29/08/16 - The Red Lion, Hellidon - Millennium Way Stage 39

Distance - 5.9 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Walk Inspiration
Pub - The Red Lion, Hellidon, Doombar

Once again, the Millennium Way delivers us to another piece of beautiful England.  If it wasn't for this long distance path, I doubt we would have ever found Hellidon - just inside the Northamptonshire border.  Another new county for the MW.

As per usual on these short walks, we start (or finish) at a pub - the Red Lion looks impressive enough and gives us something to look forward to.

We stride out on country lanes, picking up a couple of random caches and crossing the border into Warwickshire.

Looking forward to her post walk continental lager and lime

Lane Walking, Early Doors

Gentle Warwickshire Glory

Little to report, apart from gorgeous blues skies and fields where we play guess the vegetable.

It's no hardship to come back into Priors Marston again.  Especially as we re-visit the Hollybush.  This has to be "Pub of the Millennium Way".  I even get the honour of being the first punter to scan in the Cask Marque logo from their newly erected certificate.  For a more detailed review, see last months blog.

Half Way Pit Stop

The return to Hellidon is as gently impressive as the outward route.  A circuit of Hellidon Hill and across the golf course, busy with Bank Holiday golfers.

All very pleasant

View from Hellidon Hill

Into the village to pick up the last caches of the day.  Walking chat is mainly about how easy it is to find these beautiful, timeless villages in Britain.

All that remains to check out the pub and get a photo of a TB found in Greece that wants to be photographed next to pubs, breweries or distilleries.  I can certainly help with that mission.

Happy to help - next time out, I will drop it off.

The Red Lion was doing a decent trade.  We managed to bag the last available outdoor seat but to be honest, we would have been better off in the coolness of the low ceiling bar.

Decent stop for a very keenly priced lunch.  Slightly disappointed with a limited choice of Courage Directors or Doombar.  Went for the latter.

It was as lifeless as the picture indicated.

But the ham and eggs / fish finger sandwiches were delicious.

27/08/16 - Hetty Peglar's Tump & The Old Crown at Uley

Distance - 5.4 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration - Pub Walks in the Cotswolds
Pub - Uley Bitter at The Old Crown, Uley

At the start of the day, little did I expect to be accused of thieving the roof tiles from a bus shelter.

To be fair, it's no ordinary shelter.  Passengers at Uley get to wait in a lovely Cotswold stone clad building, better than some folk's houses.  They've had vans turn up in the night and strip the tiles away.  So when a man is up on the internal bench, using a torch to look into the nooks and crannies, suspicions are aroused.

How to explain Geocaching to the Neighborhood Watch?  Still, I wasn't going to let it go.  This is a previous DNF for me.

We escape from the village with our dignity intact and Dixon of Uley Green placated enough to not call the rozzers.  Up hill out the village, menaced by grumpy cows.

Its Ok Mrs Mappiman, We've lost the Cows

A small diversion is taken in Nympsfield for two reasons.  First off, I wanted to show Sonia where I stayed when walking the Cotswold Way - 10 years ago next month.  Second reason, a couple more geocaches to grab.

The Rose and Crown is as fine looking as I remember it, although securely locked up at 11am.

Advertising Works

Chez Mappiman - Sept 2006

Cache GZ - Nympsfield Church

I've walked this area frequently over the years but never explored the burial tomb known as Hetty Peglar's Tump.  Its not on a decent path and requires a "there and back" walk along a busy road.  Still, when I found out from another blog on Walk1000 Miles Facebook Group that you could go into the tomb, I had to investigate.

With my torch.

Someone's not interested in exploring

As there are Spiders.  Lots of Spiders.

Having got Neolithic exploration out of my system, we head to Uley Bury Hill fort, via the Cotswold Way.  Shady woodland walking is most welcome.

Cotswold Way

Downham Hill, from Uley Bury

Walk the three sides of the Hill Fort.  Occasional decent views of the Severn Estuary.  All that remains is drop down and complete the investigation of Uley.

Classic Village - 19th Century Church and 17th Century Pub, vying for dominance.

Uley Church

The Old Crown - Doing a roaring trade

Six real ales are on.  That's quite a choice.  Its also one of the few places that sells the beer from the Uley Brewery, 1/2 a mile up the road.  In the interests of science, I decide to try the Uley Bitter - shunning the slightly stronger Uley Old Spot.

A decent enough choice that I enquire to see if I can export it back to Worcestershire.  The barman confirms they don't sell it in bottles.

Uley Bitter - lack of receptacles suitable for export

20/08/16 - Celandine Route and the 2 Pubs in Pinner

Distance - 11.7 Miles
Walk Inspiration
Geocaches - 12
Walk Start - West Drayton
Walk Finish - Pinner
Pub - The Queens Head, Pinner, Rebellion Mutiny

I'm not going to pretend that my navigation of the River Pinn in London has any comparison to John Hanning Speke's Nile expedition.  Whereas he was lauded in 1800's Society by finding the source and naming it Lake Victoria, I am only in with a chance of bumping into the most super of models in her home town of Pinner - famous only as the birthplace of Kate Moss.  She of saggy knees, as Mrs Mappiman is always keen to point out by circling imperfections in Daily Mail photo stories, when she gets the paper first.

London does a decent job of promoting walking routes of it's lesser known rivers.  Earlier this year, I completed a similar walk along the River Wandle and last week, I added the Waterlink Way onto my "to do list".  The River Pinn walk is promoted under the name "The Celandine Route".  A PDF is available at the link at the top of the blog.

The Pinn empties out into the River Colne near West Drayton.  From a walking perspective, its navigable to where it runs under the Grand Union Canal.  I know this stretch from the London Loop.

A repeat stretch on the Grand Union Canal 

Walking gets off to a poor start.  There is no signage at the canal and a false start leads me down a scummy dead end of a housing estate.  At least the sight of a fully loaded rambler gives the man sat on his doorstep, smoking and drinking a pre 10am Special Brew, something to look at.  Error fixed, the real path is found in a playing area and the first sight of the River Pinn is obtained.

Its like this for the next 11 miles.

Today is International Geocaching day and I make a pig's ear of failing to find the first two potential caches of the day.  The souvenir is in jeopardy until I make my first find of the day at a Side Tracked Cache in Cowley.

At least the Celandine Route signage improves, so at least I know where I am going.

A Large Scale Print of the PDF

Signage at Cowley Church

I can tell from the lack of photos that the walking is not the most inspired.  There's really little to get excited about as I pass through the grounds of Brunel University, Hillingdon, over the A40 and into Ickenham, through Ruislip and into Pinner.  No open pubs are walked past.  Little to see.  The river barely changes in look and feel.

Say it quietly, it's all a bit dull.

Not really a fitting end to the CR Route

Can Pinner itself save the day?  It's a pretty handsome place and has a very "villagey" feel.  The buildings look ancient but what off the pubs?

There's only two.  Which is a worry for a place of this size.  They even try to increase the numbers by leaving the clues to former pubs.  The Zizzi Italian is hosted in the 1540 building of a pub and cruely hangs the of the Victory outside in "look at what you could have won" mockery.

I decide to try the highest rated pub first.  The Oddfellows Arms is at the top of Elm Park Road.  I brave a shower storm to get there.  I attempt the door.  Closed for a private party until 17:30.

The gods truly are against me today.

A Garden Patio too far.  Tell tale signs of the 70th Birthday Party in the Window

Back down and into the much prettier High Street, dominated by the Church at the top of the hill - where the Queens Head awaits.

The Queens Head and it's unusual signage

Love a pub with a bit of History

If this is the second best pub in Pinner, then the Oddfellows must be really going some.  Its ancient from the outside and all lovely and plush on the inside.  Seven real ales on, spread across the serving hatches.  The barman was keen to reel off their relative merits and Rebellion Mutiny was chosen.  I even get another tick in my Cask Marque App.

Plush Velour seating and Ceremonial Glass

08/08/16 - The Ship Inn, Highley

Distance - 4.6 Miles
Geocaches - 6
Walk Inpsiration - AA 50 Walks in Shropshire
Pub - The Ship Inn, Highley - Hobsons

Rules to stop Doggers from entertaining themselves forbid us from parking at the Severn Country Park at Highley, Shropshire.  Honestly, height of Summer and the picnic area bolts the gates at 7pm.

We're in Highley to make the most of the fast disappearing light evenings.  There is a walk that has picqued my interest for some time.  Borle Brook is one of those strange places that Shropshire seems to throw up quite regularly.  A deep sided gorge, hidded from the outside world with a splattering of references to it's historical past.  Today, an 18th Century Pack Horse bridge and some light industry from the village's mining past.

To add a 21st Century flavour to proceedings, there is a Geocache trail laid by my 2nd most found CO - BlokieBloke.  Thanks for the caches!

18th Century Donkey Bridge

The splendidly isolated Borle Brook

The walk is OK - overgrown in places, angry bovines in others.  It's a straightforward up and down both sides of the brook and return into the village to check out the amenities.

Handful of Summer Evenings remaining

The Church Micro at Highley

Post walk refreshments?  We looked around Highley Village - its a fair sized - containing shops, takeaways, a sculpture trail to its mining heritage but it was hard to tell if the Bache Arms was actually open.  It looked rather forlorn.  So we headed down to the Ship Inn.

Its nice to be able to report an improvement in pub heritage.  The Ship Inn has a prime location, down by the Severn Valley Railway stop and right on the river.  The last time I went, it had a real run down feel about it - with a couple of scabby looking benches outside.  It appears to have had considerable investment.

A lovely new patio area - only causing problems when you drop a pound coin (me) or a lighter (fisherman) and they disappear down the gap.  No doubt the owner sends down a Miner's offspring to collect up the booty at the end of the week.

Five real ales, including the lesser spotted Banks Mild, and a decent looking menu.

Most importantly, more punters than the staff could deal with.  On a Monday Night.  Great to see.

And my discovery for the evening - Hobson's compliment their wonderful Town Crier with the perfect snack - handcooked scratchings.

Pub Makeover

Perfect Pint, Snack and Views

06/08/16 - Cribyn, Pen Y Fan and Corn Du

Distance - 9.2 Miles
Geocaches - 4
Walk Inspiration - Country Walking June 2016, Walk 21

Twice before, I've climbed these three classics of the Brecon Beacons.  Never in decent weather. Never attacking the hills from the North.

Mrs Mappiman had an inkling (well, a weather app) that today would be perfect conditions for something a bit more challenging than our usual walk through - as she puts it - boring fields.

I'll show her some excitement.

Which starts with the last mile drive to the car park at Cwm Gwdi.  A single track lanes with high embankments remind me that it costs just over a grand to replace a BMW's wing mirror.  Its been a year since the Brown Clee Hill transit van disaster.

9am and we're the 3rd car to park up.  Booted, breakfasted on Malt Loaf and off round lanes to discover the futility of trying to get a "good morning" out of Welsh sheep farmers.  We pick up the whale back of Bryn Teg to deliver us, ever upwards, into the hills.

Bryn Teg - Take me to the Mountains

Going is steady. Mrs Mappiman's technique is to walk hard, then sit for a rest whilst I catch up.  I try and tell her about the hare and the tortoise.  She won't have it.

Frequent Stop by Mrs Hill Fit.  Cribyn - Left, Pen Y Fan - Right

The photo doesn't quite do justice to just how steep the final pull is up onto Cribyn.  It seems a lot of work just to come straight back down again.  Besides, there is a geocache on its flank, accessible by a thin dotted line on the map which represents something not quite wide enough to be called a path.

You know, its funny.  You can live with someone for nigh on 30 years and not realise they are terrified of heights.  Surprise is a cornerstone of long lasting relationships.  I ask what she doesn't like about the path.  Hands are released from the mountain side just long enough to point downwards and a mutter of "That".

Worth it for the Geocaching Smiley

And the views

We celebrate our arrival at the gap between Cribyn and Pen y Fan with lunch.  Never have ham, cheese and branston been combined so deliciously.  We can dine, looking back at what we have achieved.  Admittedly, the path looks narrower from above.

Can just make out our "path" on the left flank of Cribyn.

A short haul up to Pen Y Fan.  Having had the mountains to ourselves so far, we hit the masses.  This type of hillwalking is for everyone.  All shapes, ages and attire is represented in a smorgasbord of humanity.  Plenty of photos taken in my first mist free ascent of Southern Britain's highest mountain.

Pen Y Fan Views

Highest Couple in Southern Britain

Form an orderly queue for a photo

Short hop to Cribyn and then the descent starts.  I've read about the story of a 5 year old lost on the mountains for 29 days in 1900 but this is the first visit to Tommy Jones memorial.

Tommy Jones Memorial

And the Outlook

The descent is easily the best walk off a mountain I have ever completed.  The views are stunning, the terrain firm under foot and a canopy of trees guides us home in the later stages.  It's an unexpected joy.

Car is down there, somewhere

Last look back at the hills

A classic walk and definitely the best way of ticking off these three easily accessible mountains.

And on to the post walk drink.  We could have stopped in Brecon itself but parking looked complicated and the beer garden of Boars Head was full of a hen party who had adopted a nautical theme.

Instead, we take a chance and stop at one of the many former coaching houses that align the road in. A couple are dismissed and we settle on a hand printed sign from the by pass that lures thirsty mountaineers into the Baskerville Arms at Clyro with a promise of Real Ale.

It would appear that the by pass has done the gaff no favours.  A single punter propping up the bar got quite excited that new blood was coming in.  Still, they keep a decent pint of Otter.

Baskerville Arms - Clyro

Wonderful Otter