05/01/23 - Nag's Head, for a Malvern Full Moon Walk

North Malvern by Night

Second month running a Full Moon Walk has been undertaken. No, I am not turning into a lycanthrope. Just breaking up the mid week gloom and failing to keep on top of the box-sets.

Whereas Broadway provided sub-zero temperatures and clear skies, Malvern provided gale force winds, rain and the very occasional glimpse of the celestial orb.

Our walk is from the North Quarry Park - familiar paths that look very different at night, zig-zagging up to conquer North Hill, Table Hill, Sugarloaf hill and the daddy itself, Worcestershire Beacon.

Photos may increase if I get to half-inch other Meetup Member's better efforts.

Malvern - 8pm, January.

Nothing wrong with the group leader's choice of post walk hospitality venue. I've blogged many times about the Nag's Head, and nothing on this visit has changed my mind that it's one of this Country's finest.

Yes, they can no longer source Bathams. Believe it or not, this is a result of Woods Brewery going under, but the wider context is Covid. Malvernisters denied the Black Country nectar since the year 2020.

They still have a fine, never ending choice. One day, I will train it (remember trains?) to Malvern Link and work my way from left to right. I was sorely tempted by Old Hooky. Teme Valley This is always confused with That and T'other but a fine LocALE brewery. Redemption Big Chief looked well worth investigation.

But Timothy can never be ignored. Especially in a ceremonial chalice.  

Pork Pie a £3.50 much needed bonus. 

These night walks get in the way of tea.  

Not a bad First Thursday of 2023

Walk Information

Distance - 4.5 Miles

Walk Inspiration - Meetup Group Walk

07/12/22 - Crown and Trumpet for a Broadway Tower Full Moon Night Walk

Distance - 6 miles

Walk Inspiration - MeetUp Group Walk

I've been lurking in the MeetUp shadows for some time. Being too busy on weekends, is one of the lame excuses I tell myself for having previously not joined in with an organised walk. There is no excuse here, as the suitably named "Hike and Get Merry" group have arranged a mid week ramble. Tentatively, I ask Mrs M if she is interested in walking 6 miles to see a full moon in the middle of winter and I'm most surprised when she bites my hand off.

So we find ourselves nervously sitting in a Broadway short stay car park, looking for evidence of other ramblers. Do you flash your headlights to show arrival?  What sort of people might that attract?

Putting my boots on is enough to flush the others out. In no time, 25 of us are booted and suited in chunky knitwear hats and scarves. Rucksacks full of chocolate and mince pies. Hip flasks full of sherry (Mrs M, at least). We're off and running for the pretty town centre festive lights.

Broadway Pretties

The conditions are perfect. Sub zero temperatures, freezing most of the mud. A completely clear sky. Up the flanks of Fish Hill, with the expected tricky navigation that night walking brings. Through a woodland copse and across the crunchy frost laden grass onto the approaches for Broadway Tower. Other walk members to teach me astronomy. We only said "Betelgeuse" twice, out of fear of what may be summonsed.

Approaching Broadway Tower

Broadway Tower at night

The tower provides an obvious place for a picnic break. Until it got too cold to hang around. The return to town through more woodland and down Cowneygree Lane. Exotic local wildlife startled, statically.

 

They did not bolt

The home straight delivers us to Broadway's finest pub - the Good Beer Guide regular, the Crown and Trumpet.  I use my skills to take over the from the walk leader and am sent as an advance party to see if they are open.

Crown and Trumpet - a Good Beer Guide Regular

Surprisingly, when you hear about all the troubles facing the hospitality industry, it takes all my powers of negotiation to convince them to stay open after 9:30pm. After some cajoling, they agree to serve me one drink. I have to inform them I have friends outside and I wonder how to reply to the query "how many friends". Will saying 25 convince them it's worth their effort in staying open?  I'm unsure, so hedge my bets with a more conservative 10. 

There is another indication of customer service not seen this side of Royston Vassey. How anyone can put a sign on a table that says "For Locals Only" with a straight face must have had a sense of humour by-pass in the early 2000s.

Ultimately, it was worth the sweet talking. A super interior, with low oak beams, a superb fire place and plenty of pubby nick-nack memorabilia.  A fine space to get better acquainted with our new rambling friends and my estimate of 10 post walkers was far more accurate.  Great to meet every one and a special shout out to Steve for organising and Rebecca, who is able to take night photos much better than me. 

Timothy Taylor Landlord and Stowford Press

And a smile from landlady, when I returned our empties. Everyone leaves on good terms.  Especially when they have been brought up to follow the unwritten rules of pubbing.

07/03/21 - Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve

Distance - 7.5 Miles

Geocaches - 4

Walk Inspiration - Hike and Get Merry Route on Meetup

One of my pre-Covid plans was to join some group walks - either by joining the Ramblers or looking at MeetUp - where I found this route and is scheduled for six members on 11/4/21.  Its oversubscribed - so off I went to investigate solo.

The Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve is a haven for bird and butterfly spotting and offers a lovely little walk along the Leigh Brook. Guide dog in training Abi would have potentially loved the dunk, but the signs state that there is no access to the water.  

Leigh Brook - Inviting to a Dog but Out of Bounds

Next up is a climb of The Suckley Hills - an outcrop of the Malverns.  The OS Map doesn't show access to Crews Hill as a Right of Way but on arrival, its another nature reserve.  A good broad path up through the trees but no reward of fine views to mark the effort until you reach the gap at Newhouse Farm.

 

Looking South to the Malverns

The walking is that good that I became lost in my own thouights and missed the turning right off Round Hill.

In normal times, this diversion would reward you with a pub.  Obviously my subconscious was taking over.

Lulsley's Fox and Hounds

The stretch between Ravenshill Green and Alfrick is the scene of a previously visited Geocache Trail, with a James Bond Theme.  It was five years ago that I made a poor attempt at finding these.  I've either got better at it or they are easier in Winter, as I cleared up 4 previous fails.

A lovely walk - so I'll keep my eyes on the Meetup group and plan to get some future company.