14/04/24 - Centenary Way - Stage 26 - Lower Quinton

 The End of the Centenary Way

Here it, the end of a Long Distance Path that never set the pulse racing. With the exception of a few town centre highlights, the walking was pedestrian - often on unloved paths that if they hadn't disappeared completely, would be often overgrown. HS2 causing issues on several stages. Still, it provided structure to my monthly walking plans over the last 4 years. 

The final stretch is dominated by Meon Hill - an Iron Age Hillfort steeped in legend.....

Centenary Way sharing the path to Meon Hill with the Monarch Way

The Made Up Myth - The ghost of the Celtic King Arawyn, hunting the hill at night. He rides a pale horse, running a pack of white hounds with red ears.  

The Modern Day Murder Mystery - The location for the last unsolved murder in Warwickshire.  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.

No spooky scenes on the day when Spring may have arrived.

Views from Meon Hills flanks

The walk continues to Ilmington before tracking its way north, back to Lower Quinton. It should be unspectacular agricultural field walking but the Centenary Way cannot help but deliver a final sting in the tale. The farmers are out ploughing up their fields - obliterating the footpaths.  We could have braved the churned up earth across ankle breaking clods but we would be playing frogger with the tractors. No one wants to be laughed at by a farmer. Lane based diversions adding a mile to the walk.

We arrive back in Lower Quinton for the twin village staples of Church and pub.

Lower Quinton Church

The College Arms is one of the odder pubs found on my travels. Poor on-line presence makes it tricky to determine if they offer food on a Sunday and if they do, what it might be. Their website redirecting you to their facebook page if you click on "Menus". Tripadvisor pointing to the go elsewhere, with a rating of the 117th best restaurant in Stratford.

I leave it to Mrs M and her internet sleuthing to decide where we should visit. The facebook review where someone's husband had run off with the barmaid making up her mind.

She knows I will be in post LDP completion high spirits and cannot be trusted

College Arms - Lower Quinton - I missed the sign saying "Motorbike Parking Only"

There is some history here - the building originally owned by Henry VIII.  Then it fell into the hands of Oxford's Magdelan College and the only pub in the land allowed to use its coat of arms.  A farmhouse originally, converted to a pub in 1897.

Now a bikers pub and how lovely to see Mods and Rockers drinking in perfect harmony.

At Mrs M's request, we Sunday lunched at nearby Long Marston's Mason Arms.

Walk Details

Distance - 7.5 Miles

Geocaches - 1

Pub - The Mason Arms, Long Marston (off route)

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, Stage 19, Stage 20, Stage 21, Stage 22, Stage 23, Stage 24, Stage 25