Saturday 17th January 2009
It was forecast dry but gales later so we took advantage of the blue skies and set off to walk some Ivanhoe way. For ease of parking we parked at the Severn Trent carpark near Staunton Harold reservoir which is further along the Ivanhoe way than where we finished last-time, so will walk the IW in two sections today. There was only 1 car there as it was early (for us!). As we set off walking up the road, two buzzards were soaring over us. We looked for the signpost for the Ivanhoe way but either we missed it or it has been removed so instead of walking through Spring woods we stayed on the road to the junction and then crossed the road to the footpath to Scotland! We followed the Ivanhoe way towards Worthington and Lodge farm where we managed to find our way through the farmyard, even though the farmer had conveniently obscured the footpath sign, and down onto the road where we turned right to find the way under the A42. On the map the route wasn’t clear so we were pleased to find a tunnel which meant that we didn’t have to walk 500m there and back just to use the bridge. We continued through Worthington Field stopping on a small bridge just beyond a farm for a nice cup of hot chocolate from the flask. John was a bit shocked as I poured it as he had been expecting coffee so was surprised at the colour. There was an escarpment of rock in front of us showing evidence of land movement and stratification. There was red sandstone on the left and grey limestone (possibly granite) on the right. There was also a good view of Breedon on the Hill.
It was forecast dry but gales later so we took advantage of the blue skies and set off to walk some Ivanhoe way. For ease of parking we parked at the Severn Trent carpark near Staunton Harold reservoir which is further along the Ivanhoe way than where we finished last-time, so will walk the IW in two sections today. There was only 1 car there as it was early (for us!). As we set off walking up the road, two buzzards were soaring over us. We looked for the signpost for the Ivanhoe way but either we missed it or it has been removed so instead of walking through Spring woods we stayed on the road to the junction and then crossed the road to the footpath to Scotland! We followed the Ivanhoe way towards Worthington and Lodge farm where we managed to find our way through the farmyard, even though the farmer had conveniently obscured the footpath sign, and down onto the road where we turned right to find the way under the A42. On the map the route wasn’t clear so we were pleased to find a tunnel which meant that we didn’t have to walk 500m there and back just to use the bridge. We continued through Worthington Field stopping on a small bridge just beyond a farm for a nice cup of hot chocolate from the flask. John was a bit shocked as I poured it as he had been expecting coffee so was surprised at the colour. There was an escarpment of rock in front of us showing evidence of land movement and stratification. There was red sandstone on the left and grey limestone (possibly granite) on the right. There was also a good view of Breedon on the Hill.
We finished crossing the field and emerged onto the road at Worthington. We meandered through the housing estate and into a field which we crossed to emerge onto a lane where we left the Ivanhoe way for a while and walked across very muddy fields. The footpath was not marked but there was a faint line of footprints that we followed up the hill into a wooded area. We descended the valley, where a squirrel crossed our path, and then crossed over a small stream. As we got to the top and were about to cross into the next field, something ran across in front of us. It was too large to have been a hare, but it may have been a fox or even a muntjak. We emerged onto the road under the A42 again and walked down the road to the Ferrers Arms where we had a very nice lunch.
After lunch we walked through some very pretty cottages in Lount and followed a green lane towards the Ferrers centre at Staunton Harold Hall. We had a look round the craft centre, especially the Victorian moving model shop, and listened to the tale of the 4th Earl Shirley of Staunton Harold, who was the last peer to be executed – 1760 for murdering his estate manager. After a bit of a problem finding our footpath we eventually found it and walked across some very wet fields to emerge at Heath End where we left the Ivanhoe way last time. We walked down the road and crossed to the bottom end of the lane to Staunton Harold. We walked up the lane for a short distance and then crossed into Dimminsdale Nature reserve. This was originally the site of lime kilns, now flooded in the Laundry Pool which is where the laundry cottages for the Hall were.
We emerged from the nature reserve onto the road by the reservoir and returned to the car having walked 12km.
After lunch we walked through some very pretty cottages in Lount and followed a green lane towards the Ferrers centre at Staunton Harold Hall. We had a look round the craft centre, especially the Victorian moving model shop, and listened to the tale of the 4th Earl Shirley of Staunton Harold, who was the last peer to be executed – 1760 for murdering his estate manager. After a bit of a problem finding our footpath we eventually found it and walked across some very wet fields to emerge at Heath End where we left the Ivanhoe way last time. We walked down the road and crossed to the bottom end of the lane to Staunton Harold. We walked up the lane for a short distance and then crossed into Dimminsdale Nature reserve. This was originally the site of lime kilns, now flooded in the Laundry Pool which is where the laundry cottages for the Hall were.
We emerged from the nature reserve onto the road by the reservoir and returned to the car having walked 12km.
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