Yorkshire

17th February - 24th February 2008

I am into the third week of my second chemotherapy treatment and as I am feeling fine we decided to take advantage and head off to Yorkshire for a few days. We took the caravan to Jervaulx Abbey caravan site which is a caravan club cl which holds 5 caravans and is very peaceful. We set the van up and headed off for a short stroll around the abbey.

18th February 2008

After a very cold night we discoverred that everything was frozen. We had no water so could not have a shower. It started to defrost by about 11 and we then found that the drains were frozen so nothing would drain away. We decided to move the caravan down the field where we weren't in the shadow of the wall and it got the sun earlier. We wound the legs up and John moved the caravan on the mover. I moved everything else. We then went for a walk. We crossed the road and then walked down to the river Ure. It was a lovely walk along the river bank which was covered in snowdrops. The sun was bright and warm. We arrived at the Cover bridge Inn where we stopped for lunch. We had a cold meat salad and a very nice glass of Old Peculiar. The pub was warm and cosy with a roaring log fire and it was an effort to move on but we eventually left and walked along the river Cover which was bubbling over limestone pavements and was lined with icicles along the bank. We crossed the bridge and walked down the other side of the river until we reached East Witton. We then crossed fields and returned to the Cover Bridge and followed the river back to the caravan. About 13 km.

19th February 2008

A very foggy and cold day today and the water pipes were still frozen so we set off to Richmond to order some new walking boots. They will be ready in May. We spent the rest of the day wandering around Richmond. The castle was closed so we couldn't go in but we walked round the walls and enjoyed the views -albeit through the fog!

Wednesday 20th February 2008
Freezing fog today, it looked beautiful out - sunny but so frosty it looked like snow. We drove to Thornton Steward Reservoir along lovely frost covered lanes. We walked along the side of the reservoir and then onto the bridleway. We found a geocache near the end of the reservoir. The frost was falling off the trees as we passed. We followed the bridleway to Finghall where we were met by a large barking doberman, but luckily he just walked past us. We had a nice lunch at the Queens Head and then walked down the lane and across fields beside a stream and across the Wensleydale railway. It was lovely and sunny. We found Drews mistle -our second cache which had a travel bug and a useful shoehorn! We passed the 12th century St Andrews church and walked through a large caravan park, across the golfcourse and back across the railway. The footpaths were not well marked here and it was difficult to work out where we were going and ended up the wrong side of a spinney and farm house but we found the path at the top and managed to cross the fence! We then followed the path round fields and through small woods where we saw several hares running across the fields. We passed a large group of boys who were out for a walk and then emerged near Aysgarth school which was a very posh looking school, complete with castleated tower. We followed the track, picking up another geocache on the way, hidden in a tree stump and picked up a geocoin and 2 dvds. At the end of the track we walked along roads for a while and then back onto a footpath where they were renovating two cottages. They had completely blocked the footpath and we had to find our way into the wood and follow the gps through as there was no obvious path. We emerged at the footpath sign so must have followed the right route. The rest of the walk was across fields and muddy tracks (where Yorkshire water were laying new mains water pipelines) and the road back to the car. 15 km. We got back to the caravan to find everything melted and working. We had tea and a welcome shower. We watched Notorious - -a Hitchcock dvd that we had picked up in Nook and Cranny geocache. Lets say they don't make them like that anymore! It will be recycled in the next geocache we find.

Thursday 21st February 2008
Whoopee, no frost today, it has been replaced by rain and strong winds! We pottered all morning and then drove towards Masham along very scenic windy roads - meaning narrow and steep. We went to a forest area and visited The Druids Circle - another place we wouldn't have found if I hadn't searched for geocaches in the area. The circle was fascinating, based on Stonehenge but built by the Victorians to provide work for local men. We followed the gps into the forest and found the geocache. It had been unvisited since october but was still dry. John took an interesting "american free iraq" coin. It was very cold and windy so we retraced our steps to the car. We drove into Masham and parked and then strolled to the market place. We bought some boar sausages for tea. We then had a wander round the town solving the clues for Masham march (another geocache). We went into the church which had lovely stain glass windows and a painting attributed to Joshua Reynolds. We had tea and baguette at "Mad Hatters tea shop" and then did a little shopping. Just a couple of short strolls today!

Friday 22nd February

After a very noisy and windy night it was slightly calmer today. We weren't sure what to do but in the end drove back to Richmond for another look round and to finish the geocaches. We walked to the top of the town and had views across to the castle then walked along the river to solve the last clue. The waterfalls were very dramatic. We then did another cache which was on the other side of the river. Finally we went for a drive along a lane for about 2 miles to the Richmond beacon. It was pouring with rain and blowing a gale. During a break in the rain we set off up the hill to the beacon. Halfway there the rain started again, it was freezing. We were both frozen and soaked when we got back to the car.

Saturday 23rd February

It was a bit dismal today but Emily and Mike were coming to visit but they didn't arrive until 1.30 because they got caught in the Middleham diversion. We went straight out to the Coverbridge Inn for lunch which turned out to be enormous. We had ham and eggs which must have been about a 16oz gammon. We got back to the caravan at about 3 and had a cup of tea. Then went for a short walk round the Abbey. It started to rain so we went back for another tea and they left at 6.30.

Swarkestone Bridge

Saturday 16th February 2008

Just a short walk today so we decided to go geocaching. We drove over Swarkestone Bridge and parked down a lane next to Swarkestone lock. Although we have driven this way many times we didn't realise the lock and canal were here!

Swarkestone Bridge is the furthest South that the Jacobites came in the cause of Bonnie Prince Charlie. They didn't conquer the bridge (although they could have) and retreated at this point.

We followed the canal towards Barrow on Trent, solving the clues for the cache on the way. The canal was lovely with lots of barges, we then left the canal -looked round Barrow churchyard (the church was locked) and then followed the River Trent back towards Swarkestone. A nice lunch was had at the Crewe and Harper Arms and then we continued the walk through along the river and back to the car. Only 6 km but a very nice walk in the sunshine.

Leicestershire Round:Shackerstone to Nailstone

Saturday 26th January 2008
Despite having had my first course of chemotherapy last week I felt fit and fine and as the weather was ok we went for a walk. We drove to Shakerstone and parked near the pub and set off under the railway bridge where we could see shunting engines moving trains around on the Battlefield line. The paths across the fields were beautifully marked and were firm underfoot which was surprising considering the amount of rain we had had recently. We walked past Odstone Hall and then continued on towards Nailstone. We stopped on the way to do "Odstone Out" - a geocache, which we found easily. In Nailstone the pub was closed so we sat and had a cup of coffee and a biscuit in the churchyard. The church was also closed. We left the Leicestershire Round and started our return walk. On the way we past a pub, so called in for a drink and bag of crisps -purely medicinal to keep my fluids up. The next field had been completely enclosed with electric tape, blocking off all the stiles but it wasn't live so we ducked under and followed the footpath to reach the road to Carlton where we took the footpath to Barton in the Beans. The first field here was exceptionally, ankle deep muddy (possibly cow slurry-but we don't like to think of that -John will clean the boots later!), but we got across and followed the footpath, stopping to do Birthday Surprise -another geocache. We finished our walk along the very muddy bridalway back to Shakerstone having walked about 13km. This walk was all across old coal mining areas but there were no signs of slag heaps or mining industry anywhere much of it being converted into the New National Forest.

Leicestershire Round: Market Bosworth to Shackerstone

Saturday 12th January 2008
The first bright day for a while and the only one forecast for a while so we made the best of it and did a bit of the Leicestershire Round- we are now about 2/3rds of the way round.
We parked at Market Bosworth Park and walked through the town and along a lane to join the footpath. The path went past some lovely houses, all with balconies to make the most of the views although it looks as though the views may be disappearing as a lot of the land had been excavated for what looks like a road and a housing development. After a short diversion along the wrong footpath we continued across fields to Carlton. At one place the footpath was under about 6 inches of fast flowing water which we waded through, only getting the tops of the socks wet, thanks to our gaiters, and continued through the very muddy field.
Yes that is a footpath under all that water!!!!
Although the fields were muddy we did not have to go across any ploughed areas so it was not as difficult as last weeks walk.
After Carlton we crossed more fields to arrive at the Shackerstone Railway. This is a tourist railway known as the Battlefield line. There were no trains running today but the Victorian Station was open so we had a look around.
We crossed the Ashby canal at Shackerstone and stopped at the Rising Sun for lunch which was a lovely pub –very warm and cosy, and good food.
When we eventually pulled ourselves away from the pub we returned to Market Bosworth along the Ashby canal. We got back to the car just as it was getting dark after walking 14.2km.

Leicestershire Round:Dadlington to Market Bosworth

5th January 2008
It was a bit brighter today so we went for the first real walk of the New Year. We parked at Cheyney Wharf by the Ashby Canal to do the next bit of the Leicestershire Round.

We walked along the canal towpath for a short while before walking through Albion Wood to Bosworth battlefield. At the battlefield we had a short diversion off the route to look for a geocache which we found it near King Richards Well where Richard III drank before the battle against Henry Tudor.

We walked back past the visitor centre and across fields to Sutton Cheyney. The church here was very plain from the outside but inside was quite ornate with memorials to Richard III who fell at Bosworth. We continued through woods to Bosworth Park stopping to do another geocache on the way. The paths were very muddy and it was hard work walking, two steps forward and sliding one step back. We eventually arrived at Market Bosworth and diverted off to have lunch in Ye Olde Red Lion which was a very nice cosy pub. After lunch we looked around Market Bosworth which was small but had some nice shops. We then left the Leicestershire Round and continued our walk going down the other side of Bosworth Park and then crossing more very muddy fields planted with oilseed rape. The footpaths had not been marked so in a few months these paths will be very difficult to walk. We walked back through Sutton Cheyney, using different paths. We then walked towards Daddlington so that we join up our sections of the Leicestershire Round. It was getting dark by the time we rejoined the Leicestershire Round. We did the last mile along the towpath after sunset looking at all the barges and houseboats with names like Chucklebutty, Tin Hatters and Beardlets Billet. We got back to the car at 4.30pm after a good walk even though it was very muddy. It was 15.7 km and there were no cows or horses -just a sheep with a cough!

Leicestershire Round:Burbage to Dadlington

20th December 2007
It was cold, frosty and foggy but we decided on a LR walk. We drove to Burbage country park, although there was a bit of a problem as they have moved the A47! I directed us to the A47 which is now a bypass. We found the right road eventually. It was -2 as we got ready. We set off along the LR. It was all very crisp, and the trees were lovely.

It did not feel cold once we were walking. A heron and then a bullfinch and greenfinch flew across in front of us. We walked through Barwell which was a bit industrial and then along more lanes and fields. It was very foggy so there were no views. We crept across one field with cows in, hoping that they wouldn't see us in the fog, but they spotted us when we were about 100m from the stile and decided to investigate. I just about beat them to the stile. We saw a flock of goldfinches in the next field. We walked along a stream until we came to the road at Dadlington. We left the LR here and went to the Dog and Hedgehog for lunch. As we walked back it was a little warmer as all the frost had melted but we were walking into the wind so it felt colder. We also had to cross several planted fields which were very muddy and we ended up with very heavy boots. As we crossed one field we were approached by two friendly donkeys, and then by a third who rushed at us braying very loudly. They were very friendly - from the other side of the stile!

We got back to the car at about 4pm after 15 km walk.

Leicestershire Round:Aston Flamville to Burbage

11th December 2007
We decided on a walk as it was bright and clear but frosty. We drove to Aston Flamville to continue our LR. We drove round the village looking for somewhere to park but encountered a very abusive villager who threatened to scratch the car if we left it in the road opposite his house! We decided we couldn't cope with the hassle and so drove on and found somewhere to park in Burbage. We walked back to Aston to start the walk (about a km) and John could not remember locking the car so we had to walk back, check the car which was locked, and then back to the start again. We walked along the side of the M69 for a while and then cut across fields including one with 3 llamas, and then lots of bullocks. It was quite hard underfoot where it was frozen but very wet and muddy where it wasn't. We eventually got to Burbage woods where a heron flew across and then a bullfinch.
We crossed Burbage common to the road and then left the LR. We walked back across the golf course and followed the path back to Burbage. The walk was quite interesting as the council had been painting all the footpath signs so although they were all visible all the pointers had been removed so there were no direction arrows and you didn't know if it was a junction of 2 paths or not. We walked about 11 km.