Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, October 2014, Walk 8
Pub - Acton Arms, Ringwood Forty Niner
I'm not sure that we have had a more surprising start to a walk.
With only three hours of daylight before the anticipated rains came in, I looked for a walk both short in length and local. Country Walking Magazine, as so often has been the case, provided suitable inspiration. The walk was plotted, the Geocaches loaded and the co-ordinates to the suggested parking area banged into the car's sat nav.
I wasn't expecting this.
Car Park like no other |
This is Morville Manor - the first of our Elizabeth architecture treasures seen today and true enough, on the banks of Mor Brook, is the anticipated Church.
Staring at the Sun - into Morville Church |
One of the few places sans mud |
We find the correct path from the Jack Mytton way to be met in a waterlogged field by dog walkers with at least half a dozen hounds. Some of them bark at us. All of them charge at us. The greyhound cross is a jumper that likes ladies.
Sonia now has her top half matching her bottom half, with two great long muddy paw prints running down the length of her soft shell jacket. Forget barefooted sixties chanteuses, if this continues, I will be taking Lady Godiva to the boozer.
At least the views make up for things. Country Walking must agree as the route card in the magazine is accompanied by an almost identical photo to this.
Shropshire in its finery |
First glimpse of the Elizabethan Upton Cressett Manor House |
Upton Cressett Church |
I ask Sonia whether she wants to take it. To be fair, she asks what will be missed. When I say an isolated rural church linked to a manor house, she reminds me that we have seen a couple of those already.
No doubt the original plan would have been followed if I had answered with a Tea Shop.
We make the correct decision, the clouds drop, leaving things misty and the promised rains imminent. If it was any more slippery underfoot, we would never have made the treacherous descent Aston Hall.
Rarely have the red lines on the map been so close together in so much mud.
Relieved to make it down safely and back to Morville Church |
Acton Arms, Morville |
Still, Room for a Ringwood Forty Niner |
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