Willkommen auf Cheddleton, Sunday 28 April 2013

Die Bommel-Mützen sind verboten!

Driving through rural Staffordshire, probably the last thing you expect to come across is a level crossing guarded by the Wehrmacht.  But, it wasn’t the walking group’s first foray into an alternative universe.  We were in the Churnet Valley, where the steam railway was  hosting a 1940s weekend, and amongst the many and various uniforms were a select band of people in fleeces rather than flannel, thank you very much.

Back in the 1940s, food scraps were recycled by pigs, so appropriately enough we set off through a herd of swine, then a up a hill – a gentle one, though.

The route plan led us on an interesting tour with a few blind turns, and at one point a forest of rhododendrons which had just been turned to wood-chip prior to our arrival – but the natural scenery more than made up for that.  Some light drizzle dried up in time for a sunny lunch break in a meadow, and then before too long we were back down in the valley for beer, steam and coal smoke, and an easy saunter alongside the canal and the railway line... all the way back to The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Of Company B.  The 21st century will be resumed shortly.

Mount. St. Bernard, 21 April 2012

That is not an order to sit on a big Alpine dog!

The sunshine from Saturday didn’t quite last until this morning, but the day at least dawned dry, and warm enough to feel like spring had properly sprung.  So, out to another walk.

Mt. St. Bernard is just on the far side of Shepshed, although it’s a gentle hillock rather than a ‘mount’ in any sense that the Ordnance Survey would recognise.  It is, however, named after the great reformer of the Cistercian Order, and that bit’s apt enough as the monastery here was one of the first Roman Catholic abbeys to be constructed in the country since our own Reformation and the long hiatus that followed it.

Of course, we were there just to use the car park, paid for by making a small offering, and head off on a nicely varied hike through rolling hills.  As several first-time walkers got into their stride, we encountered the usual range of wildlife and farm livestock, from some inquisitive pigs to a herd of impressively-horned cattle – who nevertheless didn’t object to sharing their field with us for a moment.

Lunch at the back of a pub, complete with old-school park play equipment (OK, some of us went for a ride on the swing horse) and back to the abbey in time to visit the visitor’s café  – for cream tea, fruity scones, and of course a fruitless attempt to decide how to pronounce them.  A classic end to a good day out.

Tilton at Windmills, 7 April 2013

A hint of sunshine, along with some slightly warmer temperatures, heralded in a pleasant spring Sunday walk from Tilton on the Hill.  

The morning circuit of the figure of eight walk took in a couple of lovely churches, a disused railway station and several of Leicestershire’s hills.    

After lunch in the sunny beer garden of the Rose and Crown, it was off for the afternoon’s trek of more hills and plenty of muddy fields fill of spring lambs.  In addition to our day of sunshine, fresh air and exercise, we were able to rescue two sheep!  Thanks to Phil for a lovely walk.  

Sub-waterfall walking, 1 April

Walking behind a waterfall?  Is this some kind of April Fool?  No, we did it, and it was spectacular!