30/7/11 - South of Studley

Distance - 5.75 Miles
Geocaches - 21
First Cache
Reasons to be cheerful - Sun is shining, Football on TV, post brings wedding invitation, exam pass, payslip, trail magazine and a new walking book.  And I have a great wife and children.  And a nice dog.

Great Alne

I think the stars have aligned today or my biorhythms are in sync, as I am in a fantastic mood today.  This 21 cache geotrail has certainly added to a great start to the weekend.

Last weekend was dedicated to walking and as I need to keep the caching numbers up, I have a look at identified geotrails in the area and pick this one.  I used to go on corporate events at Studley castle back in the days when I worked for AT&T.  If I had know that really good walking country was just around the corner, I would have sneaked out with my boots on.

Feel its a bit early to park at the pub, as I dont think it will be open when I finish the walk, so I park at the village hall and walk up.  My one concern about these big geotrails is that loads of people will be out on a Saturday and I'll end up compromising my furtive activities.  True enough, when I get to cache one, I can see that it has been signed today by GeocacherScott.  Wonder if I will bump into him.  So far, its been families walking their dogs.

Good start to the walk through wheat fields and then into the woodland to the east of Great Alne.  I find evidence of the Warwickshire Indians and tread carefully through their sacred land.

White man cache with forked tongue

Doing well on the caches, although the longest hunt of the day is at cache 3 but rewarded with success.  Continue east crossing the River Alne.  Unfortunately, there is no way for Molly to drop down for a drink.  We will need to find her an opportunity to imbibe at some point in this weather.

This brings us to unexpectedly into a caravan park, where we have to walk straight through the centre.  A small amount of road walking and I am heading down south on the Arden Way.  This is expecptional walking country, heading through a prarie like wheatfield to a small hillock.  Warwickshire is not known for its height.

Not much of a hill, but there are views.

The arden way leads onto the wooded hills of Aston Grove.  I am fairly sure that I have been walking here before.  Drops to the east, where Molly gets to play (in her grumpy, old before her time way) with a black lab that is being trained as a guide dog.

Only in Britain, would this be available to all.

Come to the village of Walcote.  Not a speedy winger playing for Arsenal, but a village that hasn't changed in centuries.  Wonderful buildings and a deep sense of history.

Head north on the home stretch.  At cache 17, I finally get a cache that hasn't been signed by GeocacherScott - did he have a DNF, have I overtaken him without noticing, is he lost?  Future logs will tell.

We walk through the grounds of Great Alne Mills and this is why you have to marvel at this country.  The mills have been converted into residential property by a rich fella.  He is playing tennis with his mrs but thanks to the laws of this land, a fat bloke in a too tight walking shirt with a stupid hat can march right over his manicured lawns and finally, allow his dog to get some refreshment in his pond.

Well earned dunk.

After this highlight, its back to Great Alne, which can claim some fine buildings of its own.  Get back to the car and as I pull away a man with a rucksack sits down at the bench next to cache 21.  I nearly shout hello, its attached to the flagpole, but on reflection, I am not sure if it was a cacher and probably make the right decision to look for my own refreshments. 

Its 12:30pm.  Naismiths rule of walking obviously doesn't count when caching is involved, as 5.75 miles should not take 3.5 hours.  But the good news is that the Huff Cap is open.  Take £4 out of by parking fund to buy a well earned drink.  Now, this is a nice pub but it is morally reprehensible for this not to be enough to purchase a pint.  Even if it does come in a fancy Italian glass.  Order my drink and then have to scuttle back to the car for an extra 40p.  Is it right that a pint is 25% more than the minimum hourly wage of a 16 year old?  I'll let Ellie answer.

I was sure that I would enjoy the caches (thanks to HKMHill for setting them up, glad to get 100%) and I have been pleasantly surprised as to how good the walking has been.  And for some reason, the sat nav brings me back through Alcester - which is a superb looking place and a scene of previous caching trips.
All is good in the Mappiman's world.

26/7/11 - A bit of the A4, A bit of the Avon and Kennet Canal

Distance - 5 Miles
Pubs - 5 - 1 walked past
Caches - 3
Walk from - 100 Walks in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

Woolhampton

If I'd have had company, this would have been a perfect evening.  However, the power of an Internet Connected Mobile phone means that you can keep everyone updated with where you are at through Face Book places.  Get told to concentrate on the caches rather than the pubs from she who must be obeyed.

This is a great walk, taking in fields, a nice little village (Woolhampton) that has three pubs - a lovely strecth of the Avon and Kennet Canal, before coming back up to the A4 where is a Chef and Brewer and at 10pm, its warm enough to eat outside.

Walk up Cox's Lane, across fields and into Midgham.  Looks like I just missed out on the entertainment.

Social Event of the Season

Turn into what looks like someones garden and then out on a tree lined avenue through the nice farmland of Midgham Park Farm.  The footpath signs are of an exceptional standard in Berkshire - surprised the pikeys haven't had them for scrap metal.

Any old iron

Have to negotiate a field full of young bulls that get a bit frisky but does provide inspiration for what to have for tea.

I'll have the one with the stripe please

Come to a lane and drop down into Woolhampton on the A4.  Choice of two pubs on the A4.  The Falmouth Arms is famous for a relative of Charlie Chaplain shooting at his wife and then himsefl.  He missed her, but suceeded with himself.  The Angel has worse beer but better food (by the looks of it).

Drop down to the Canal, giving way to a train at the crossing for 5 mins.  Walk past the best pub of the lot, the Rowbarge, where the allow people to camp in their garden.  Looks like a great spot.  Cache number one is behind a notice board.

The walking is flat and the swing bridges, locks and pools to the side are all pleasant on the eye.  Slight detour for cache number 2.  Criss cross the canal several times and look at the fauna.

You should see the size of the stingers

At Midgham lock we come back up to the a4.  There are so many pubs along this route because it is a former coaching road.  Today, instead of stage coaches, we have lorry drivers parked in mass along the side of the road.  I try the coach and horses - incredibly expensive food and after being served 3/4 of a pint and having communication problems with the Eastern European behind the bar, I go to the Chef and Brewer for a nice meal sat outside as darkness descends.

24/7/11 - Three ways in Winchcombe

Distance - 7 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Vaguely rude sounding place names - Puck Pit Lane, Strip Lynchets and Monk's Hole.

Winchcombe

I cannot tell you how much I love Winchcombe.  It is my favorite place in the world.  After Edinburgh and London.  And New York was pretty cool.  But it is right up there.  It's prime walking country and I always have an annual visit.  Usually on a Sunday, as you can park for free in the high street, if you get there early enough.

One my first visits was when I was completing the Cotswolds Way in 2006.  This was my first stop off point from Chipping Campden and I remember being very wet when I got to the old white lion pub, my bed for the night.  We go back in again after the walk.

Today, Ellie is dropped off at work.  I have been planning this walk for a couple of weeks but put off through bad weather and no company.  No problems today, as Sonia is up for it and it is glorious weather.

Park in the high street and walk down to the bottom and north onto the Cotswolds Way at Puck Pit Lane.  We are following 4 American ladies but have to try and keep our distance as our only cache is not far up here.  This is thwarted when they stop to take off jackets and then enquire about the labradoodle.  Its nice to think that this part of the world is that beautiful that even the septics, not known for their passports, are prepared to make the journey.  They move off and we stop for the only cache of the round.

The Americans continue on the Cotswold Way towards Broadway and we climb up a path on the right that is a bit indistinct.  Sonia complains that its full of cow pats and the stingers are up to her armpits.  We have a run in with the beasts that make the mess and I get stung on the back of my knees.  Arrive at the fantastically named Monk's Hole.

Cow Pats and Monk's Holes.

That's all the climbing for the day and the views over the vale of Evesham are outstanding.

 

Ask Molly which way is Evesham?

We now have great paths on the Gloucestershire Way to follow, passing by Father Ted's holiday home.

Too Much Gaelic Dancing

Head east to Lyne's Barn and then south along Campden Lane before picking up our third long distance path, the Wardens Way.  This is exceptional walking, as we have the views back towards Winchcombe and can see how long it is until dinner.

Lunch is behind us.

The Warden's way meanders its way down through sheep fields to Sudeley Castle.  This is why the americans are here.  You can walk the history and be a part of it.  This was home to Henry VIII last wife, Katherine Parr, who is buried here.  It was used by Charles I in the English Civil War and trashed by the miserable Cromwell.  Its thats sort of behaviour that would get your corpse dug up and put on display in a London pub.  It is our destination, as the Plaisterer's Arms is next to it.

Take me to the pub.

Past the tourists (and there are many) and into the town.  12:10 and the menu outside the Plaisterer's Arms looks good.  Sonia decides upon a baguette and I decide on the nachos.  However, the Irish landlady has other ideas.  After a row about whether they do Pear Cider (there is a tap with Gaymar's Pear Cider on it), I lose the 2nd argument of the day when it becomes clear that they only do Sunday Lunch.  And who wants that in 25 degree sunshine?  Still, its a fantastic pub.  What a collection of Irish Whiskeys. Honestly, this is a theme park to me and my equivalent of Alton Towers.

We move on to the Old White Lion Inn.  Another great pub.  Here, you can have baguettes if you want them.  We stit outside in the smoking area and get regaled with stories of the drinking exploits of the locals.  Last night, Sid was in till 3am, went to work at 8am this morning and is back at 12:30.  I bet Sid doesn't even know what an SSRI is.

So my advice is to be like Sid but do some walking rather than the working.

18/7/11 - Soho, but not the one that I know

Distance - 5 Miles
Geocaches - 9 out of 11

The Jewellery Quarter

I am looking for adventure on this Monday night.  I have noticed a new series of caches in Birmingham.  I thought that it was criminal that I have found about 10 times as many caches in London as I have in my home city.  So once I worked out is was free to park outside Captain Cods after 6:30pm, I headed off to the Jewellery Quarter on the train.
Birmingham is split up into the following Quarters....

The Jewellery Quarter
The Gun Quarter
The Irish Quarter
The Chinese Quarter
The Convention Quarter
The Millennium Quarter
The Business Quarter

Thats how good Birmingham is, a City with 7 quarters.   The Jewellery Quarter has the feel of the east end of london to me - old industry, the odd trendy bar but the streets are absolutely deserted.  People ask me about Geocaching (not often, but occassionally).  How are they hidden?  Whereabouts are they?  I won't name this cache but this is an absolute classic of the genre - tucked away down a little alley with people walking past every day.

Pull out and all is revealed!  Caching Genius

So I round up a few on the streets, taking down Spencer Street, to Warstone Lane, passing a gothic looking cemetary with the aim of getting down to the canal for a series of caches around the Soho Loop.  Views of Birmingham are never far away, and there are a few solo outlier caches to pick up.

Where is everyone?

This canal loop is off the Birmingham to Wolverhampton Canal.  Despite walking past some run down factories, the tow paths are in great condition.  I see a handful of joggers and cyclists and thats it.

Not the Soho I know

So the caches in the main loop - Cache 1, I walk past and double back around but still dont find.  Cache two requires a bit of bridge saddling.  Didn't like the look of Cache 3 - bit too much rubbish around.  Cache 4 I liked.  Pop up from the towpath to get a good look at Winston Green Prison.

Lee Hughes former home

Cache 5 is in the shadow of a railway terminus.  Cache 6 brought a smile to my face and Cache 7 could have been a nightmare but I managed to find the little fella without any trouble.  Nice little series, so thanks to Pure-CaK for setting them up.

Back up Pitsford Street and time for a quick drink at the Drop Forge before my train comes.  I pick up a leaflet showing a pub crawl of 14 camra real ales pubs in the vicinity, so I know what I am doing next time I come here.

Get back to the station, train only 5 mins late and when it pulls into Kidderminster, a gang of 30 teenagers between Ellie and Alex age all pile on with cans of Cider.  Just what is going on in Worcester at 10:30 on a Monday Night?

16/7/11 - Humped!

Distance - 3.5 Miles
Caches - 8 out of 10
First Cache

Rabbit Trail on Wasley Hills

There is no denying it.  Today is a strange day and time has no meaning.  I am a creature of habit - walk on a Saturday morning, blog on a saturday afternoon, drink on a saturday night.  Events conspire to change things around.  Although I am still hoping for a pint tonight.

Ellie is up at 4am as she is working at the Next Sale.  When she goes to bed last night it is under the strict instruction that she does not make a noise in the morning.  To be fair to her, it was her mom who was making all the noise at 4.23am, questioning whether there was time to be applying mascara.

I have a walk planned in Winchcombe for the 2nd week running.  I even know where my post walk pint will be held (plaisters arms).  However, it is a filthy day today.  The rain is coming down in buckets and it is worth saving this walk for a nicer day.  There was almost a post today to say "sorry blogfans, rain stops play".  However, at 1pm, when I am well into the Times the sun comes out.  So I hastily look for a local walk to do and find this one over the Waseley hills, near j4 of the m5.

This is an underrated waling area - at least as good as Clent but without the crowds.  I head off and as expected the heavens open again.  I would call it a shower, but it is more biblical than that.  Fortunately, it stops as I park up.

The cache trail follows the Rabbit Walk.  There are signs to follow, although from a certain angle, you could say it looks more like a duck trail.

Duck or Rabbit?

From the visitors centre, its a nice climb up to cache 1, with some fantastic views over Malvern.  If only there wasnt the drone from the m5, this would be a super walk.

No Pylons, no TV.  Fair Trade.

Cache number 2 is a classic of its type and the paths here are great.  I was that engrossed in reading other peoples logs of the cache that I walk past the trail markers and have to double back on myself.

Cache 3 is easy, Cache 4 is a nightmare.  I think I will encrypt my log and add a bit more of a clue.  There are however, wonderful views of Birmingham from the Coppice.  This walk lets you choose whether you are a country person by looking out to the Malverns or a City person by looking over the City.  Both have their appeal.

Cache 5 is the easiest of the day for me and cache 6 is a dnf.  I would say it has been half inched, but there have been some DNF logs in the past but the last couple have been recorded as found.  Maybe it just alluded me.


Cache 7 is nice and easy and then todays drama, and the reason the blog is so named happens.  I meet Charlie the Staffordhire Bull Dog.

I am looking for the cache when I can see a couple with two dogs walking down.  One is on the lead (I dread to think what his crime was) but Charlie is free.  He has a cursory play with Molly but then comes on jumps up me.  The owner shouts that he loves humans and I soon understand what it is that he means. 

Within moments, Charlie has a vice like grip of my leg and is pumping away for Britain.  I don't know whether I am too shocked to react or intrigued by the mixture of concentration and excitement that is on his face but I do nothing.  I don't need to worry as Molly absolutely kicks his horny arse.  I dont think I have ever seen her react with such ferocity but she certainly saves my honour.

After this, caching loses its appeal.  I just feel like a long shower.  So we record this as a DNF.

Walk on up to cache 9.  I think Waseley Hills are trying to big up the local interest here and I am always interested in a history lesson.  However, I think they are pushing it a bit with their information boards.

If you have nothing to say, say nothing

One of those biblical rainstorms starts up again at cache 9.  Fortunately, the knarled tree provides a little bit of cover.  At least the hunt distracts me.

We are then back at the visitors centre for Cache 10.  A bit like cache 2.  Loved the walk and the caches and glad to get out at 2pm, where my confusion over time had me saying "Good morning" to everyone that I saw.  Thanks to team_hayward for an enjoyable couple of hours.  Even if I am in need of counselling.

Vistor Centre - 10 minutes ago was rain on an epic scale.

14/7/11 - Egg Chasers, Home of the Fuzz and Mad Bovines

Distance
Caches - 10, 8 looked for, 7 found

Hindlip

I am prepared to forsake tea in the bid for fresh air and geocache glory.  Arrive at 6:30pm and park up at the co-ords and head down the worcester canal in the hope of bumping into Julia Bradbury. 

Make do with multicache 1 which is near where the rugby team train.  I know this, because everytime I try and look for the 2nd part of the cache, another studded pair of boots runs over the bridge.  That and a barge getting stuck in the tight lock with Mr Barge shouting at Mrs Barge mean that i head off for cache number 2.

I get into the swing of this series now.  I think someone has been buying cache receptacles from the Internet.  I would take photos, but that would ruin it for everyone else.  Lets just say that everyone that you find will make you smile.

Back down to the canal, past some fisherman and over the bridge to walk under the A449 and then through some high grass as I walk toward Hindlip, the police HQ.  This is what I love about caching, the inspiration to find new paths that you would never think to go.  This round takes me through the grounds of Hindlip - although the grass getting there is a bit tough going.  Cache number 4 will have to be recorded as a DNF and I am ashamed to say that I am the first to do this.

There is a diversion notice here saying the paths are closed due to new dangers.  I wonder if this has anything to do with it.  Seems a bit of an extreme way of protecting the caches.

Keep walking, cacher.

Out through the police HQ.  Lovely building.  2nd time I have been here, once with work.

Off to Smite farm through fields.  More great caches and through the high fields of wheat aiming for an old 16th century granary barn.

Spot Mappiman

Next cache is fine but number 8 is in a field that is guarded by two dogs, a herd of angry cows and some type of mad farmer who seems to live in a hideout in the field.  I wander into the field and two of those criminally annoying small dogs that you are not allowed to kick come and attack me.  They leave Molly alone.  Manage to send then packing and the bovines come for a gallop.  Is there a more terrifying sight than a field of cows running at you.  Normally they run off when you shout at them, but not these.  These are commando cows, scared of nothing.  I start to make a move out of their field and they gain confidence from my retreat.  As I look behind me in mortal danger, the man from the shack comes out, presumably in case I am upsetting his ladies.

The best thing is, I reckon I know where the cache is!

Cache 9 has a top view and cache 10 sums up the series.

Top series - so thanks to moss8945 for the clever caches.  I am recording 7 finds, 1 dnf and 2 did not look!

09/07/11 - Only one cache in Clun

Distance - 5.8 Miles
Inspiration - AA 1001 Walks.
Geocaches - 1
Pub Lunch - As dreamt of by Sonia on the ascent.

Clun

Clun is from the old Anglo Saxon word meaning "Beautiful Place, in the shadow of the hills.  By a Stream.  With a Castle".

Sonia used to come on holidays here and was keen to come walking today.  I was going to Winchcombe on a 10 miler, so we revised that option and went for a more sedate 5 miler around her old stomping ground.  On arrival in the village, we drove down her old street and parked for free at the memorial hall.

I commented that there could not have been too much to do for a week in such a small place and asked how she entertained herself.  She replied "We used to play hide and seek against the village simpleton".  See kids - this is how we had to entertain ourselves - playing dare with a loony.  I myself, used to be part of a gang that would shout abuse at one of the older gyppos from the other side of the road - and then scatter when he hurled bricks at us.  Happy, innocent times.

Sonia starts to recognise locations, including the ford, where Molly is disappointed that its not deep enough to swim.

35 years after first striking this pose

So on with the walk.  We can see we have a stiff ascent up to the wooded flanks of black hill.  Through a few fields before hitting the shaded forest.

Leaving Clun

I am embarassed that I am being plagued by big nasty flies.  I am like the smelly kid from Charlie Brown and Sonia doesnt seem to have any.  My new hat has anti insect flaps that stop them going on my neck and in my ears, so this are quickly lowered.  Then its Sonia that is embarassed by both my flaps and the fact that the flies are now bothering her.  And my hat works!

Its a trudge up the hills and there are no views because of the trees.  But having got the height, we then maintain it as we cross Pen-Y-Wen Hill.  There are some stunning vistas and friendly cows/bulls that come for a look at molly.

Flaps Down

Not exotic, but inquisitive

After a lie down to take in the views, we drop down to Hobarris Farm, where I am in trouble for helping the dog over a high stile and then walking off and leaving Sonia to her own devices.  We are discussing what we need for refreshments and Sonia sets the challenge of a steak and onion sandwich and a pint of pear cider.  Specific as ever.

A nice track before heading across sheep fields for more great views.  Whilst setting up the camera, I realise that the dog is disgracing herself again.

Molly chows down on sheep poo

At the crest of this hill we overlook Clun for a long, steep descent into the village.  The views here are superb, with the castle revealing itself for the first time.  Photos on the everytrail link.

We arrive in the village - Quick dunk for Molly in the same stream as before and cross the medieval bridge looking for a pub.  This turns out to be the White Horse Inn.  And on the menu, they have the steak sandwich and some particularly evil looking Perry.  I order and half expect an Andy from Little Britain "I don't like it" when it comes.

Old Bridge

There were no concerns on that front.  Great place to end a reasonably challenging walk.

We then head back to the car to spot the house where she used to stay.  After a conversation with a local, she works it all out.  So a nice trip down memory lane.

At the carpark, we have a small detour to find the only cache in the vicinity.  Easy find and one last photo.

That's where we walked - the hill behind

4/7/11 - Off to Find the White Ladies of Aston

Distance - 3.2 Miles
Caches - Found 10 of 12
Advice for next cachers - wear long trousers

White Ladies

Summer evenings - there is no excuse for sitting at home, waiting for Ellie to pass the remote control after all the soaps have finished.  I have alternative entertainment just waiting to be discovered.

White Ladies Aston is a small parish just out of Worcester.  There is a new series of caches that have been laid that demonstrate an advanced glimpse of what this hobby can be about.  We have fiendishly conceived caches - all with a story from the historical archives from the parish.  There are clues, but there is little to no point reading them as they dont add a great deal in the search!

I looked at the descriptor for the first one - it was simply "don't be shy".  I have been thinking about it since it was placed a couple of weeks ago and took Alex with me for assistance.  We went in search of a coconut, which was the only thing I could think matched the clue.  Unsurprisingly we ended up with a DNF.  We are the first caching team to achieve this, so at least we can be proud of something.

So how did I get Alex to come with me?  I had to promise not to take any "Gormy Photos" of him for my blog.  Well, I took one when he wasn't looking.  And then he got into the swing of it.

I refuse to be photo'd caching

This was the scene at cache 3... easily the most ingenious.  Fantastic - although it does beg the question on how you can take 12 caches of variable sizes out to be laid.  Must have brought a wheelbarrow.  Also - who lost the M reg plate down by the stream?  Where is the rest of the car?

The walk is a touch overgrown in lots of places, so we would recommend that summer shorts are avoided.  There are some nice paths through fiels of wheat, which is always a pleasure when the farmer leaves you a broad track to walk through.

How to get through this?

Find the broad path

Animal count is limited to horses, ponies, donkies, sheep and a duck with a better afro than Emma's friend down the stourport canal.

Nice Barnet

Pleasurable walk - after number 1 DNF, we had number 10 where we did not look as we weren't paying attention to the paths.   The call of the Nightingale was too loud and we were spitting feathers.  (We didn't eat the afro duck, we were thirsty).

Thanks to  WalkingWood  for the inspiration to set them up and when I have time, I will go through the stories.  And if you want to tell me where I was going wrong looking for a coconut in Worcestershire then let me know at Mappi@btopenworld.com :-)

2/7/11 - Redditch: Not totally crap shocker

Miles - 5
Caches - 6
Walk Inspiration - Discovery Walks in Worcs - Walk 15

Redditch

Before I start an Internet war of words with Redditcions, my thoughts of this town are shared by the viewers of Channel 4's the Word, who voted it "Most Boring Town in Britain".  I have never been a fan of its endless roundabouts and ringroads that do its best to save you the effort of entering a town that apparently has two pound shops.  Let me clear that up not an upper class £2 shop but 2 x £1 shops.  The swimming pool is heated by the burning of dead bodies.  And coming from Stourport, I am uniquely qualified to spot crap towns.

However, my thoughts could be changed by this beautiful walk and the discovery of some real history.

Drop Ellie off at work at 8am.  It's 1940's weekend on the SVR, so she has to be early again.  The enthusiasts are already outside queuing up in their WW2 clothes and taking photos of the old vehicles.

I drive on to Redditch and park up at a Needle Museum and Forge.  I can see where I will be walking and its pleasantly green looking and the museum demonstrates some unexpected culture and history to the place.

Get Molly out the car and she runs off to leave a deposit.  I am cleaning this up when I see my first fellow humans of the day.

Four lads are stripped the waist, showing tattoos, abs and pecks - looking like members of the rock bank Blink 182 - but out on a visit to a needle museum.  And get this Sonia - They are drinking cans of Heineken. 

Is 8:26am.  Never call me an alcholic again.  I am an amateur in comparison to the good people of Redditch.

I engage in conversation with them, trying to match their coolness.  This proves tricky with a Tesco bag full of dog poo but not impossible, as the photos of todays apparel will testify.  They seem pleasant enough... conversation goes along the lines of

Them - "How you doing mate?"
Me - "Fine Thanks - Nice day..."
Them - "Yeah - out for a walk then?"
Me - "Yeah and a bit of geocaching"
Them - "Oh what's that then?"
Me - "A high tech treasure hunt where we use a GPS to find boxes - Fancy helping me?"

They were a little too far away for me to hear their last reply. 

On with the walk.  This follows the River Arrow down through meadows and under some of those infernal Ring Roads. 

River Arrow - Under the Ring Road

There is a cache trail of mainly 35mm caches.  The hunt for first one I look for is abandoned due to the amount of dog poo bags abandoned at GZ.  Don't get me started on this.  Next one is a wade through waist high nettles.  The vista opens out for a surprising amount of greenery on the way to Arrow Valley Lake.

Not all Ring Roads and Pound Shops.

This leads me to Arrow Valley lake.  This is lovely, with three paths circumventing it - 1) by the Arrow 2) A broad track for runners and 3) one by the lake.  It is stunning and I do learn that although the dog loves swimming, she is no Tom Daley, as she won't launch herself of the various access ramps for fisherman.

Too scary for a doodle to jump off

Not to worry, I engage in a conversation with a older fella who tells me there is a ramp by the Boating Club - which you can see in the distance behind me in the above photo.

She Loves It.

Don't believe they are bird brained - they know where the food is.

I am now retracing my steps but going slightly north of where I started, near Papermill Farm and then discovering the unexpected history of the place.  The map shows there is the remains of an Abbey in the area and sure enough, I soon find it.  I love it when I find Cisterian ruins - this one was built in 1138 and destroyed when Henry VIII wanted a divorce.  I'd settle for the Sky Plus box and the beer fridge.  I've found similar ruins by the Audi Garage at Halesowen and in Sandwell Country Park.

They needed the material for the Kingfisher Centre

There is the first non 35mm cache here and I drop off a TB that is trying to get to Christchurch, New Zealand.  Well, its close to a church.

Final Climb up the hill for an information board, some sweeping views of the valley I have just walked and a clever cache full of earwigs.

That's where I walked.

Drop down into the next bit of history as I walk through the ruins of St Stephens Chapel.  They is little here but the ground works and the tomb stones.  I cannot believe the age of them - and easily the winner of oldest that I have observed.

 

I don't think too many people share my sense of awe at things like this.  This is a testament to John G of Redditch Old town who died nearly 400 years ago.  Incredible.

Answers on the comments to these questions...

Who was on the Throne (ignore my previous blog) when John G died?
What did we do to him (that perhaps we should do to most of them, but not Kate, she's lovely)?

A surprising end to a pleasant walk that is an opinion changer.  Head to the cafe at the museum but they don't have sausage sandwiches - only tea.  Molly keeps a close eye on the lady in the cafe and then refuses to get in the car, as something is missing from her day.  She's not bird brained either.