28/12/13 - Into the Woods

Distance - 7.09 Miles
Geocaches - 4 Found, 2 Not Found
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, March 2011

Chaddesley Corbett at EveryTrail


There was no way I was traveling too far today.  Yesterday's 1 hour drive back from Cirencester took 3 hours.  M5 blocked through two separate accidents.  Enough to put you off venturing out of the house.

But the sun is shining.  Initially, I think of a riverside walk in Bewdley but that's just going to be a floody mess.  So I consult my local walks and notice a local one from Chaddesley Corbett from Country Walking Magazine.  Gaiter up for the inevitable mud bath.

I have completed many walks from here.  Plot the route on the map and I can see that most of the caches have been previously found but I must be taking on new paths, as there is hope of a few new smileys.

Park up, as usual, in front of the Talbot.  How can a village of this size have exactly two more decent pubs than the town that I come from?

Is there a better place to start a walk?

Early stage of the walk is very familiar.  All routes from Chaddesley seem to go North East on the good footpath to Swancote Farm.  At the crossroads of paths, I head East on new paths to me, following the signs for the Royal Hunters Path.

Also called the Forester' Walk

Cache number one comes at an intersection of paths at Coalpit Coppice.  Its from the Bailey Rangers and of their usual standards.  Not going to say too much about it, but I am glad that I am in an isolated area, as I spend a good 15 minutes working out where the log is.

Cache 2 is off a similar standard, but I do strike lucky and the log is in hand.  Cache 3 is more amusing than complex. 

I have worked my way to Dordale and must be back on previously walked paths, as there are caches here that have been found.  If it wasn't for all the mud, it would have been superb walking.

This takes me to the outskirts of Dodford but I am soon back into the woodland of High Wood.  There are two new caches to have a look for but I did not expect much.  The clues are a touch vague (Holly - at Xmastime), off the main paths and under tree cover mean that I have a look but fail.  Still, others have found them, so my fail is purely down to my own ineptitude.

That leaves a micro for the remainder of the walk.

Still, I am on good paths under blue skies.

Soon arrive at the micro.  There is a reason it is here - some stunning views over to Malvern.  And I at least finish with success.

All Views and Sunshine

Great walking on the way back.  I am through Chaddesley Woods and then into fields, where the Church Steeple is my beacon to get back to the car.

My Sort of Walking

Aim for the Steeple

Get through the mud back to the car.  A quick look around the Church.  Pub is not visited for two reasons.  My lower half looks like I came second in a mud wrestle and its 12:15pm and the Albion are on the TV in half an hour.

The questions for tomorrow are a) do I travel and b) do I dare go near a river?