The weather was incredible for this nice walk out around the ups and downs of Wooton and Glympton. The butterflies, birds and insects were out in force, the trees have all begun their quest to absorb sunlight and flowers are everywhere. Wild garlic and garlic mustard were both in full effect - and incredibly tasty! - and I've mentally logged a few new spring flowers thanks to my mum's vast knowledge of wild and garden plants.
We started out north from Wootton following a lovely path along the side of a hill, past Ludwell Farm and a swallow sat posing on a weather vane. We passed the large farm complex at Glympton Park Farm and stopped for a quick break in a field to take in some sun. Mum found a huge old horseshoe which was too large to carry around for luck. We continued downhill towards Glympton Park and I spotted a surveillance camera nestled in a tree. Further down the hill we stopped next to a bridge by a waterfall and a widening of the river Glyme.
Two heavily-armed police officers passed us as we sat for a break, followed a few minutes later by a luxury bus, two blacked-out Range Rovers and a blacked-out Jaguar in convoy. A little investigation online revealed the owner of Glympton Park as Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the nephew to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and long-time Saudi ambassador to the US. As we continued through the park, past a car-park full of expensive cars with personalised number plates and a couple of Arab gentlemen in suits, the wealth involved became more apparent as resplendent buildings and gardens revealed themselves, along with more cameras and some anti-terrorism devices like retractable bollards. It was all quite intimidating if I'm honest, particularly the presence of two coppers with automatic rifles. I think that's the first time I've seen guns on my walks, anyway.
We passed the pretty gatehouse and perfectly-manicured globular hedges that surrounded it, crossed the road and spent a few kilometres in the dappled shade of woods before turning east onto the road for a stretch, then across country on the margin of a field with hedgerows and thin wood blocking our view down into the valley. At one point it opened out and we hopped over a fence to sit for ten minutes to enjoy the view of the lake with the village of Wootton in the distance. We passed the outskirts of the village and entered the Wootton Jubilee Fields and Long Meadow Nature Reserve that follows the Darn and Glyme for a fair stretch. We stopped for lunch here at a beautiful, quiet and relaxing spot right next to the babbling river, surrounded by cowslips and cuckooflower. A good half-mile of track, then another of wooded path and another of road carried us back to the car and a feeling of satisfaction having made the most of the sunshine.
13 April 2011
03 April 2011
Hornton, Warmington, Ratley, Edgehill, Upton circular, 9.25 miles
The sky looked ominous as we drove out to Banbury, small drops of rain splashing on the windscreen. Fortunately the rain came to nought and the day gradually showed more sunshine, ending with a hazy light that's given my face and neck a nice pink glow.
We parked up at the green in Hornton and started north up a good hill to get the legs woken. Over the road and past some curious cows to Bush Hill, aptly named for the gorse that runs along a contour. We stopped for a quick break on the edge, listening to the booms and bangs from a shoot on the other side of the valley.
We continued down the hill and up the other side of the valley past a campsite I'd definitely visit at this time of year near Camp Lane. Along the road for a stretch then down, up and down, then a stop to enjoy the view. My folks released a tormented magpie that appeared to have been caught in a trap of some sort, then up a good solid hill and through the village of Ratley, then across a couple of fields to Edgehill and past the wonderful Castle Inn.
There followed a couple of kilometres walking along the edge of Edge Hill, the view to our right blocked by wood. Mum had promised a big view and the further along we got the more disappointed I became that we could only see tiny tantalising views of the vast vale. We decided to extend our route a little to cross over to Spring Hill where the map showed a break in the wood, and my god it was worth it!
We sat and had lunch and watched the world go by. I set up my tripod and camera and took a 44-frame minute-interval timelapse of the clouds going by, with me in one frame for Tess.
We walked back along a straight path to the car park of Upton House, a lovely-looking National Trust house and gardens. I get the feeling we'll be going back there one day. A slight detour north then south-east here to avoid a stretch of busy road, then along a valley and out into a wider stretch for another break before heading along the final half-mile to the car.
This was a cracking walk. I love the combination of a good distance of more than eight miles with all that undulation in the landscape. At one point we could see about five kilometres we'd walked along one side of the valley, across the end and up the other side. That was quite a special moment for me; being able to see how far we've walked really puts my footsteps into context with the landscape around me.
We parked up at the green in Hornton and started north up a good hill to get the legs woken. Over the road and past some curious cows to Bush Hill, aptly named for the gorse that runs along a contour. We stopped for a quick break on the edge, listening to the booms and bangs from a shoot on the other side of the valley.
We continued down the hill and up the other side of the valley past a campsite I'd definitely visit at this time of year near Camp Lane. Along the road for a stretch then down, up and down, then a stop to enjoy the view. My folks released a tormented magpie that appeared to have been caught in a trap of some sort, then up a good solid hill and through the village of Ratley, then across a couple of fields to Edgehill and past the wonderful Castle Inn.
There followed a couple of kilometres walking along the edge of Edge Hill, the view to our right blocked by wood. Mum had promised a big view and the further along we got the more disappointed I became that we could only see tiny tantalising views of the vast vale. We decided to extend our route a little to cross over to Spring Hill where the map showed a break in the wood, and my god it was worth it!
We sat and had lunch and watched the world go by. I set up my tripod and camera and took a 44-frame minute-interval timelapse of the clouds going by, with me in one frame for Tess.
We walked back along a straight path to the car park of Upton House, a lovely-looking National Trust house and gardens. I get the feeling we'll be going back there one day. A slight detour north then south-east here to avoid a stretch of busy road, then along a valley and out into a wider stretch for another break before heading along the final half-mile to the car.
This was a cracking walk. I love the combination of a good distance of more than eight miles with all that undulation in the landscape. At one point we could see about five kilometres we'd walked along one side of the valley, across the end and up the other side. That was quite a special moment for me; being able to see how far we've walked really puts my footsteps into context with the landscape around me.
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