Photograph Gallery Stage 53 Nether Whitaker to Chadwick End
Photograph Gallery Stage 53 Nether Whitaker to Chadwick End, Saturday 16th July 2011
The Story:
Today Strolling Steve and I were joined by Pip Weston who was keeping up the miles of training before attempting the National Three Peaks Challenge next week. Unfortunately for the three of us the weather had changed and after a week of settled weather we set off from Nether Whitaker just as the rain started to pour down.
We didn’t see much of the first five miles, heads down in the heavy rain. I know we were in the country, in farming land, as we clambered over many stiles and passed through some gates. We walked on permissive paths across fields of wheat, barley, oats, seed rape, potatoes and broad beans. We also came across livestock and had our usual ‘bull in a field’ moment. As usual we avoided the bull by walking around, using a farmyard but this time we were affronted by a man who ran out of the house telling us to keep off private land. I said we would have had the bull not snorted and approached us. I then asked him the name of the farm. His reply is not decent enough to submit to print. Strolling Steve, Pip and I agreed he was a bit of a prat. After our minor altercation we continued our walk in the Warwickshire countryside walking through Green End, crossing the M6 then through more villages to reach Meriden where we met two ladies in a hut by the roadside, they being part of a village vigil to oust Gypsys from the adjoining field. They had been campaigning a long time just to get a hearing. Good luck to them.
After Meriden the rain relented for a while and we could look ahead to Berkswell, the next village on our path and then to Balsall Street which brought us within five miles of the finish at Chadwick End. Next point of call was Magpie Farm but as we approached the heavens opened again and an almighty shower hit. Luckily the drive was tree lined and we sheltered through the worse of it before Strolling Steve chivalrously gave Pip his cape to help protect her on the final surge for Chadwick End but after a while she shed the cape as blue sky allowed us a pleasant finish to the day.
With the energetic weather, good company, lovely countryside and a few fresh broad beans I found the 18 miles quite pleasant. We had been walking eight hours but it didn’t seem it as we reached Chadwick End at five in the afternoon. Strolling Steve and I thanked Pip for her super company and also wished her well for her Three Peaks Challenge. No way will she fail.
Strolling Steves Daily Statistics:
Scenery: 7/10 – Pleasant rolling farmland.
History: 1/10 – Occasional old homes and churches.
Interest: 6/10 – Takes in virtually every crop known to man.
Track: 7/10 – Easy walking, mostly grass, and well signposted.
Comment: Walkers may need to train as matadors if farmers continue to populate their fields with bulls.
The Photographs:
Watercourse at Shustoke Reservoirs
Soaked
Spirits were high and conversation good despite the awful weather at the start
Across the fields
Sent to Coventry
Green lane near Green End
Drying off in the pub garden
Signs
Information on the pleasant Heart of England Way
Crossing crop fields was a common feature on this stage
Lovely tracks near Hollyberry End
An upper crust family
Despite the cloud the variety of colour in the fields was brilliant
In lovely countryside
One of many lovely field ponds near Meriden
The field paths were very good, wide enough and well managed
Grand house, not exactly straight but very true
At a wedding in Berkswell
There must be lots of Millennium Ways
Having fun
Spooky Stroller
Lovely building at Wootton Green
Drying off
Fields of dreams
Coming home
Lovely pond at Balsall Lodge Farm
Another field to cross, the zillionth
Intricate stile
Final stretch of fields between Oldwich Lane and Chadwick End
Despite the rain, another great stage of the walk completed