08/12/13 - The 2013 Walk of the Year

Distance - 9.8 Miles
Geocaches - 7
Walk Inspiration - Walk 7, Apr 2013 Country Walking Magazine

Goodrich Castle

I know that the year is not over yet, but I think I have a winner.  This walk is so good that the battery on the camera runs out.  This hasn't happened before.

But I may be premature in my award.  Special circumstances mean that there is going to be a lot of December walking.  I have a goal to get 21 walks, 120 miles and 150 Geocaches in.  Sonia is keen to see if this level of exercise does anything to my waistline.

So we start with a weigh in.  I have to say that I was delighted with the results.  Sonia says the scales are broken.

So onto the first proper Country Walk of this festive period.  I head out early, pleased to see the roadworks on the M50 have finally finished.  Arrive at the castle at 8:45am.  The gates don't open until 10am.  A nice bit of parallel parking in the street at Goodrich.

A little bit of road walking, including a cache that is dangling over a wall into what I hope is the CO's own garden.  I then have a stiff climb up to Coppet Hill.  The sun is coming out, bathing the Wye Valley in glorious light.  Its slow going, mainly as I am picking up another couple of caches and taking so many photos.  Nothing to do with being a fat knacker on a steep hill.
 

Goodrich

Coppet Hill Trig Point

Views over the Wye

More Wye Views

Having reached the peak of the hill, there is a simply fantastic ridge path that I complete with a big smile on my face.  I have a mossy ancient wall to my left, superb views to my right and it gently works its way down through woodland to the valley floor.  Three nice and easy caches give me some rather unnecessary distractions.

Eventually arrive at the Wye, with Coldwell Rocks towering on the other side of the river.

It is so scenic, I celebrate with a Mr Piggotry Sausage Roll.  £1.50 from the co-op and its mixture of sausage meat, pastry and Shropshire blue cheese make it the finest thing that I have ever put in my mouth.

I'm unsure that the December walkathon is going to make any weight related difference. 

I follow the river.  There is a small cache marked on an incline, slightly off the path.  At first, I was going to give it a miss, but it all becomes clear at GZ, where there is an impressive and totally isolated monument.  Deserves a bit of investigation, before finding the cache.  The inscription reads;

"Sacred to the memory of JOHN WHITEHEAD WARRE, who perished near this spot, whilst bathing in the river Wye, in sight of his afflicted parents, brother, and sister, on the 11th of September, 1804, in the sixteenth year of his age."

GOD'S WILL BE DONE

A rather stoic response to a tragic event.

The Deceitful Stream - The point when Warre met his maker

Continue along the river path.  Superb walking.  Nothing but me, the sunshine and the odd sheep.  Even the factory on the other side of the river looks in harmony with the surroundings.

Its possible to cross over the bridge to investigate but there was an old Pill Box on my side of the river to have a mess about in, containing the co-ords to a multi cache

This way to the factory

Or play Army in the Pill Box

Look out Jerry

Plot the co-ords but its not on my route, so I move on.

The walk wants to take us in land for a bit, before dropping back down to the river.   I question the logic of this, as I huff and puff my way uphill past the YHA.

£21 a night.  I am so going youth hosteling.  At 44.

The reason that Julie is getting some more exercise in is to show us the childhood home of Henry V, at Courtfield Farm.  I really should have read the route description more carefully, as I would have paid more attention to my surroundings.

Drop back down to the river, via a diverted path.  Its easy walking, taking in a final cache of the day, before climbing back up to the road of Goodrich.  Better views of Kerne Bridge are provided.

Timeless Views. 

Retrace outbound steps downhill back into Goodrich.  The castle is now open.  Another thing to add to my bucket list is National Trust Membership, as I could have gone in for free.  One for when I have more time to enjoy it.  I have a walk around to take a last few photos before the camera dies.

Built by Godric of Mappestone.  The original Mappiman.

Having saved £6.20 on the entrance fee, I head down to the Hostelrie for a pint to put a cap on a fine morning.  I am not the only rambler here, three more come in as I am ordering and they ask if it is OK to bring a dog in.  When they do, they explain that its not theirs, as he has followed them for the last 3 miles.

I'd love to know how that story plays out.  The dog seemed to enjoy the pub.

No power in the camera, I think that I have to foresake the usual celebratory photo.  Then I remember my geophone.

When in Rome