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 to the Hills

Almost at the Beacon

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.

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.

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.

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