4/3/12 - Hallow be thy name

Caches - 6
Distance - 3 Miles
First Cache



No caching yesterday, as we had a extra long day trip via Chiltern Railways (great if you have 6 hours to spare) to London.  Day was framed in drama as we were nearly run over by Jeremy Clarkson parking his porsche on Portobello Road in the morning and then having to pull to the emergency cable on the train, as the passenger behind had an epileptic fit. 

There is one lie in the above paragraph.  I found a cache in Convent Garden.

Knew the weather was going to be a shocker today, but didn't expect sleet.  I was going to head off to Enville but the new round has been quickly disabled, so decided to make a trail out of the 8 caches in Hallow.  Two are mystery caches, and with the monsoon I wasn't going to spend an age trying to work out clues and reduced the round to six.

Goretexed up, park at the back of the Parish hall and head west to do a short loop to get to the first cache and then are soon on the main road to Worcester, taking a path around the back of the impressive church.

Work my way eastwards towards the river, taking in an easy cache and then a much harder cache on a downward hill to the river.  Nice walking.  The river allows me a time to question why I am out in such conditions.  I guess its a novelty, as we are officially in a drought.

I know why I am here - the doodle is confused.

I then have a decent stretch of non caching river walking.  Two different types of idiot are out today.  The miserable fishermen continue to reflect on life, whilst dangling a maggot on the end of a string into the water.  Then we see some of these...

Never change plans because of the weather... just wear a good hat

The stiles on the path along the river are kind of dog friendly.  We come across two that have a forged metalled trident that you lift up to allow your mutt to squeeze underneath.

One slip and we have skewered labradoodle

Reaching the Camp Pub means it is time to turn back towards Hallow.  We live in sad times, when pubs are closing down at an alarming rate.  I notice that the Royal Oak in Hallow is now closed but the Camp does make you wonder how a ramshackle pub at the end of a muddy lane with no houses near it keeps going?  I have fond memories of the place from when I was a child and it still has its menagerie of animals in the grounds.

Still going after all these years.

Heading south west back towards the car.  Come across the best maintained footpath in the world.

Crazy, Paving

I have a ponder on who would go to the expense of implemting such a solution on a public bridleway.  My suspicions are aroused by the following sign in the caravan park.

Do you think it was him?

Two more caches to find in fields before returning to the car.  One damp cacher and an even damper dog.  The car park is full of Sunday morning footballers arguing among themselves.

Get home, log on and the good news keeps rolling in.  Ernie has sent me good news via a secure message.  Premium bond win, but how much? 

Unfortunately, £25 is not enough to become a full time geocacher.