06/02/21 - Monkwood and the Severn Way through Holt and Grimley

Distance - 8 Miles

Geocaches - 6

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, Sep 2014, Walk 9

Still keeping within 10 miles of home but its getting harder and harder to find the start point of walks in the Worcestershire Wilds.  The Sat Nav in an Audi Q3 attempts to reclassify farm tracks as navigable roads.  The re-adjustment through the single track lanes of Sinton Green hardly inspired confidence.

But eventually I do find Monkwood Nature Reserve - donated by a brush manufacturer for the preservation of butterflies.  I know this, as the first task of the day is to decipher notice board information for a chance of an FYI Multi Geocache.  

What a Butterfly Nature Reserve looks like in Winter

Once the co-ords are gained, I am off for a varied walk that takes in the woodland (not too muddy), for fields (muddy) to what could have been pub 1 of the day.

A forlorn looking Red Lion at Holt Heath

The Severn Way is picked up and a pleasant stretch of walking materialises through Holt, Top Barn Farm and Grimley.

Severn Way Signage

Holt - a church was expected, but a C14th Castle wasn't.   Impressive for a private residence.

Holt Church - complete with a Church Micro Geocache

Holt Castle

Top Barn - a collection of light industrial units but with a bonus open cafe that accepted card transactions.  Even for a £1 Americano.

Grimley - another pub (The Waggon Wheel) and filled in gravel pits that don't appear on the OS Map but do maintain the integrity of the public Right Of Ways - with a banked footpath dissecting the bodies of water.

The Landscape is changing

A re-working of the route to find the treasure from the FYI Geocache and I am walking through the hamlet of Sinton Green.  The map shows the big blue cup of joy, but even then, the New Inn is tricky to find.  Its both tucked away and being re-claimed by nature.

I have to ask a local if is still a going concern.  And yes, surprisingly it is.  Although only open when the landlord feels like.

I may have to go back when Boris allows it.

But they have to be open AND able to sell beer