26/12/14 - Blakedown Boxing Day

Walk Inspiration - 100 Hill Walks Around Birmingham
Distance - 4.1 Miles
Geocaches - 4 Found, 1xDNF


After a day of Timothy Taylor, Turkey, Red Wine and Karaoke, a refreshing blast of countryside was required for the pair of us and the Labradoodle, who spent yesterday hiding from our visitors in a hole she had dug in the garden.  The kids named it her "Stress Pit".

Strange Dog.

Blakedown is a small village on the outskirts of Kidderminster that has been on my walking radar for a while.  I have walked here before, but not for a long time.  A quick plot of a route from a trusty walking book and a GPX download of 5 caches is made and we head off.

Park at the Parish Rooms.  By the amount of new Goretex that is on show, we won't be the only walkers out today.

Head off up the B4188 and find the first cache of the day as we join the Monarch's way.  Good, if not a little boggy walking, where we make find 2 after waiting for a horse muggle to pass and find 3 after Sonia disappears up to her knees in mud.  She takes this rather well.

Sonia Knows the Way to Fun

Blakedown Swampland

We meet a couple dressed from head to foot in tweed that can only be the Lord and Lady of Blakedown.  Exchange dog related pleasantries and warn them of their impending doom in the mud pit.  They know they path and know exactly where to avoid.

One last cache in a novelty contained and then a DNF, where the clue was a new acronym to be BOMT.  I think I know what it meant but I wasn't prepared to go down the bank to investigate :-)

We turn right to walk around the back of Barnett Hill Garden Centre and climb the hill.  Wonderful path and wonderful views

Towards Barnett Hill

Where we pick up the hoards of other Boxing Day walkers

These paths are all new to me, which is a surprise considering its locality and the amount of walking we do.  Drop down to pick up an unnamed stream and a spooky abandoned mill.  Follow the stream back to Deansford Farm, where I get the last cache of the day.

This is from the Size Matters Series, which I attempted in March 2010.  I couldn't look last time because of muggles.  I can probably claim a prize for the longest elapsed time between initially looking and logging success.

A quick blast up a lane that can only be described as Millionaire's Row by the size of the properties and a bridle path returns us to the car by dissecting the Pools.

The Best Way to Spend Boxing Day.  Now home for Turkey Noodle Soup.