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.
