Mappiman's Real Ale Walks: 13/01/18 - Warwickshire Cakes and Ales

Saturday 13 January 2018

13/01/18 - Warwickshire Cakes and Ales - Stratford to Shipston

Start - Stratford-upon-Avon
Finish - Shipston-on-Stour
Distance - 16 Miles
Geocaches - 14
Walk Inspiration - Warwickshire Cakes and Ales Guide Book

You know its going to be epic, when your adventure starts on a double decker bus, hurtling along country lanes. Top deck, front seat. Shouting, watch out for that bike. And those trees.

Today's marathon comes from a guide book called "Warwickshire Cakes and Ales". I have an interest in at least 66% of that title. It details a 100 mile circular walk around the counties market towns, to be completed over 7 long sections.

This section looks doable with public transport, which is why I find myself waiting with several others for the 9:03 bus 50 to Stratford. In an unexpected twist, it turns up at 9:03. My lack of trust in public transport extends as far as having a backup route for today, in case it never materialised at all.

At 9:23 and £5.10 lighter, I am out with the Japanese in the achingly beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon. Photos at the bridge and of the Royal Shakespeare Company before I head out to find the "Stratford Greenway".

Bus drops me off at the bridge

Touristy shots done

The Stratford Greenway is a disused railway line and provides arrow straight, perfectly flat walking for the first 5 miles of today's walk. There's a tricky combination of dog walking muggles and several geocaches and not much to break up the monotony, other than a laugh at Dr Who's downgrade.

The Start and a high muggle count

Hopefully a Female Only Tardis

Distant Views to Meon Hill. I'm off there

I leave the trail at Long Marston and pick up the Heart of England Way/Monarch's Way which takes me cross county to Lower Quinton. It's midday and the pubs are open but the pub is near the church, about 0.5 miles off piste. I decide to save myself for Ilmington, trying not to get freaked out by the legends of Meon Hill.

Looks Close but its a telephoto lens

So what's spooky about Meon Hill? It's the crime scene for Warwickshire's oldest unsolved murder case. In 1945, Charles Walton was found with his own pitchfork embedded in his throat and the sign of a cross carved into his chest. This is how you kill a witch, in Warwickshire and there were some parallels to a similar killing in the 1800's. Plenty of documentaries on YouTube.

View from a Murder Scene

A couple of miles on to the previously unvisited village of Ilmington. It's a delight of quirky buildings, handsome ancient church and two pubs. First the Church.

Ilmington Church

With the door unlocked

Medieval Cross

The Red Lion is not on route but the Howard's Arms is. All looks good, its set amongst a handful of attractive cottages, recommended by Sawdays Special Places and its own sign boasts "Great Food, fine ales".

First Pub Stop

Four real ales on but I must have made the wrong selection. My Landlord was hazy, vinegary and had tiny bits of gunk floating in the head. I would have complained but they had jovially topped up my water supply and if I'm being truthful, I couldn't be arsed to pull myself out of the fine Chesterfield I was tempted to take a nap in.

Looked better here than it tasted

But move on, I must, with another couple of hours to walk. Fine views over Ilmington (I will come back to try the Red Lion), a long trudge over fields and about 1.5 miles along the A429, fortunately footpathed.

The Shipton-on-Stour Sign is a sight for sore legs.

Looking Back over Ilmington

Nearly Back

My visit to Shipston is another first. An appealing market town, seemingly specialising in Country Outfitting shops where all colours are available as long as you like green tweed. There is a clock shop that has an external timepiece proclaiming "Remember, time lost cannot be regained".

Its two hours out.

There's four or five pubs (Falcon looks closed) available for the post walk analysis. I wander around each off them. The Horseshoe Inn looks ramshackly authentic. The George Townhouse is Cask Marque but far too posh. Eventually, a man who has seen my aimless wandering asks if he can help. I tell him I cannot make up my mind on which pub is best and he tells me with some conviction its the White Bear.

It's a Donnington Ales house - which means delightful pub architecture but lot's of negative reviews from beer bloggers. I have to say, the Cotswold Gold was a perfect pint. No complaints for me. I'll be trying Arkells next.