06/05/19 - The Red Lion at Alnmouth

Distance - 4.5 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Walk Inspiration - 100 Walks in Northumberland, Walk 31

A nice little varied walk for a Bank Holiday Monday, where the weather was traditionally bracing.

Start at the Beach Car Park, where all the dogs in the North East are out for exercise.

Guide dog in training Joy had a whale of a time.  The golden beach looked Caribbean but felt Baltic.  A case of keep moving to keep warm.

Family Mapp and Guide Dog Joy.   We haven't gone on holiday by mistake

When the golden sands turn to rock, we head inland through the golf course. 

When the sand runs out, head inland

At the end of the golf course's drive, we are presented with a view of the River Aln as it meanders it was down to the sea.   The notice boards promise such exotic wildlife as otters.   I am too busy taking snaps of new born sheep that I almost fail to catch the heron.

Looking down on the Aln

Heron.   Honest,

Nice final section of walking along the Coastal Path from Alnmouth Bridge, looking at the estuary moored boats and then refreshment can be found in the village.

Picking up the Northumberland Coastal Path at the Bridge

There looks like a few choices for the Mappiman dollar, but we were never going to miss out on a 2019 Camra Good Beer Guide Tick.

A Northumberland Pub Tick

The Red Lion is a classic looking coaching inn, where dogs are welcome as long as they are dry.   To meet this requirement, towels are available in the porch.   This is something I have never seen before.

As its a bank holiday, we failed to get inside seating but this meant that we could explore their wonderful beer garden, offering further views over the estuary.

Fine Beer Garden View

The English on Holidays.   Others were in the garden.

Beer wise, it was a Red Ale - Allendale Brewery's Curlew's return. 

Perfect condition, with a deep colouring and continued lacing right till the end of the glass.

Enjoyed right up until the point it started raining.

04/05/19 - Boroughbridge Roman Walk

Distance - 3.5 Miles
Walk Inspiration
Geocaches - 2


Here's why I love this Country.   Not in a Brexit kind of fashion, just in the endless fascination that it provides.

We're on our way to the far North East, for blogs to come.   To break up the journey, we look for a suitable walking location just off the A1.   Within literally two minutes on Google Maps, we find Boroughbridge and an easy ramble that provides the following;

• Roman History, including a museum
• A C14th Battle Site
• A plaque honouring a WW2 Bomber Crew
• A Good Beer Guide Pub 
• A butchers selling world class sausage rolls.

What's not to like.

From the honesty car park (I honestly put money in), we make our way to the River Ure.   Plenty of dogs for a cooped up Guide Dog in training to play with and high banks keep us out of any mud.

A Break from the A1

Down by the River Ure

The River is left at Hall Arm and we make our way to the pretty village of Aldborough.   A battle site, a church and bonus pub available.

Too early - even for a Guide Dog in Training

History Today

The Cross

10:30am when we arrive back in Boroughbridge.   There is a market square, where you can watch the world go by.   Too early for the Black Bull Pub, but next door is a charming cafe that sells the most wonderful sausage rolls.   We have a feeling they are from the Butchers over the road.

Provisions are purchased for the week in a holiday cottage.

Handsome Pub

Pre Lunch of Kings - Butchers over the road

This has been perfect for our needs.... Mrs M and Guide Dog Joy head back to the car, whilst I have a quick hunt for the two traditional geocaches to record a fine stop off point.

On with the journey!

Things found while Geocaching

22/04/19 - Colesbourne Inn - An Adventurous Pub Walk.

Distance - 13.5 Miles
Geocaches - 17
Walk Inspiration - Rambling in the Cotswolds (Green) - Harry Hargreaves - Walk 15


Weather wise, this is the Bank Holiday weekend that keeps on giving.

Would be rude not to complete an Adventurous Pub Walk.

Inspiration comes from a 1981 pamphlet of 22 walks in the North Cotswolds written by Harry Hargreaves.   I'm delighted to say that the footpaths are exactly as described and the route holds true.  I suppose you shouldn't be surprised when you are walking through the Roman estate of Chedworth. 

This part of the country is timeless.

The walk starts at the Colesbourne Inn, a coaching inn on A425 dating from 1827.   Looks stunning in the early morning sunshine.

1827 Coaching House and post walk refreshment

Harry is taking me to a part of the Cotswolds that is rarely covered by other guides, explaining the absence of other walkers.  Makes for muggle free and easy geocaching, as I head east through fields and woodland.

Early Vista

Surprisingly, he makes no mention of the Roman Villa.   The walking through Chedworths woods is perfect in the conditions but how can you ignore an invitation to look at 2000 years of history?   I make a diversion, picking up the proper route after I have walked the Coln Valley floor past Turpins Green.

Fine walking through Chedworth Woods

Looks interesting - will divert

Photo over the fence - paid entry and I only have enough cash for my post walk pint

Walking along the Coln Valley Floor

From a walking perspective, the highlight of the day is a ridge running over the Coln to Withington.

Lovely Stretch over WoodBridge to Withington

Withington has two pubs marked on the map and I walk past one, the Mill Inn.   Looks familiar to me, but I don't know whether this was from a previous walk or if I looked at it on Google Maps whilst plotting.  11am is too early, which is a shame.  I'll have to investigate Harry's other walks to see if I can get another pub tick.

2nd Handsome Pub of the Day

The remainder of the route is functional - horse training fields and agriculural land.   Some views from the top of Shill Hill.   I miss the footpath in Smoke Acre, above Hilcot and add half a mile onto route trying to get back on the lane.

Shill Hill Views

Lane Walking from the Hilcots

A decent enough ramble - now to check out the pub.   It's a Wadworth house and I was warned by an elderly jogger on route that it was very expensive to dine at.   This doesn't appear to have deterred the Gloucestershire Gastro Pub Fans.

I'm only here for liquid refreshment and I am delighted to inform that its probably the best pint of 6x I've had.   Lovely colour, lovely lacing till the very end.

A perfect reward.

That is a thing of beauty.

21/04/19 - Heart of England Way - Stage 25 - Long Marston

Distance - 9 Miles
Pub - The Masons Arms, Long Marston
Geocaches - 11
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

The monthly trips on the Heart of England Way enter their final area - The Cotswolds.

Today, like last month, I start at a Mason's Arms.   Unlike Pebworth, the Long Marston version is not as well hid, falling under the attention of Cask Marque.   As is the norm, I'll save the pub until last.

Long Marston is left behind on the HOEW, heading east.  The obvious prize and highlight of today's walk is Meon Hill, an Iron Age hill fort.   I scramble the western flanks after moving through the expanding villages of Lower and Upper Quinton.  House building everywhere.

An early view of the Iron Age Hill fort of Meon Hill

The View from the slopes of Meon Hill

I don't quite enter Mickleton, saving this for the next leg, but the route back north is over progressively unused footpaths.   It starts with a battle through rapeseed, then some very overgrown but unknown vegetation before the rights of way give up the ghost completely at Court Farm.  I can see from my GPS that I am in the right place.   The farmer has built a barbed wire fence and ditch system with no stile to halt my progress.

I'm forced to walk through their farmyard to find an exit.  If I could be arsed, I'd be looking on how to report blocked footpaths on Warwickshire County Council website, but there's always that nagging doubt that I've done something wrong.

It gets progressively worse.

12:30 and back at the Long Marston's pub.  Having used their car park, its only correct that I purchase their wares.

9am, Masons Arms, Long Marston

Its a country pub and of course, on a day like this, the locals are out if force in the beer garden.

A teeth jarring bash of the head on the doorframe to get in.  The sign warning you to mind you head is on the door, which is wide open due to the unseasonal bank holiday weather.   I'm probably the only punter drinking real ale and the Theakstons Paradise Ale showed that.   Not the greatest.

The locals telling me to go San Miguel