Saturday, 10 June 2023

10/06/23 - Centenary Way - Stage 19 - Northend and The Burton Dassett Hills

Back to Harbury for a missing, but dubious Good Beer Guide Tick 


Considering the amount of road walking - this was a surprisingly decent ramble. I say road, traffic free lanes would be a better description.

Eyes on the prize, I make my way to the always in view peak of the Burton Dassett Hills, with its pepper pot Beacon Tower - a Medieval lookout post.

Heading towards the Burton Dassett Beacon
Heading towards to the Hills
Onto the Burton Dassett Hills
Almost at the Beacon
Views from Burton Dassett
The Views - Route all downhill from here

Two years ago, I walked this part the world extensively. A 150 cache trail, over four loops, the likes of which have not been seen subsequently. There was a bonus to collect but I never quite made it to that Ground Zero. A slight adaption - and you will be probably able to tell from the map where this was - and at last, I was able to claim the prize.

Geocaching Bonus
Old School Storytelling Logbooks - Old School Cache Container

This leaves pubs. In 2018, I visited the Red Lion at Northend and predicted its demise. Wasn't hard, 2 punters on that Christmas afternoon and checking the usual sites - a series of closures and grand re-openings.

It is dead once more.

The Red Lion, Northend
Another Dead Soldier

The hottest day of the year (so far) - so I fired up the Good Beer Guide App to find the nearest tick. 

This highlighted a distinct lack of planning in the last stage, as the Crown in Harbury comes up. I had a choice of 3 but the Google Review stating "Avoid the Crown" put me off.

To be fair to the reviewers of Google - they were on to something.

The Crown Harbury
Important Information on the far sign

Just three days before, there has been a grand re-launch, as a Cafe - Bar.

Ominous - but we have to support diversification, should it keep the hospitality trade surviving.

However, for this to work - there needs to be more than one member of staff.

I enter to an un-manned bar and wait. And wait. I engage in conversation with locals. And make jokes about self service. A harrassed man dealing with sandwich disasters tells me he will be with me in a minute. I wait. I exhaust all avenues of conversation. Another 5 minutes passes, by which time, I discover it is the day of the village carnival and I should consider moving my car, if I want to get home. 

Knowing I have half a bottle of luke warm water remaining, I take the advice and shun the chance to determine if the Butcombe is deserving of its place in the bible.

Similar prediction to the Red Lion.  

This won't survive another 5 years.

Unless it becomes one thing or the other.

Or employs staff.

Walk Information

Distance - 8 Miles

Geocaches - 2

Previous Stages - Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3Stage 4Stage 5Stage 6Stage 7Stage 8Stage 9Stage 10Stage 11Stage 12Stage 13Stage 14Stage 15Stage 16Stage 17, Stage 18



No comments:

Post a Comment