16/3/13 - It better come with chips

Distance - 6.7 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk From - Cicerone Heart of England Walks

Its been a good week, with many highlights.  We were scared by Johnny Sorrow at the monthly comedy club, tonight is a big night out for my brothers 40th and then there was this fella.



Big Shu - Thursday's Saviour

Thanks to him, there is a big pile of beautiful blue notes hidden around my house... far out of the reach of onesey attired teenagers and wives with unnatural holiday fetishes.

It's amazing how exciting horse racing can get after a bucket of Guinness.

I've checked the weather and it is sunny in Craven Arms - so it was going to be a 10 miler from Stokesy Castle.  As Sonia wanted to come, we looked for something a touch more sedate, so it was Henly in Arden in the rain.

Fine medieval town, with a mile long high street and every building looks like a coaching inn.  Our joy at getting the last free parking space soon dissipates as we head out into the weather.

Molly considers adoption

We pass the church and have the stiff climb up the old motte and bailey castle of Beaudesert,  There is nothing here apart from one stone and the earth works, but it does give a view across the village.  Sonia looks for the rough council estate, her theory is that all nice places have one tucked around the back.

The Queen of all she surveys

Up and down the ramparts to get the first cache of the day and then some nice walking through the mud and puddles on the Heart of England Way.  Cache two is protected by a moat, but as I am soaked already, there is no option but to wade in.

We are now up on the hill and have the wind howling to go with the driving rain.  It does cross your mind why we are out in this, but time is precious.  And with Fast Pint Arm Bob back for his birthday, I will have a bad head tomorrow.

Some nasty walking down green lanes which are frankly water shoots and across a few fields as we reach Preston Bagot.  The ground is getting beyond a joke - forget gaiters, we need waders.

Its a challenge

There is a cache at Bagot Church, which is the last of the day.  It did contain the promised TB, so that has come with me for future adventures.

Preston Bagot - It has a church, a cache and puddles.

Drop downhill to the A4189.  The signs say Henley to the right, but we go left to the canal.  Sonia asks how long is left and I say three miles.  She exclaims the sign said 1.5 miles.  I had to explain to her how she didn't want to be walking along a major trunk road when there is a lovely muddy canal to have a slop along.

To be fair, the Stratford Canal is as good as they get.  No half submerged shopping trolleys here, just swans and reeds.

Hats Off - It must have stopped raining

We pick up the River Alne, just north of Wooton Pool.  It is incredibly fast flowing but as we want to go to a pub, we look to see if there is an opportunity to get the dog clean.  We come along a stream that feeds the main river and chuck in her recently found bottle.  Molly leaps in but the water is a bit deeper than any of us expected and she spadooshes right under, Tom Dailey style.  We raise scorecards of 8.5 and 9 respectively, once she bobs back to the surface.

A bit of confusion at Blackford Mill Farm.  After admiring the incredible weir, we lose the footpath and end up walking up the farmers drive.  I am surprised he didn't tell us off, as we met him half way along.

Then its just the main road back to town and to find somewhere that does semi skimmed milk, cake and quality real ale.  We like to challenge our town visits.

Returning Heros with a culinary challenge

To be fair, we are far too dirty to sit inside but the sun has come out and we get settled in the beer garden at the Swan.  Gaiters off and I head in.  They have Black Sheep.  They have semi skimmed milk.  Sonia has changed her order from cake to a steak sandwich and they have Steak on Ciabatta, with caramelised onions.  I order and am met with the rebuke that they are not doing food this lunch time as they are so busy we pre-booked orders.  Not even for a sandwich I protest?

No.

I say hello to the Chef, perched on a step smoking a fag, as I return to break the bad news.

So we head off in search of other options.  It was meant to be as we come across the West Midlands Food pub of the Year -The Bluebell.

Its a Find

We settle into the Garden and I head in and ask if they do sandwiches.  Met in the positive.  So 2xHam and Mustard and a couple of drinks and £1.50 change out of one of Big Shu's bounty.

Explained that I hadn't ordered a side of chips as I was out of finances and Sonia says for £6.50, it better come with bloody chips.

Even the dog is hopeful

It didn't.