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.

Leicestershire Round:Sharnford to Aston Flamville

4th December 2007
We have had a bit of an enforced setback on the walking front but decided today to see how I would manage a short walk. We drove to Sharnford to do a shortened section of the LR. It was all across fields and just as we started a heron flew in front of us and landed in the next field. We then walked through a field with some very friendly horses, one of which stood in the gateway and wouldn't move, John spoke to it and it eventually let us pass. We went past Aston Flamville and up to the M69 where we passed a field of Alpacas.

We left the LR here having only walked about 2 mile and walked through the alpaca field and back to Aston Flamville. We had planned a diversion off the road but there were two very excitable rottweillers behind a gate but they had knocked down part of the fencing keeping them in and I thought they could get out if they really wanted and I was not prepared to give them reason to try so we kept to the road. We continued back to Sharnford where we went into the Countryman and had gammon steak for lunch a walk of about 6 km that showed I was ok for walking. Hopefully will get back to some longer ones soon.