Whitton to Wilderhope Manor YH
Walking 6.45am to 6.15pm
Distance walked today 20 miles
Distance walked so far 103 miles
Distance left 480 miles
When I arrived at Whitton church last night the door was unlocked; this morning it was locked. I wasn't aware of anyone doing it. I don't know if my tarp was observed as I wasn't completely out of sight. I had wanted to see the Burne Jones window that the church is known for but that will have to wait till another time as I was away before the church was opened.
I lane walked most of the way to Cleehill (apart from wandering around someone's garden through which the footpath passed). At Cleehill I bought a very promising looking pork pie for lunch and downed a pint of milk.
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| Whitton church |
Finding my way out of Cleehill proved tricky. I went up the wrong track only realising my error when it led nowhere and I was up to my ankles in liquid sheep poo. I knew it was sheep poo because the culprits were close by. Locating the right track then gave an easy walk to Dhustone.
My route led over Titterstone Clee Hill but I decided I didn't need to do that so made my way down to Titterstone and followed a clear grassy path to the west of the summit, being delayed a couple of times by a farmer rounding up sheep with a quadbike. Reaching Callowgate Farm, the green lane to Bromdon proved to be virtually impassable due to drifted snow.
I floundered through it, sometimes to knee level, for maybe 100 yards until I reached a gate to the adjacent field and came back on to the lane a quarter mile further on. The lane I managed to avoid was also flooded in places. A lucky diversion.
The long climb up to Brown Clee Hill was challenging with more snow and much mud. I stopped for lunch at the top for a well earned lunch. The pork pie fulfilled its promise and then some. It was delicious.
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| Possible the best pork pie I've ever tasted! |
Much of my route today was on the Shropshire Way and I followed it across the wild moorland of Brown Clee Hill. From a distance I saw the only other walker I would see all day. The bridle track down to Earnstrey was tricky in places with snow and mud. Without poles I would have gone flying several times.
Approaching Holdgate, I made an annoying navigational error which sent me half a mile in the wrong direction due to a misleading Shropshire Way roundel on a stile so I had to retrace my steps. Holdgate church was a gem, very old and a sign welcoming visitors in for refreshments so I downed a large helping of blackcurrant squash. Crossing a lane a little further on I passed the hundred mile mark. Crossing the B4378, I road walked the remaining 1.5 miles to the YH which Amanda had booked this morning (as I hadn't been able to get through on my phone) and on arriving I found that she'd prepaid as well. What a star!
After a hot shower I have eaten lasagne with seconds and also given a pudding even though I hadn't paid for it. They seemed just want no leftovers. Am feeling quite mellow.
Wading through mud and snow drifts! The joys of the English countryside.
ReplyDeleteYou're making great progress. This makes for excellent evening reading, Geoff.
:-)
Gaffers,
ReplyDeleteSeconds, free puddings, not sticking to the 'Ultra-lightweight' then?!!!!
Magic is still there.
Stride on!
Kevin
I climbed Brown Clee Hill in March 2016 during my campaign to finish all the English Marilyns - from my journal"
ReplyDelete"Brown Clee Hill is also the county top for Shropshire. A good steep path lead to the summit in about forty minutes. There is a well fashioned cast bronze viewfinder and near its foot an OS bench mark, and a few yards further down some steps, set into the ground, an OS tri-spoke theodolite fixer as found on the top of trig points. There are masts and structures all over and a sort of twin summit which the map gives equal height with the viewfinder, and just in case I visited both."
I liked the sound of your pork pie.