31/01/16 - Railway Lines, Dead and Future

Walk Inspiration - Stage 32 of the Millennium Way
Distance - 6.8 Miles
Geocaches - 3 Found, 1xDNF
Pub - The Stag at Offchurch, Hooky.

The last stage of the Millennium Way teased me with Offchurch.  I dropped into the village and saw the Stag Inn, a fine looking thatched pub.  I'm rather pleased that Stage 32 starts in the Stag's "Walkers Welcome" pub car park.

And for extra value, it's also a Top 10 County Pub in Warwickshire.

Today's Start - the guide insisted

It's a dreary, miserable day and a question of how much rain and mud I am going to encounter.  Unsure whether to wear gaiters, Berghaus Deluge over trousers or both.  Decide to goretex up top and bottom half and make my way through the village to the building that provided it's name.

Offa's Church

Into the fields and I am crossing the former Rugby to Leamington railway line, another Beeching Act Victim, turned into a walkway.

Lacking in Public Transport but fine walking

The irony of the Beeching Act is not lost as I walk over the Fosse Way and onto the Medieval drovers road - the Welsh Road.  This is Warwickshire countryside at its finest and look what is coming.

Can't they recycle

Pick up Ridgeway Lane and fight my way through the mud, which has been par for the course this Winter.

Ridgeway Lane

First potential Geocache of the day is when we cross the former railway line for the 2nd time (must be on my way back).  It should have been easy, even if it did involve blindly putting my arm into a recess on the bridge.  All I came up with was an arm full of spider's web and a question of my own sanity.

Failing at Caching, high above the Railway Line.

A collection of buildings make up Hunningham and I am back out into the mud and fields, to work my way down to the River Leam.

Into the Countryside

There's a collection of geocaches down by the River Leam.  Only one small problem, its burst its banks.  Makes for some fun hunting and some interesting re-use of farm equipment to navigate the terrain.  I get 3 out of 4, the elusive one under slightly too much water.

Using a gate as a bridge on the burst River Leam

The mile back to Offchurch is a repeat of a Section of Stage 31.  I am excited for what's on offer at the Stag and make myself presentable before entering through the door.

There's a sign behind the bar saying "Pork Pies and Mustard - £2".  I only have a fiver with me, so whether I get lunch or not depends on the price of my pint.

Out of the 4 ales on offer, I go for a pint of Hook Norton Hooky.  It's superb but comes in at £3.70.

Fortunately found 4x20p in the bottom of my caching bag