New National Forest on to the back nine holes of Lingdale Golf Course, which looked immaculate, pristine and totally devoid of golfers. Crossing John Moores Lane we entered the first half of the course and could see that the driving range was full but only the first three holes were in play. Quick as a very slow flash I realised  'there's a big  match on'. The golfers were fine, waving us across the couple of fairways crossed by the footpath.

Diversion two occurred as we walked across Broombriggs Farm and Country Park where there were cows with calves right on the route over to Beacon Hill so we went the longer way around. I had to agree with Mrs G that this was a sensible decision. I once made the mistake of nearly getting between a calf and its mother, she was not happy and let me know it, very b..... scary.

We stopped for lunch on Beacon Hill laying in the sunshine, talking about the grandchildren, one was due to be born that day, the Cumbria Way and how little Mrs G could take with her (as I'm carrying about half her gear), then chatting to a couple walking by.

We followed the newish cycle/horse path down the north side of Beacon Hill to Breakback Lane and headed along the road  and into the Outwoods. Coming back out on to the road we took the permissive path alongside Charwood Hall and walked along Buck Hill which a lovely exposed ridge with a rocky little hill top.

Crossing back over Breakback Lane and into the Outwoods we headed for Woodhouse passing the charcoal burners site and along Brook Road to the Old Bulls Head for a pint and received a phone call to say grandchild number 6 was on the way.

He was born just after midnight 8lb 2oz mother, baby, father and two sisters all well, still waiting for a decision on the name 3 days later!!

What a cracking day.

Hallaton Bottle Kicking 25 April 2011

Date: 27 March 2011

Area: Leicestershire.
Location: Hallaton
OS Sheet: Explorer 233
Grid Ref: SP 7878 9654

Not a walk but a lovely day out with my wife and daughter and her family in the beautiful village of Hallaton, meeting family and friends again, as those who have a connection with the village return to celebrate Easter Monday at Hallaton with feasting and drinking and Bottle Kicking.

The vallage was packed and even though we arrived early we had to park way outside the village beyond the rec.

A great day Hallaton got the first two bottles over to win the best of three.

The Fox Beer Garden from Hallaton Duck Pond

Stunning Wisteria Display

Gathering on the Green, before the Parade

Parading the Bottles past the Church on the way to Hare Pie Hill

A Bottle Kicking Maul

 

The first barrel breaks away!



On the Buttercross. To the winners the spoils



Ticknall, Ingleby Repton Foremark

Date: 17 April 2011
Area: South of Derby

Distance: 12.3 miles 19.9 k

Start Location: Ticknall Village Hall Car Park

OS Sheet: Explorer 245

Grid Ref: SK 35295 24060

I apologise for not getting this posted last week but we had a landline failure last Tuesday, realised on Wednesday, reported on Thursday and on Tuesday the BT man came to call.

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1:25,000 map.

From the car park cross the road S and E into Chapel Street, at its end take footpath on left across the first field, bear right at second and head up the E side of Robin Wood. At Woodend Cottage take track W to Ingleby Toft. Walk N to footpath on left to Ingleby. At W of village take footpath on right heading W to Caves and on to Mill Plantation, turn right and follow paths towards Twyford and W across the fields to Repton. Walk down Monson Lane to Milton Road follow SE take first road on right, Springfield Road, near far end take footpath on left head E to Milton, Foremark and Seven Sprouts Farm. Take track heading towards Ingleby Toft, in about 400m turn right just after the small lake, back to Ticknall

Journey

Sunday was a stunningly good day for a walk, warm with gentle breezes and Spring really hitting the high notes everywhere we looked.

The aim of this walk was to take Mrs G to parts of this area she'd not seen before mainly Robin Wood, Ingleby and the walk along the River Trent passing Anchor Church and the Caves. We were also using it as a training walk for our holiday in June when we plan to walk the Cumbria Way from Ulverston to Keswick taking four days, then spending a couple of days on short walks in the area, making time for shopping, I'm sure.

I am sorry to say that after the very good way marking on the Hallaton walk in Leicestershire a few weeks ago, here the sign posting was frequently not always obvious nor clear and many of the stiles were in poor order. This did not detract from the walk except for the bad language from Mrs G, as she struggled to climb over yet another over height stile, she’s only 5ft tall and as we know all the men who build stiles are 6ft 6 inch tall with 36 inch inside legs.

Ticknall, as well as being the gateway to Calke Abbbey and Park is a super little village, well worth spending sometime wandering around. We parked at the Village Hall where part of the car park is for public parking, there are also some decent toilets here.

The walk from Ticknall to Ingleby is straight forward, across the fields and through some new woodland areas then through or up the side of Robin Wood and across the top. The path down to Ingleby was not clear it actually heads towards the north west corner of the field to join the road outside the John Thompson Free House, which I am assured by the lady who lives next door to the landlords father says is the best pub in Derbyshire with terrific food. This wonderful lady, with whom we spent some twenty minutes chatting, tends to the spring flower garden alongside the rock pool and well in the middle of the village.

At the west end of the village there is a short steep climb to a fantastic viewing point overlooking part of the village, the River Trent and its flood plane to the north of the river with Derby in the distance. We sat here in the sun drinking in the view and eating Kit Kats before they melted.

I have visited the caves a couple of time when it’s been cold and dank and found them a bit forbidding. This time we spent quite a few minutes exploring and sort of poking about. I have no knowledge of the caves and Church’s history but we could begin to imagine how the very poor or outcast or even monks or hermits may have lived here and what a cold, damp, miserable place it must have been and how desperate or driven the people had to be to live here.

From there across the fields towards Twyford and on to Repton the way was flat and a little boring, relieved by the butterflies (can anyone tell me what this one is) and hundreds of the sheep and their lambs. Ohh Mint Sauce!!

Needless to say we had a roast beef dinner at Repton Tea Rooms

The way back to Ticknall from Repton was by way of Milton and Foremark Hall and school (above). Then along the tree lined track to Heath Wood, on to Seven Sprouts Farm where we managed to take two wrong paths within 500 metres of each other, the first was a few metres down the wrong track and back, the second took us passed some interesting old ruins and up the stream along the small valley beneath Coppy Hill, passed the lake at the head valley and a 10 minute faff trying to cross the brand new sheep fencing. What we should have done was to take the track on the right at the bottom of the small spur, well before we reached the ruins.

Once over the fence it was through a small dish of a valley and over the hill back down into Ticknall. A good walk that we very much enjoyed

Hallaton, Goadby Goolston and Cranoe

Date: 27 March 2011

Area: Leicestershire. West of Uppingham
Distance: 11.4Miles 18.3 k

Start Location: Hallaton

OS Sheet: Explorer 233

Grid Ref: SP 7878 9654

Route
These notes are provided only to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1 : 25,000 map.
From the Village Green head downhill to the Church, turn right into Hunts Lane go to the top, cross on to bridleway to Moor Hill Spinneys, Hallaton Spinneys and Keythorpe Hall Farm. Turn south along the Midshires Way, past Keythorpe Lodge Farm to footpath on right to Goadby or take the track a bit further south. Pass through the village and down the hill, turn left along road, passing the entrance gates to Noseley Hall to take the footpath through Old Park, follow down to cross the stream and uphill into Glooston. Follow the road to Cranoe, by the church take the footpath to Othorpe House and on into Hallaton

Journey
This walk starts in what I think is one of the best villages in England. Hallaton was home to my great grandparents, my grandparents, my mother and all their families. Indeed a cousin still lives in the village and I understand there are a few more distant relations around. However, Hallaton has two far more significant claims to fame than my ancestry.

The best known is Bottle Kicking held annually on Easter Monday. In its simplest terms it is a sport, a game, a competition between two villages. In reality it is the re-enactment of an ancient battle, a rights of passage for the young men and women of the villages. To gain an impression of this battle, have a look on YouTube. As a starter I recommend Bottle Kicking.

The second claim was the discovery in 2000 of a large hoard of Iron Age and early Roman coins and artefacts including five thousand silver and gold coins, the remains of an ornately decorated Roman parade helmet and some mysterious silver items. For more information on this stunning and highly significant find visit Hallaton Hoard.

The landscape in this part of north east Leicestershire and into Rutland is very much of the Wolds, an intricate weave of rolling hills, long ridges, steep sided valleys, streams, rivers, woodland and small villages. The land is extensively farmed with fields of sheep, cattle, horses and arable alongside each other. This walk certainly has all of the above plus a stately home.

The way is well marked with yellow topped posts. The walk north from Hallaton to Keythorpe Lodge Farm is a long steady climb to Moor Hill Spinney then a drop down into a small dished valley where we sat and watched several pairs of Hares running and playing (but not Mad). As you climb out of the valley look out for the marker posts taking you across the field to the right, away from the farm track. On picking up the Midshires Way the track climbs to a long gently desending ridge with views both east and west, on a good day these view can be stunning.

Watch out for the footpath to Goadby, we missed it, talking about a previous walk along here, so we walked down the less attractive stony track and back along Horse Hill Road to the village. Going down the hill out of Goadby you can limit the road walking a little by talking either of the footpaths on the left, both come out by the stream on Palmers Lane. Noseley Hall has apparently fallen on hard times and is for sale, if you have £14 million to spare. If you are interested, the sales particulars can be seen here Noseley Hall

After crossing through the Old Park, across a couple of fields of crops and a section of woodland we crossed a stream and found the perfect lunch spot, out the wind, in the sun, on gently sloping grass. Later walking over the fields to Glooston we were serenaded by Skylarks, for me one of the most evocative of sounds in the countryside.

From Glooston it’s a kilometre of road walking, with terrific view over the Welland Valley, to Cranoe don’t go down into the village but turn left by the Church and follow the footpath to the right back to Hallaton savouring the views.

Although the day was dull with a slight chill wind and a cloudy sky that took all the brightness and life out of the photographs we both really enjoyed this walk, it had a bit of everything and we will do it again Mrs G said in the summer, I thought it might make a good walk in the snow. We shall see.

Post walk refreshments, coffee and cream scones, were had at the Bewicke Tea Room. Next to the pub?.

Hope to Gridleford via Abney

Date: 19 March 2011 

Area: Peak District

Distance: 10.3 Miles 16.6.k

Start Location: Grindleford Station and train to Hope

OS Sheet: OL1 & OL24

Grid Ref: 2503 7869

Route

From Hope Station head south to the A6187 turn east, at the junction in Brough turn right crossing the bridge over the River Noe, turn left into Brough Lane.

Follow the lane southwards, as it turns to the east, go south taking the footpath across Abney Moor. At the road, go on down to Abney Grange, taking the path down to the bottom of the valley, cross the stream and bear left along the valley side.

There are no public paths here so keep well above the Brook and work your way westwards to pick up the footpaths leading down to Stoke Ford. Head east, passing Brook Wood, Tor Farm and Hazelford Hall. At the B6001 turn left, cross over the River Derwent and turn right along the path following the river bank. In Coppice Wood take the track bearing left uphill, and then cross 3 fields to the bridge over the railway line, turn right to Grindleford Station.

Journey

Saturdays walk was the real first proper walk of the year, the Foremark Repton walk xx weeks ago was a proper walk but fairly tame and gentle and we took a two hour stop for a roast beef dinner halfway round. Saturdays was a 10mile point to point walk through the heart of the Peaks a more serious proposition. Here lunch was beef and horseradish sandwich and a brew sitting on a grassy bank, we know how to rough it!

The day started at 6:30 an unheard of time for Mrs G to be awake on a Saturday morning. We eventually got out the house at far too many minutes past 8. A sprint up the M1 to pick Andy up then back to the M1 and through to Chesterfield, getting in to Grindleford with 15 minutes to spare, mainly due to the roads being quiet, which won’t last for long!

The 09:29 Sheffield to Manchester train was a two carriage Pacer and it was packed, so we had to stand, which was fine as it’s only a 10 minute journey. But it made me wonder how come there are so many crappy trains on our railways and why do so many have so few carriages.

Part of the plan for this walk was to find a number of Geocaches along the way, with first just along the road from Hope Station. So after a 5 minute faff sorting what tops to wear, switching on GPS’s, getting the relevant information on mobile phones and testing new sunglasses we got started and 75m later we located the first cunningly hidden GC (I’m not going to keep typing geocache). This was a film canister it was Andy’s first ever GC and the first micro cache Mrs G and I had found. In the next 4K we found 4 more GC’s all cunningly hidden, but almost in clear view, in fact Andy was heard to mutter ’when we’ve been round this way before, I’m sure I stopped and had a pee on that stone’. So be warned if you ever go out geocaching be sure to take hand wipes etc. with you. You never know…..

As we reached the top of Brough Lane there were a bunch of people unloading para gliding kit from their cars while two gliders floated over us, along with several para gliders. As we looked back, Lose Hill, Win Hill and Shatton Edge were clear but looking across Abney Moor the early sunshine was being pushed eastwards by a bank of clouds and a chilly wind. Away towards Shatton Lane areas of heather or, bracken were being burnt off.

Dropping down into the valley below Abney Grange is always a pleasure it’s an area of calmness and tranquillity, a tonic. You meander peacefully through its scaled down hills and valleys never quite knowing if you’re going in the right direction or where you’ll end up. It is very beautiful and quiet, I’ve promised myself that one day I will park close by and spend a warm sunny day here just wandering around and sitting in the sun

‘I’ve searched the internet looking for information about the land slip, such as when it occurred but found very little, other than bits about walks and photos plus a short sentence in a Peak Parks document saying “Locally the failure of the interbedded shales has given rise to characteristic landslip landscapes, for example in Bretton Clough.” If you find or know any more please let me know.

Stoke Ford is one of the major cross roads in the area. It’s a natural meeting place, a pleasant spot to take a break, even have lunch, let kids or dogs play in the brook but with walkers moving in five different directions it can become a bit busy.

Several years ago the very busyness of the place brought on one of my rare episodes of “ramblers rage”. We reached the ford as two groups of walkers each of about 20 people arrived on opposite sides of the bridge. Both groups seemed to know each other, but were going off in different directions. As they passed each other, they exchanged greetings, found they were going the wrong way, turned back, spoke to someone else, shouted to a person on the far side of the crowd that they were going the wrong way, only have them shout back, the groups lost cohesion! As a result the bridge and the east bank was mêlée and any movement in any direction was near impossible.

I watched and waited for several minutes then seeing red shouting “scuse me, coming through” (in best S‘arnt Major voice) I pushed and bullied my way through the throng, dragging an reluctant Mrs G with me, past men in golfing jackets and ladies in cashmere twin sets and cheap fleeces, many brandishing walking poles like drunken conductors (band not bus). As we crossed the bridge a florid gentleman in green corduroy trousers tucked into red socks, wearing a beige waistcoat with many pockets, stopped us saying “shouldn’t you be going the other way with Clive”. Growling something about f f f friendly ramblers, we stormed off towards the path to Oaks Farm and peace. I'm not proud on my behavior here but it still makes me laugh.

The path east from Stoke Ford to Hazelford is pleasantly undulating with woodland and open paddocks. The path alongside the Derwent is a steady track and parkland walk with the river and the woodland to please the ear and eye.

Although there were signs of spring and the afternoon sun was pleasant it did feel as if spring in this part of Derbyshire was some two to three weeks behind us in Leicestershire. In a few weeks I’m sure everything will be blooming, we can’t wait to get back.

 

Outdoors Show NEC

I’ve been trying to write this and get it posted all week but things just keep getting in the way, so this has been written after three four attempts.


On Saturday 26 March,  the Missus, Andy, his mate Steve and I went down to the NEC to visit the Outdoor Leisure Show with Caravans, Campervans, and Boats. Having made numerous visits to the old Outdoors show at the NEC, now at Excel in London, this one was a pleasant change it was spread over 5 halls and as a result it was far less of a scrum, the good wide walkways between the stands provided the space and the freedom to move around, to see things, to talk to guys and girls on the stands and to other punters.

We spent a fair chunk of time looking at the caravans, mainly two berth as I am getting close to retirement and we want to get a touring caravan at some time before then. We were mainly looking at layouts and standard equipment, all of which were far better than I remember from our last four berth one over twenty years ago.

We also looked at the camper vans (Motor Homes) which although very impressive our plan remains to go with a caravan. It will probably be a 13 or 15 foot van with an end toilet/shower, a hob,cooker, fridge, microwave and heating.

We both bought some kit Mrs G got herself a Paramo Velez Adventure Light for £60 below list, while I got a Paramo Explorer shirt about £20 below list which was pretty good. Keela also had a stand and I  got a pair of Keela Peru trousers for £30. I have worn their Peru and Paraguay trousers for about eight years now, they are very hard wearing and comfortable being quite stretchy, these new ones are a different material but look and feel just as good. Also saw their new Scuffer HW trousers which looked like good winter trousers, well for here in the Midlands anyway, up north you’ll have to make you own minds up. However, I will continue to use my Montane terra pants through the warmer months, those side zips are super for cooling.

I also bought some fancy British wool (merino?) socks, but I lost the wrapper I haven't a bloody clue what they were made from or how to get some more. They are nice and warm and cushioning, a bit like my Smartwool ones but a little coarser.!


Although we did a little local walk today, 6 miles, we are hoping to get out for a proper walk next weekend but as Forest is at home again that does seem a bit unlikely, we’ll see.


In the meantime heres some pictures Andy and I took on the Westmoreland Way in 2009.

1000 Posts

Unfortunately no walk this weelend, one was on the cards but a forecast of bad weather  and an arm twisting to look after 3 of our grandchildren ended the possibility. No walk next weekend as we're going to the NEC to see the Outdoors + Carvan Show, lots of leaflets etc to read on Sunday and bin Monday.

As the Title says on Thursday last week this blog went past the 1000 visits milestone. Thank you all for reading my mumblings (note careful not to go for the pun there) over the past 10 months and especially to those of you have kept visiting the blog during those inevitable periods when nothing gets posted, because I've not been walking. I have considered filling these with bits about gear, but I don't want to do reviews or to think that others may buy stuff on my say so.

Thank you to anyone and everyone who has read this blog  in the past or reads it the future,

This is the first time I've typed into the thing in Blogger where the text for the post goes in and I've just realised there is no spell checker, there could be trouble!!

Don't be silent add a comment now and again, even rude ones are appreciated, possibly.

Foremark to Repton

Date: 6 February 2011

Area: South of Derby, N E of Burton on Trent

Distance: 9 Miles 14.5 k

Start Location: Foremark Reservoir Car Park

OS Sheet: Explorer 245

Grid Ref: SK 3359 2419

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1 : 25,000 map. They are not walking instructions.


From the car park head north to the road, turn left to bridleway on right, uphill to meet bridleway from Ticknall, left to the Saw Mill at Milton. At road head north, taking footpath into Repton, at road go right to end, left downhill following the road left up to roundabout.

Turning left, take road south to last house, take path on left follow path right and south along the valley, then up track past Loscoe and Fairview Farms to Bondwood Farm, take footpath left down to the reservoir. Using the permissive paths, head north back to the car park.

Journey

The area south of the River Trent, west of East Midlands Airport, east of the A38 is very pleasant walking country. It’s mainly farmland and can get a bit sticky in wet weather, there’s good chunks of woodland, several lakes, well three, all artificial but lovely. Melbourne, Repton, Breedon on the Hill and Ticknall are its main towns and villages. It has its share of stately homes, churches and other antiquities Calke Abbey, Staunton Harold Hall, Melbourne Hall, Repton, Swarkstone Bridge, Breedon and others. It is an area that has been shaped by old industries that are long gone now, however, surprising glimpses still appear when you least expect it.

We’ve done dozens of walks around the area from short ones up to an 18 miler, most of them have gone through near to Foremark and Repton. Fortunately Repton has a special draw, the very good Repton Tea Room on Brook End. It’s open on Saturdays and Sundays and can be found on the right next to a small river between ‘follow road left’, and, ‘up to roundabout’. See  TeaRoom  for details.

For a couple of months now getting out for a proper walk has been fraught with difficulties but Sunday was officially our first proper walk of the year. Even then it nearly didn’t happen due to last minute faffs and indecisions, only overcome by the offer of a roast dinner at Repton. Followed by hurried throwing of things in to the rucksack, plotting a route, printing a 1:50k map and down loading geocaches.


From the forecast we knew the day was going to be windy, but pulling into the car park and seeing the height of the white topped waves on the reservoir was a bit of a shock. Trying to get the car doors open was a real battle. Despite this once we got into the walk we realised that the day was relatively warm and occasionally, when out of the wind, pleasant. On the way down to Milton the Derbyshire Hills were visible beyond the cooling towers of Willington power station.

As we passed by the cottages at the Saw Mill we spotted our first Snowdrops of the year, quickly followed by some Crocuses and a tree, possibly Hazel, full of Catkins, three sure signs
that spring is not too far away.

Repton was very quiet and we were able to get a table in the tea rooms. Once our glasses de-misted and we could see the menu boards we ordered two roast beef dinners, followed by sticky toffee pudding for me and a marmalade bread and butter pudding for Mrs O-n-G plus a pot of tea each, for under £24. It was a very good meal.

Instead for following the plan to take the road south from the roundabout we walked westward a further 100 metres or so, on the way passing a sign saying Basil Rathbone (who played Sherlock Holmes) went to school here, and took a footpath left taking us through a series of alleys and back paths, where we nosed at the houses and gardens, eventually coming out on the road. Dropping down the footpath from the road we walked through a bunch of small paddocks with pigs, geese, ducks and hens. It felt as if we had walked into a re-construction of a medieval peasant farm.

Along the valley and up the track to Bondwood Farm the wind was right in our face which was tiring and unfortunately brought on Mrs O-G’s asthma, not too badly this time, but even a mild attack is not easy for her.

From the track above Bondwood, the footpath passes through several horse paddocks and drops down through woodland down to the reservoir. On the way down we found the first of three geocaches hidden in a bit of a bog, later we found two more (geocaches not bogs). We’re still novices at geocaching, but using my GPS this time I was able to navigate to within about a metre of the caches which is about 10m closer than the iphone got me previously. We were both well chuffed with finding them, it brought a bit of excitement, a buzz, to the walk. I had planned to pick two more up in the first part of the walk, but forgot!

While walking along the side of the reservoir and later while sitting in the car drinking coffee we could not help seeing the wide sandy orange band around the lake dividing the water from the trees. We’ve all heard that water levels were low due to low rainfall this winter, here was proof, the water level was down some 8 to 10 metres.

Hoton to Rempston and East Leake

Date: 09/01/11

Area: North of Loughborough

Distance: 6.5 Miles 10.5 k

Start Location: Hoton

OS Sheet: Explorer 246

Grid Ref: SK 5750 2460

Outline: Hoton, Rempstone, East Leake, Stanford Hall, Hoton

Route

These notes are provided to enable the walk to be plotted on a 1 : 25,000 map. They are not intended as detailed walking instructions.

From Hoton head north along the A60 to the bottom of the hill where the road swing to the west, pick up the footpath (behind the chevrons) over the hill into Rempstone, walk west to the A60 crossroads, 100m past the Church take a footpath going north west across fields to East Leake, follow the path down to Manor Farm on the outskirts of the village. Cross the road, continue west along the backs of houses and take the path heading south up to the A6006. Turn left along the A6006 past the grounds of Stanford Hall before heading south again. At the bottom of the valley cross the bridge, turn left and well before reaching the A60 take the path south over the hill to Hoton.

Journey

Over the Christmas period we went on several ad hoc walks, usually local and without carrying a map or rucksack. This weekend for the first time in a month or more we were able to get out for a proper walk.

One of the reasons I planned this walk was that now I have a bus pass I want to make use of it by using the local bus networks to do some linear walks. As I find that walking from point to point is far more satisfying than walking in a circle.

One of the routes I’m looking at is a 12-15 mile walk back home from the outskirts of Nottingham, where I work. I’ve done it before but the route was unsatisfactory in places and I think I can do better. Sundays walk sorted one section and once a new bit of bridleway comes into being, a circular walk near Keyworth may resolve another.

Although Sundays walk was quite short and is not far from home we really enjoyed it mainly because it was good to be out again, the weather was fine, the sky was blue and the sun shone and many of the fields were grass and the walking was pretty easy.

We parked up on a side road in Hoton and bimbled off along the A60 Nottingham Road, crossing into Nottinghamshire where the Kings Brook passes beneath the road. As we walked up the field towards Rempstone the cold air and the exertion brought on Mrs O-n-G’s asthma which seems to be triggered by the cold air, a few puffs on the inhaler and a few minutes rest, talking to three horses and we were able to carry on into Rempstone.  Like many villages in this area both Hoton and Rempstone are split by busy A roads in the latter’s case two of them, the A60 and the A6006.

Having crossed the A60 we passed the church and headed off across a field of beet? on a long path. At its end we passed through a hedge into an area of rough land dotted with bushes, back dropped by industrial buildings and workings in the fields beyond. As we started to walk on we realised that in and amongst the bushes and clumps of tall grass were a number of grave stones, all dating from the mid 1700’s. Bearing in mind that this place is over a mile from the nearest village it was a bit puzzling.

From a google search it seems that the church was built n around 1150 and was dismantled in 1760. See Rempstone St Peter in the Rushes - History for more detail.

This also mentions fish ponds around the church. I suspect the ponds in the area now are more to do with modern industry than medieval food stocks.

Carrying on along the footpath, in the direction of East Leake we could see the high land to the north of the village and in the distance Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station.

As we approached the village we found that we were walking through and around Manor Farm a very popular animal farm and donkey sanctuary. Our grandchildren love going there. See Great Days out for the whole family at Manor Farm for details.

As we sat on a bench just outside the farm, getting ready for coffee and sandwiches, a couple who had been walking a few hundred yards behind us stopped for a chat and we all realised that we knew each other from 25 years ago when we trained and ran at Charnwood Athletic Club. Like me Brian and Sue are no longer running but are very active walkers, it was a pleasure to see and talk to them.

After lunch we crossed the road and through a field full of the old ridge a furrow plots. The fields from here up to the A6006 were fairly dry and made a fine walk up the side of the ridge. The final two fields to the road had been ploughed so we diverted around the edges.

Crossing the A6006 we walked along a wide verge across the front of the parkland to Stanford Hall before turning down a footpath alongside a brick wall. Much of this path which runs southeast, with the wall and trees to the west, shielding the ground from the sun as a result the path here was still covered with a heavy frost. The change in temperature was sudden and very noticeable.

Thankfully, the small paddock at the bottom of the hill was in sunshine, crossing over the Kings Brook in to Leicestershire we turned left and walked up stream to pick up the path south over a small hill and back into Hoton.

Snow and Old Boots

Over the past month good walks have been few and far between. In early November I took two of my granddaughters on a walk around the local footpaths, on the way we did a bit of geo caching or gee-up catching as the youngest called it. It was great fun, we pretended it as a treasure hunt (with plenty of pirate growls and pieces of eight from granddad) they found 2 out of the 3 caches we were after. This wasn’t too bad as we’re in a rural area and the iphone’s gps accuracy out here is not the best. The biggest problem of the day was persuading them that once they had found the treasure, they couldn’t take the treasure home. No tears though.

Having had a good dose of snow on 27 November, Mrs O-n-G decided that we’d go on a nice walk on the Sunday. An hour or so on the internet and memory map and we had a 9 mile walk starting from home to which I added 4 geo caches.

Sunday morning was lovely, cold, not much wind and sky was bright blue and sunny with 3 to 4 inches of snow over everything. It never ceases to amaze me how the snow changes the way everything looks, a rough old grass field becomes wonderfully smooth and the trees appear to be covered in new white blossom and the branches turn in to silver.

We tramped along footpaths across the field behind us and along the lane to the next village where we failed find our first cache, possibly because it was at ground level and on one side of the hedge the snow had drifted well into the hedge line. Moving on we walked through a series of small fields, making sure at each stile or gate that there were no cows in the field, as since a man out walking was killed by a bull and heifers over Stanford on Soar way, Mrs O-n-G is even more scared of them I can see some difficult diversions ahead. Later we watched a man fly a model jet plane, steering it through a whole range of tricks and stunts, very skilled.

I used my gps to find the next cache, it was tucked away off the main path along a track I didn’t know existed, despite a few years ago having used that area for training runs. The gps took us right up to within 3 metres of the third cache which was extremely well hidden in a tree. I’m a bit stumped here as I want to describe the situation but don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll say now’t. By now the sun was fading and it was getting decidedly colder so we headed back home by the shorter route, missing out on the fourth cache, rushing home to hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows.

Last Friday I had a day off and after finishing a few jobs took my camera off around the area taking 82 pictures of white covered scenery, some of which will appear on the Mrs’s craft Christmas Cards. Guess who gets all the printing, trimming and sticking to do.

On these last two walks I wore my Salomon 3D Fastpacker GTX mid boots (or some such name). I bought them just over two years ago, I’ve only worn over winters as I much prefer approach shoes most of the year. Wearing them on Sunday I had forgotten how comfortable, supportive and light (990g a pair) they are. I was also pleased with how well they worked in the conditions, they also felt 

Intrestingly these are the only boots or approach shoes I have worn in the last six years that I have not had to put either Superfeet of the Montrail insoles into. Last spring I thought they had started to leak through the tongue area but in the snow there has not been any leaking. I guess snow may not be a good test of waterproofness so I’ll have to wait and see. But with the Smartwool socks I was warm and dry. I might give the 3D shoes  (without GTX) a try in the spring.