Two Dogs and an Awning

Category: Travel

  • Gloucester and Sharpness Canal

    Gloucester and Sharpness Canal

    On our travels we frequently walk along canal tow paths.  I particularly like them because they are usually fine feats of engineering and part of our great industrial heritage.  Today we are heading to Sharpness and plan to walk a section of the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

    The starting point for our walk is the Canal and River Trust car park at Sharpness Viewpoint (GL13 9UF).  This a free car park  located besides the entrance to Sharpness Docks.

    We start by leaving the car park and following the Severn Road to head back to the entrance to the docks.  Here we turn right on the B4066 and follow the pavement to a footpath on the left that goes through a metal kissing gate.  We are on the route of the Severn Way, which leads us through a field to a railway line crossing.  On the other side of the line we continue on a path besides a playing field and then turn left on Oldminster Road and soon pass the Pier View Hotel.

    We stay with the Severn Way and reach the old Severn Bridge and Railway Hotel which is now private accommodation.  The path bends to the left and heads towards the docks with the old railway line soon running alongside.

    To our left is a good view of Sharpness Docks.  The docks were built in 1874 to develop Sharpness as a port.  Prior to that there was a dock further to the north that opened in 1827 to provide access to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal which took vessels to Gloucester docks.   The new dock continues to be used as a commercial port which is only accessible to vessels at high tide.

    We go over the swing bridge and continue on to reach a road where we turn right following the Severn Way way-markers.  We then turn right along a lane with a large grassy car parking area to our right.  Very soon we reach a monument to the Training Ship Vindicatrix.  From  1939 to 1966 the Vindicatrix was moored in Sharpness Docks and used as a training ship for boys going into the merchant navy as deck hands or stewards. The training lasted between two and three months and they lived under the same conditions as if they were at sea.  During its 27 years in operation 70,000 boys were trained on the vessel.  After it finished being used as a training ship it was taken to a yard in Newport and broken up.

    The track passes the Sharpness Dockers Club and then heads down to a parking area for the canal.  The footpath is on the right of the car park and leads down to a marina area where we cross the canal.

    To our left is the original Sharpness dock which opened in 1827.  Now the gates to the port have been permanently closed so that the dock area maintains a constant water level with the canal.

    We turn and walk along the towpath with the canal to our right to pass a plaque on a building which indicates where Vindicatrix was moored.

    The towpath soon leads away from the marina and heads along the canal.  When it was built in 1827 the Gloucester and Sharpness canal was apparently one the broadest and deepest canals in the world.  This was required in order to carry the vessels into Gloucester Dock.

    The canal runs parallel to the river and was built to cut out the tidal river and a dangerous area where the River Severn does a big loop around Arlington.

    We soon reach the parapets for the Severn Railway Bridge.  This bridge opened in 1879 to carry coal from the coalfields in the Forest of Dean across the river from Lydney to Sharpness.  Unfortunately the amount of coal transported was not as high as anticipated and the single track railway was barely viable.

    There were 21 spans to the bridge causing some challenges to vessels using the river with a number of incidents when the bridge was struck and vessels sank with the loss of life.  There are also reports of RAF Spitfires flying below the arches, eventually the RAF court martialed individuals involved in this practice which proved sufficient deterrent to others.

    Tragedy struck when on 25th October 1960 two barges overshot Sharpness Dock due to thick fog. The barges collided and smashed into a bridge pillar causing a partial collapse of the bridge. One barge, carrying petroleum, caught fire and exploded, the other vessel had a cargo of black oil that ignited.  A significant fire ensued and five people lost their lives.  It was decided that it was uneconomical to repair the bridge so the whole bridge would have to be demolished and by 1968 it was all removed.

    The tower on the towpath side of the canal used to house a steam engine which drove the mechanism for opening the swing section of the bridge over the canal to enable tall vessels to pass.

    We continue along the towpath and reach a milestone indicating that it is 15 miles to G (Gloucester) and 1 from S (Sharpness).

    There is little traffic on this stretch of the canal and few barges are moored beside it.  Approaching Purton there is a sign to the Purton Ship Graveyard.  An information board explains that from 1909 to 1965 unwanted vessels were beached on the foreshore of the River Severn and allowed to fill with silt.  This was done to stop the erosion of the river bank endangering the canal.

    There are said to be 86 vessels beached here, with some on top of others and difficult to distinguish.  To assist there are small plaques providing information on some of them.

    It is low tide and the wrecks of Arkendale H and Wasdale H, the two barges that collided with the Severn Rail Bridge, can be seen still lying in the middle of the river.

    This is a fascinating spot and we wander around for a while, but I think a couple of hours is really needed to take in all the maritime history here.  As we head back to the canal there is a monolith with a list of vessels wrecked here.

    We continue past some canal side cottages and then two swing bridges close to the village of Purton.

    We now have a two and a half mile section on the canal as it heads through open countryside.  It is very tranquil and very few others are out enjoying the scenery.  To our left on the banks of the River Severn I spot a World War II pillbox.

    As we near Patch Bridge there are more boats moored besides the river.

    We leave the towpath at Patch Bridge and cross the swing bridge.

    I offer Lynnie a pot of tea at the cafe besides the canal, but much to my surprise she declines.  We walk by the Tudor Arms pub, which appears very busy and has a caravan park behind it.  Our route now involves a bit of road walking, but these are quiet lanes so we are not going to be bothered by too much traffic.  We head away from the canal on Kingston Road, this passes the carpark for Slimbridge Nature Reserve. 

    At the next junction we turn right into Lightenbrook Lane and follow this for just over half a mile to reach a junction with Moorend Lane where we turn right.  In just under half a mile we reach Folly Bridge where we turn right into Tyndale Road.  After nearly a mile we reach Hurst Farm which has a fine collection of old barns and farm machinery.

    After crossing Gilgal Bridge the lane becomes Slimbridge Lane and we stay with this to pass the entrance to the Ernest Cook Trust – Redwood Outdoor Learning  Centre.  This site is used to provide children and young people with opportunities for outdoor learning.  After a mile on Slimbridge Lane we reach a junction where we turn right on Riddle Street following a signpost to Purton and Hinton.  A couple of hundred yards along the lane, we take a footpath on the left besides the Parish Council notice board. We are now on Lip Lane and this soon becomes a grassy track and then a clear path.

    The track leads to a minor road where we turn left and pass a row of cottages in Brookend and walk steadily uphill to reach the Lammastide Inn.  Sadly this pub has recently permanently closed after the long term landlords decided it was not economically viable to continue.  Let’s hope they find someone willing to take it on and make a go of it.  I cannot recall previously seeing a pub with this name, so later look it up and discover the Lammastide was the festival of wheat harvest, thus explaining the sheaf of wheat on the pub sign.

    We continue along the road the reach a junction where we turn right and follow the road through Newtown passing the village school and then at a junction soon after the Post Office we turn right into Oldminster Road.  After passing the allotments on our left we turn left onto the footpath that leads down past the playing field and crosses the railway line.  After crossing a field we turn right and then retrace our route back to the viewpoint car park.

    You can view this 13 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer OL167 Thornbury, Dursley & Yate

    12th July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • Down Memory Lane at Severn View

    Down Memory Lane at Severn View

    The weather forecast for today suggests there will be rain after lunch so Lynnie is reluctant to head out for a walk, instead opting to stay in the caravan with a good book.  A bit of wet weather will not stop me from heading out.  Apart from thunderstorms I am comfortable walking in most weather conditions, but avoid woodland when there are very strong winds.

    So with lunch packed in my rucksack I head off with Crosby for a walk which will take me to the original Severn Bridge.  I have no intention of walking across the bridge, although that is possible, I don’t think my poor head for heights would stand it.  However, I aim to revisit a spot that Lynnie and I went to about forty years ago,

    Leaving the site I turn right and walk along the lane to the crossroads.  I go straight across on The Naite heading towards Oldbury on Severn.  

    At a junction I turn right into Chapel Street and continue through the village with the Rhine, the term they use for drainage ditches in this area, to my left.

    On reaching a junction by the War Memorial I turn left into Church Lane and pass the Community Shop which is doing a brisk trade in drinks at the outside tables.  This is the route of cycle way 41 on the National Cycle Network.  This 120 mile cycle way connects Bristol with Gloucester, Stratford-on-Avon and Rugby.  There are plenty of cyclists stopping for refreshments today.  Soon after I reach the Anchor Inn and there are folk waiting outside for the doors to open.  

    At a junction in the road I keep left and head up Church Hill to pass Oldbury-on-Severn primary school.  The school dates back to 1854 when it was built from public subscriptions and a government grant.  It is good to see a thriving village school, all too often these days they get subsumed into larger units and lose the benefits of small school teaching.

    Just after the school the road bends to the right but I take a bridleway to the left, Stocks Lane, this initially goes besides the Rectory and then at a fork in the lane I go to the right, still on Stocks Lane, which is now a grassy track.

    The lane crosses a minor road and continues along another grassy track to reach another minor road where I turn right and walk along Stock Hill soon passing Stock Farm.  On reaching a footpath on the left I go through a metal gate and walk south across a pasture field with Sacks Hill to my left.

    To my right is a fine view of the Severn Bridge.

    I reach a gate and go through to enter Wood Well Meadows Local Nature Reserve.  Apparently the two fields that form this nature reserve have never had any pesticides or fertiliser used on them so it is an abundance of wild flowers.  After being in private ownership for many years and cared for as a wildlife meadow, it is now owned by Aust Parish Council.   They plan to improve the fencing and graze cattle on it in the late summer and autumn thereby maintaining the biodiversity.

    The grass in the meadow is long at the moment but there is a clear path which I follow to a kissing gate.  Now I follow a footpath alongside a paddock and then go across stiles through further paddocks and then over a stile by a metal gate onto a lane where I turn right and walk a short distance to a minor road.  Here I carry straight on to soon pass the Water Treatment Works and then continue on to reach the B4461 Redhill Lane where I turn right and then almost immediately left into Elberton Road.  After passing through the village I come to a driveway leading to the church of St John the Evangelist.

    The spire on the church dates to the 14th century but most of the rest of the building was rebuilt in 1858.  I find a bench beneath a tree and decide this is as good a spot as any to stop for lunch.  I am not at all religious but often avail myself of a bench in a churchyard on my walks.  It is usually a tranquil spot to sit and observe the wildlife. 

    Refreshed from lunch, both Crosby and I are topped up with water so we head off again back to the minor road and turn left along the Elberton Road and follow this to reach Olveston. At a junction in the village I turn right and join Aust Road.  This heads downhill and passes a parking area where I spot a battered milestone besides the road.  It is difficult to read but it is 10 miles from it’s unreadable destination.

    I continue on past the entrance to the Harnhill Landfill site.  This site was originally a quarry and then became a landfill site which is now used for biomes generation producing power for the national grid.  I turn left off Aust Road into Ingst Road.  This is a narrow lane passing Priestpool Farm and Box Bush Farm before crossing the M48.

    After crossing the motorway the lane leads into Ingst where soon after passing Old Manor Farm I take a footpath on the right.  The path goes over a stile and enters a field and then quickly through a gate into a field of rough pasture.  I am grateful for the OS Map app on my phone because the path is not immediately clear but soon joins a track.  Nearing the end of a field the track continues on, but I take a poorly marked path on the right into a field and head for a footbridge over a drainage ditch.  I am now in a meadow which I cross to reach another footbridge over a drainage ditch.

    The footpath follows the edge of an arable field and then heads across the corner of the field on a diagonal path to reach a farm track.  I cross the track and head across another arable field.  The rain that was forecast has arrived and it is a constant drizzle and looks well set in.

    I go over a stile and join a lane where I turn left.  The M48 is just the other side of the fence as I walk along the lane and pass a parking area.  The lane then continues on into Aust where I pass houses to reach the Boars Head pub.

    I follow the road through the village and pass an old petrol station.

    I stay with the road past the village church and then reach the Village Hall at a junction of a road.  I always think the size of a village hall reflects on the number of active members within a community.  Village meetings in this hall must be cosy affairs.

    I now cross the A403 with care to take a path through trees which leads me to a road which I cross and then follow the Severn Way signs on an access road to the Severn Services.  I stay with the Severn Way markers to cross the M48.  From here you get a good impression of the scale of the suspension towers on the bridge.

    The Severn Way path now leads away from the new service area, which was opened in 1999 and in 2019 voted the worst motorway service station in the Country.  I soon emerge on the site of the old Severn View Services, it is a nearly forty years since I visited here with Lynnie on our first holiday away together in South Wales.  The services were opened in 1966 by Top Rank.  It was a spot where travellers stopped to take in the view  of the bridge.  With the advent of the second river crossing and the diversion of the M4 the main service area moved and the old building was sold and is currently owned by Brightside Insurance which was founded by Aaron Banks.  I will resist commenting on this individual and the role he has played in recent British politics for fear of making a defamatory statement.

    I follow the footpath to the wall which is on the edge of Aust Cliff.  I am a man with vertigo, so cliffs are not an area I feel comfortable.  However I was determined to revisit this spot, in a photo album I have a picture of Lynnie sat on this wall nearly forty years ago. 

    The Severn Bridge was opened in 1966 and took three years to build.  It replaced what was previously a ferry crossing between Aust Cliff and Beachley Peninsula.  Construction of the bridge cost £8m and was recovered through toll charges.  Originally it carried the M4, but in 1996 the second crossing, The Prince of Wales Bridge, opened and the M4 was diverted.  This old bridge now carries the M48.

    I now follow the way markers leading along the top of Aust Cliff, thankfully the edge is well away and protected by undergrowth.  On reaching a pasture field I start to descend and I am soon down on an embankment besides the River Severn looking back at the bridge.

    There is no protection from the rain besides the river, but it is at my back as I head along the Severn Way.

    The route is very easy to follow.  I stay on the embankment through a couple of herds of cattle, who show no interest in us whatsoever.  In the far distance is Oldbury Nuclear Power Station.  The path cuts inland slightly around the Littleton Pill and then continues on to Oldury Pill where the Thornbury Sailing Club is located.  

    After crossing Oldbury Pill I continue on to reach the lane which serves the sailing club.  Here I turn right and walk back into Oldbury on Severn.  In the village I turn left and pass the community shop.

    and then on reaching the War Memorial continue straight on into Camp Road and stay with this lane as it leads through houses and then becomes a grass track.

    There are a number of footpaths off this track which I ignore, then at a fork I go right and continue on to reach a minor road where I turn right and then at the crossroads turn left into The Naite and walk the short distance back to Golden Valley House CL.

    I have had a cracking walk, a bit more road walking than I would normally choose, but it has been on quiet lanes and I have only seen a handful of cars.  Visiting the Severn View brought back many happy memories. I have covered 15 miles and for the last couple of hours it has been raining.  So I hang up my jacket and dry Crosby before planning tomorrow’s walk.

    You can view this 14.5 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer OL167 Thornbury, Dursley & Yate

    11th July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • Poachers and Bridges

    Poachers and Bridges

    We have decided to walk from the caravan site today.  I am never keen on driving far when we are away.  Years ago I used to find driving pleasurable, but nowadays it is something to be done out of necessity and I try to limit our mileage as much as possible.  Walking from the site also gives us a great opportunity to get to know the area in more detail.

    After chatting to the CL owner Kate this morning I have checked the map and plotted a walk that will take Lynnie and I along a section of the River Severn.  Leaving the site we turn left and follow the minor road Stoneyard Lane, which soon becomes Hill Lane, towards the village of Hill.  Clearly the locals around here were not that imaginative when they named their villages, but then again the land around here is fairly flat.

    This is a very quiet lane and forms part of Route 41 on the National Cycle way.  This is a 120 mile cycle way connecting Bristol with Gloucester, Stratford-on-Avon and Rugby.  

    We follow the road into Hill and decide it is time for lunch, we find a convenient spot on one of the two benches besides the Millennium Pump.  Areas like this are always a blessing to walkers looking for a suitable spot to stop and take on some refreshments.

    Apparently Hill is recorded in the Doomsday Book as Hilla and then between 1250 and 1455 it was recorded as Hulla, but since 1733 it has been known just as Hill.  After our lunch we continue along the road and pass the entrance to St Michael and All Angels Church and Hill Court.  We stay with the road passing Blisbury Farm with its collection of fine old brick barns.

    Up on the escarpment to our right is Catgrove Wood.  These woods were the scene of a murder on the night of 18th January 1816. Sixteen poachers took part in a mass poaching intended as a protest, feelings were running high following the death of a local man, killed by a spring gun two months earlier.  The group encountered gamekeepers and in the resulting melee an assistant gamekeeper, William Ingram, was shot dead.  Eleven men stood trial for his murder, two were executed and the remaining nine were transported as convicts to Australia.

    On reaching a crossroads we turn left onto Severn Lane and follow this to reach Severn House Farm.  Here we go through a gate and turn left to join the Severn Way as it follows a path along the sea wall.

    Following the Severn Way we pass the White House, apparently this house dates from 1845 and has long been associated with navigation on the River Severn. It now has a navigation beacon beside it.

    In front of us we can see the two road crossings over the River Severn.  The suspension bridge closest to us, The Severn Bridge, was opened in 1966 by Queen Elizabeth II, it was granted Grade 1 listed status in 1999 .  It originally carried the M4 to link England and Wales.  With the opening of the second river crossing, The Prince of Wales Bridge, in 1996 the main M4 was rerouted to cross the new bridge, whilst the old bridge was designated as the M48.  Both started life as toll bridges but are now free to cross.

    On reaching a gate to a minor road we leave the Severn Way and walk along Shepperdine Road heading back inland.  This lane passes farms, there are options to cut corners on footpaths, but it is pleasant walking on the quiet lane so we stick with it as we wend our way back.  As we pass a field of cattle the inquisitive calves watch us carefully.

    At the junction with Stoneyard Lane we turn right and walk the short distance back to the entrance to Golden Valley House CL.  Our walk has covered ten and a half miles and it has been a pleasant jamabout.

    You can view this 10.5 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer OL167 Thornbury, Dursley & Yate

    10th July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • A Five Mile Walk from Golden Valley House CL

    A Five Mile Walk from Golden Valley House CL

    A couple of weeks ago Lynnie’s brother John mentioned he had recently stayed in a holiday cottage at Oldbury Naite, close to the River Severn in South Gloucestershire, where a new CL was about to open.  It is a part of the Country we have not previously visited so decided to give it a go.

    Following an email exchange with Vic the CL owner we find ourselves booked in as the first visitors to their brand new site at Golden Valley House CL.   Access to the site is really good and as you would expect from a new CL the facilities are top notch.  After pitching up Crosby and I are out for a walk to stretch our legs and explore the area.

    Leaving the site I turn left into the minor road Stoneyard Lane, and then at a junction in a hundred yards turn left into Shepperdine Road, signposted to Shepperdine and the River.  I stay with Shepperdine Road until it turns to the right just after passing Knight’s Farm.  I am now on a lane heading towards Jobsgreen Farm, nearing the farmhouse I take a bridleway on the left and follow this to reach a gate.  I don’t go through the gate but turn left onto a bridleway running along the perimeter of Oldbury Nuclear Power Station.

    On reaching a road I turn right and then almost immediately left to take a path that follows the high fence line of the Power Station to reach the River Severn.

    Oldbury Power Station was commissioned in 1967 and the nuclear reactors created enough electricity each day to serve a city twice the size of Bristol.  It has two nuclear reactors, the second being commissioned in 1968.  The power station was decommissioned in 2012 and is now going through the decommissioning process.  The defuelling process will continue until 2027 and apparently the demolition of the reactor buildings and clearance of the site is scheduled for 2096 to 2101.  A stark reminder that nuclear fuel leaves a legacy for future generations to clear up.

    I now turn left to join the Severn Way and follow this footpath besides the River Severn.  Last week we were walking on the Severn Way around Worcester, then we would only get an occasional glimpse of the water, here the full expanse can be enjoyed as I look across towards the Forest of Dean.

    In front of me are the two road bridges crossing the River Severn.  The closest suspension bridge was opened in 1966 by Queen Elizabeth II, this originally carried the M4 linking England to Wales.  The second, newer bridge, The Prince of Wales Bridge, opened in 1996 and now carries the rerouted M4, whilst the old bridge has been designated as the M48.

    I stay with the path to Oldbury Pill with the Thornbury Sailing Club tucked into the inlet.  I am not keen on being on water and have never ventured out sailing, the Isle of Wight ferry is my type of sea transport.  However, it is obviously a popular activity and this club was formed back in 1949 and according to its website is thriving.

    The footpath soon joins the tarmac driveway to the sailing club and on reaching a gate the Severn Way goes to the right over Oldbury Pill, but I stay on the tarmac drive and walk into the village of Oldbury on Severn.  The lane comes out almost opposite the Anchor Inn.  

    After a long day a pint would be very welcome, but it is getting late and I know that Lynnie will be preparing food back at the caravan.  So I turn left away from the pub and walk through the village passing the Community Shop and then following the road as it bends to the right into Chapel Lane.  On reaching a junction I turn left into The Naite and follow this minor road to reach a crossroads where I go straight over and then walk the short distance back to Golden Valley House CL.  

    My stroll has covered five miles and it has been an interesting introduction to the area.  Time now to plan some walks for the next few days.

    You can view this 5 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer OL167 Thornbury, Dursley & Yate

    9th July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • Titterstone Clee Hill

    Titterstone Clee Hill

    We have had an enjoyable stay at the Old Orchard CL but it is almost over and tomorrow we are heading home for a couple of days before setting off for a week at a newly opened CL near Oldbury-on-Severn.  This being our last day in the area we decide to hop in the car and drive a bit further than we would normally so we can walk up Titterstone Clee Hill.

    The starting point for our walk is the Clee Hill Viewpoint car park beside the A4117 on the edge of Cleehill (Grid Ref: SO948753).  Leaving the car park we walk on the pavement into Cleehill and just after passing the Golden Cross pub we turn right into Golden Cross Lane.

    We keep with this lane as it heads steadily uphill and then after passing barns turn to the left along a path which follows a broad track passing disused quarry buildings.

    Staying with this path we reach colourful housing built for quarry workers and turn right to continue uphill on a minor road.

    After a few hundred yards we leave the road and take a footpath on the left which goes over a ladder stile beside a gate and continues along a track.  In front of us rises the summit of Titterstone Clee Hill.

    The track leads past cottages and then the footpath goes along a path into a field.

    We then cross Benson’s Brook on a footbridge.

    Staying with the footpath we reach the Titterstone Incline.  

    We head onto the incline and follow this uphill towards the old quarry works.

    Over the years this hill has been quarried and mined to a great extent and there are a number of old quarry buildings around.

    We follow a footpath which is the route of the Shropshire Way, this a 200-mile long distance path that does a figure of eight through the County so can be done as a north or south circular walk.  This section leads around the edge of the quarry towards the distinctive radar stations.  The larger is used by the Civil Aviation Authority as part of the National Air Traffic Control Service and the smaller one by the Met Office as a weather radar station.

    The path leads us to the Ordnance Survey Trig Pillar on the summit of the hill, this is the 263rd trig I have bagged.

    At 1,749 feet Titterstone Clee Hill is the third highest point in Shropshire, with only Brown Clee Hill and Stiperstones being higher.  The views from here are expansive and we take a while to take it all in.

    The top of this hill was the location of a hill fort in the Bronze and Iron Age and close to the summit is a collection of large boulders known as the Giant’s Chair.

    We descend from the summit on the Shropshire Way path heading north.  It is a steep descent as we head towards Callowgate.

    At a boundary fence we turn right and follow a path to reach a minor road at Cleetongate.  Now we turn right and walk along this road to reach Cleeton St Mary and pass the village church.

    Continuing through the village we reach Catherton Common and stay parallel to the road until we almost reach a junction with a B road.  Now we turn right and follow a track leading up Magpie Hill.

    After passing cottages the path continues uphill and then levels out a bit as we pass disused quarries near Whatsill.

    We stay with the track as it heads in a westerly direction to extensive quarry works.  This quarry opened in the late 1980’s, roughly fifty years after the other quarries on the hill closed down.  I understand the need for materials for road and building construction but I am always saddened to see the destruction of the landscape.

    Our route is now straight forward we follow the track around the quarry and then continue on this main driveway to reach the A4117 where we cross the road and turn right to walk over access land back to the car park.  Before leaving we stop to look at the vista from the viewpoint.

    Our wander about has covered just over eight and a half miles and to see all the industrial archaeology relating to the quarries and mines has been interesting.  Now it is time to head back to the caravan and prepare for our trip home tomorrow.  

    You can view this 8.5 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer – 203 – Ludlow

    5th July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • The Battle of Worcester

    The Battle of Worcester

    Every walker will know that not all routes go exactly as planned, we have encountered missing footbridges, totally impassable paths, path closures for safety reasons following landslip or storms and of course the field of lively cattle.  It all becomes part of being out and about, but when someone tells me walking is stress free I wonder where they have been walking.  This might be a bit of a spoiler for what is to follow.

    Over the last few years some of my walks have taken in sections of the Monarch’s Way, this 625-mile long route traces the journey that Charles II took after suffering defeat to Cromwell’s Army at the Battle of Worcester.  It winds its way from Worcester to the south coast at Lyme Regis and then heads east through Dorset, South Wiltshire and Hampshire before crossing the South Downs and finishing in Shoreham.

    As we are staying close to the site of the Battle of Worcester it seems a shame not to take the opportunity to walk the first few miles of the Monarch’s Way.  We head to Worcester and park in a small car park in Grandstand Road and then head north besides the road to reach a footbridge spanning the river.

    From the footbridge we get a view of the racecourse.  When I was working I visited Worcester on a number of occasions, but normally did not venture far from the City centre.  I had not appreciated that the racecourse was so central.

    From the bridge there is a fine view down the river.

    On the far side of the river we turn left and head in a southerly direction besides the river and pass a plaque explaining the 12th century legend of an illicit love affair which ended in tragedy when a young nymph named Sabrina drowned in the river.  The river was therefore called the Severn after her.

    This is a good story but I prefer that it was given the name Sabrina by the Romans.  Wales borders much of the river and the Welsh for Sabrina is Hafren which means boundary.

    We pass the impressive Worcester Bridge, this was first built in 1781, but by the early 20th century it was clear it needed to be improved for increased traffic, so it was fully reconstructed and widened in 1931.

    We stay with the river to our left and continue to walk along the bank through a pleasant wooded area besides playing fields.  We pass a weir and further across out of our sight is a lock which we should pass on the way back.

    Soon after the weir we reach four iron statues, they commemorate Sir Charles Hastings (1794 – 1866) a medical surgeon and founder of the British Medical Association who used his money to improve housing in Worcester; Ernest Powell (1884 -1961) who won a gold medal in track cycling in the 1908 Olympic Games in London and was known as ‘The Worcester Wonder’; and a Royalist and a Parliamentarian to commemorate the Battle of Worcester.

    We stay besides the river following a footpath which enters fields.  The map shows this as the site of the Battle of Worcester, fought on 3rd September 1651.  The Royalists under the command of Charles II totalled 16,000 men, they were heavily outnumbered by 28,000 Parliamentarians led by Oliver Cromwell. There are reports of fierce fighting on theses meadows around Powick Bridge on the land between the River Severn and the River Teme.

    I know it was nearly 400 years ago, but it does feel strange having a pleasant walk in the countryside over land where so many men were slain.  

    We are obviously on the route of the Monarch’s Way and the familiar way markers guide us towards Powick Bridge.

    We pass an information board indicating that the building away to our left is St Cuthbert’s Barn dating back to 1165.  For two hundred years it was used as a chapel for worship and then became a barn for local farmers, in the 18th century it was used as a workhouse for the poor and  then a prison following an outbreak of Prison Fever at Worcester Old Castle Jail.  Between 1850 and 1922 it was used for hop drying, since then it has been used as a cattle store and stables.

    As we continue besides the River Teme towards Powick Bridge we can see the chimney of Powick Mill, this former water mill was reportedly converted in 1894 to become the world’s first combined steam/hydroelectric power station.  It continued to supply electricity to houses in Worcester until the 1950s.

    The footpath follows the bank of the meandering River Teme and then goes under a cast iron road bridge built in 1837.

    After the bridge we go through a field and then join a minor road where we turn left to cross the historic Powick Bridge, this bridge was built before 1447 and then partially rebuilt in the 16th century.

    It was at this bridge that the first skirmishes of the English Civil War took place on 23rd September 1642.  It was also around this bridge that the final battle of Worcester took place at the end of the civil war.

    Apparently after the final battle the radical preacher Hugh Peters gave a sermon in which he proclaimed that Worcester was where England’s sorrows began and where they ended,  Sadly like so many religious sermons Peters’ proved to be incorrect.

    Powick Bridge is the official start of the Monarchs Way and it is a fine place to start a long distance walk.  Unfortunately for us it is the start of a walking disappointment.  I had mapped a route from here that would follow footpaths and then join the A4440 to cross the River Severn and then we would turn left to walk along the east bank of the Severn.  However, my best laid plans failed to take into account major roadworks and the temporary closure of paths.  Therefore, we set off across fields and then walk beside the A4044 before realising there is no way to cross the river and so we need to retrace our steps to Powick Bridge.  

    We now have the option of retracing our steps besides the river or walking through Lower Wick beside the road and then taking a footpath which will lead us back to the river beside the iron statues.  We go for the latter.  At the statues we cross the Diglis footbridge over the Severn and then turn left and soon reach Diglis Lock besides Diglis Island.

    Completed in 1844, Diglis Island is a man-made island in the River Severn. It was once heavily used for carpentry and blacksmithing, and apparently the workshops still remain.

    According to the Canal and River Trust Diglis Lock is the largest and deepest on England’s inland waterways.

    We stay by the river and soon reach the Diglis Dock, built in 1893.  Between 1926 and 1968 it was the location of a Shell Oil depot.  Apparently in 1979 a stolen Aston Marin DB6 was recovered from the lock.

    Very close to the dock is the start of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.  As the name suggests this 29-mile canal connects Worcester with Birmingham.  Its construction began in 1792 and it fully opened in 1815.  

    We now leave the path besides the river and walk besides the canal to reach Diglis Basin which opened on the completion of the canal.  There are reports of a fire here in 1836 which destroyed the warehouse of Messrs Pickford and Co.

    In 1877 Thomas Henry Wilmott an employee of the canal company discovered the body of an unidentified man drowned in the basin; and then in 1901 Thomas Henry Wilmott  (the same chap) heard shouts and discovered seven year old William Gradson had fallen into the basin. Wilmott jumped in and rescued the boy.

    We follow the canal away from the basin and walk besides converted warehouses.  These days the canal is busy with leisure craft, but when fully operating in would have been a commercial carriage. Apparently a major user of the canal was the Cadbury Chocolate factories at Bournville and Blackpole.

    On reaching a bridge we leave the canal and join Mill Street and turn left to follow this street back to the river where we turn right and head along the riverside path to return to our starting point.

    Our walk has covered just over eight-miles, of which a couple were on the footpath where we could get no access to cross the river, so we would have been better to off just doing a six mile circuit to Powick Bridge to take in the historic sight of the battle of Worcester which is shown on the route below. 

    You can view this 6.5 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer – 204 – Worcester & Droitwich Spa

    4th July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • A Jamabout to Hartlebury Common

    A Jamabout to Hartlebury Common

    Yesterday evening I spent some time studying the Ordnance Survey maps for the local area around Old Orchard CL.  As far as Lynnie is concerned my studying maps is ominous, she knows I will be planning a route to bag a couple of trig points.  In times past I would roughly work out the distance of a route with a method I learnt at school fifty years ago.  It was not wholly accurate, but gave a rough approximation.  Strangely, and to Lynnie’s dismay, the walk was always further than I calculated.  These days after studying the paper map I plot the route on OS Maps giving a pretty accurate distance, so there should be no unwelcome surprises.

    Heading out today we know our planned route is about 12 miles, I say about because there is always scope for deviation if we see something interesting along the way.   The first section of our walk is on local lanes, we have walked a few of these since our arrival and know they are relatively free of traffic.

    Leaving the site by the main entrance we turn left and follow the road steadily downhill to pass a junction on the right and then fifty yards further on fork right on to a single track lane, Little Battenton.  

    We stay with this lane for just over 500 metres and then turn left into another narrow lane, Tattle Street.  This leads to a road, Blacksmith’s Bank where we turn right.  There are fine views from this road across the River Severn to Abberley Hill where we were walking a few days ago.

    We continue along this road for 250 metres to reach a grass triangle at a junction.  Here we turn left onto the road sign-posted towards Hartlebury and Stourport.  We walked this lane in the opposite direction a few days ago and soon pass Ombersley Golf Club.

    We stay on this lane for 500 metres, ignoring footpaths leading off of on both sides and a junction on the left, to reach a driveway to Bishops Wood Nursery.  We follow this towards the car park for the nursery and then spot the Ordnance Survey Trig Pillar that is located on land to the right.  This is the 261st trig I have bagged.

    After bagging the trig we walk back to the road and then turn left, at which point Lynnie realises we have detoured from the route to bag a trig.  She has become resigned to this and sighs exasperatedly whilst mentally chalking up that it is worth an ice cream.  After 500 metres we turn right into Lincomb Bank and follow this road downhill.

    On reaching houses in Lincomb we turn right to pass Lincomb Farm and continue along Lincomb Lane to reach the A4025 which we cross to continue along a narrow lane.  After 750 metres we turn left into Titton Lane and follow this downhill to Hillditch Pool.  Just after crossing a stream we turn right onto a footpath that leads to Hillditch Coppice.

    Apparently this pool and surrounding bog area is a rare habitat, it is an acid bog and attracts a variety of wildlife.  There are signs advising people not to swim in the pool, strangely it had not crossed my mind that anyone would want to venture into the murky water.

    Our route heads north, the footpath is surrounded by bracken, which is tall at this time of year.

    Soon the path becomes clearer and runs besides paddocks to reach a junction of paths, we turn left and head uphill towards Upper Poollands Farm and the Stourport Riding Centre.  After passing the riding centre barns the footpath continues along a track to reach Hartlebury Common where we stay close to the fence line to reach the Hartlebury Common Ordnance Survey trig pillar, my 262nd.

    We now head across Hartlebury Common in a westerly direction.  There are a network of paths on this common, which according to Worcestershire County Council is the largest and most important area of heathland remaining in Worcestershire.

    We are nattering away and taking in the views so I am not fully concentrating on our route, it does not matter because we soon find a path that will take us across the common to reach the A4025 at a car park opposite Cook’s Garden Centre.  Here we turn right and walk along the pavement for 200 metres and then take a lane on the left which we follow to reach Power Station Road where we turn left and then follow the way-markers to reach the River Severn.

    On the riverbank we turn left  and stay with the easy to follow Severn Way to pass Stourport Marina.

    A few hundred metres further on down the river we reach a barrier across part of the river which diverts boats away from a weir and into Lincomb Lock.

    We quickly reach the lock.  This is one of a series of locks built in the 1830’s to enable the River Severn to be navigable up to Stourport.

    Walking on a route besides a river or canal is very straightforward and this one is no exception.  The path is clearly way-marked as we continue to head south through woodland and then into fields.

    We pass a campsite and continue along the river bank until we reach a footpath on the left which takes us across a field towards Lyth Farm.

    From the field we join a track and pass the farm, staying on the track to reach a minor road at a junction.  We turn right and follow this lane to another junction where we turn left and then at the next junction go right.  In around 100 metres we take a footpath just before a 16th century timber framed property, Tytchney Gables.

    From here we follow the footpath back across the fields to return to our caravan at Old Orchard.  The walk has covered just over 11.5 miles which was just about what I promised Lynnie before we set off!

    You can view this 11.5 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer – 204 – Worcester & Droitwich Spa, and OS Explorer – 218 – Kidderminster & Wyre Forest

    3rd July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • Archers Country

    Archers Country

    Crosby and I are walking on our own today, Lynnie has decided a day spent around the caravan is just what she needs.  I am not sure if my mention of heading out for a day’s trig bagging had an influence or if it was the chance to get a day’s undisturbed reading of a good book that was too good an opportunity to miss.

    It is just a short drive to the starting point for my walk which is a parking space for a few cars on a road triangle close to Astwood Bridge (Grid Ref: SO942656).  From here I head south on a minor road  (Eastwood Lane) and stay with this to reach a T-junction where I turn left.  I keep going until I reach the turning for the church of St Mary the Virgin in Hanbury up a short lane to the left of the road.

    Parts of this church date back to 1210 with alterations in the 14th century and a rebuild in the late 18th century.  The church has strong associations with the Vernon family who lived at nearby Hanbury Hall and the interior houses the Vernon Chapel.  Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions, the church is locked so I can’t view the interior but there is plenty of interest outside including the ornate tomb of Thomas Bowater Vernon embedded into the church wall.

    This church will be familiar to listeners of the BBC Radio 4 series The Archers because it doubles as St Stephens Church in the series.  According to the church’s website it was first used over 65 years ago.  The creator of the Archers, Godfrey Baseley lived nearby in Bromsgrove and mixed with many of the farmers around Hanbury.  It is said he based the series on the local area and used St Mary’s when a location was required for broadcasting scenes from Ambridge village church.  Lynnie introduced me to the Archers when we met over 40 years ago and I have avidly followed the events in Ambridge ever since.

    From the church I return to the road and cross to join a footpath onto National Trust land surrounding Hanbury Hall.  The path immediately divides, I follow the path heading through Hanbury Park towards the Hall.

    Hanbury Hall was built in the early 1700’s by Thomas Vernon a wealthy chancery lawyer. It stayed in the Vernon family until 1962 when the National Trust took over the property.  Initially it was rented to tenants and only opened occasionally, however it now opens daily and is a popular local attraction.

    After passing the hall I continue through the park to reach a junction with a road.  I proceed south besides the road (School Lane) to reach a junction with Salt Way.  Here I cross the road and enter a field and head south.

    This way-marked path passes through fields to reach a junction of paths where I turn left and head east towards Becknor Manor.  I ignore a footpath on the right and stay on the route until I near Becknor Manor where I take a path on the right heading south towards a lane.

    At the lane I turn left and follow along a track and as it bends to the left I go through a gate on the right and take a footpath heading uphill. The route reaches a crossing of footpaths where I turn right and skirt a property and then head across fields towards Broughton Green.  At a minor road in the village I turn left and continue to a junction where I go right on a lane signposted to Bradley Green and Stocks Green.

    This is another single track lane with wide verges so pleasant for walking along and I soon ignore a footpath on the right.  Then after passing a property I turn right on a footpath which goes over a stile into a field.  The map shows the path heading diagonally across the field but there are standing crops and no clear path so I follow the tractor tramlines to eventually reach a point where the footpath is close to the hedge line where I turn right and walk close to the hedge.

    At a junction of paths I turn left and head through fields towards Ward’s Farm.  

    The path heads uphill and then in a field on my right is an Ordnance Survey trig pillar.  This is the 259th trig I have bagged.

    From the trig I continue along the footpath into another field and then into a further field where the path forks, I go left and in the next field turn left and head down to a minor road where I turn right towards Middle Hollowfields Farm.

    At a junction I turn right and pass the farm and then take a footpath on the left which heads east across fields towards Bradley Green.

    The path enters the village besides the church of St John the Baptist which was built in 1864/65. This church has an interesting tower and a striking stained glass window, installed in 1921 commemorating  twelve men of the village who lost their lives in World War I.  Unfortunately the church is locked so I can’t go inside to fully appreciate  the window.

    From the church I continue on the path along a driveway to reach a road running through the village.  I go left along this long straight road to a junction with a B road where I go left again and then almost immediately right following a footpath along a track leading towards Perry Mill Farm.  After passing the farm I turn right at a junction of tracks to follow a bridleway way-marked to Berrow Hill and Feckenham.

    This route passes along the edge of Bushyhill Coppice  and at a crossing of paths I turn left and head up towards Berrow Hill.  I pause to take in the view to the south.

    The path leads to the top of the hill and then across the summit to the Berrow Hill Ordnance Survey trig pillar.

    My 260th trig safely bagged I continue across the field and then enter woodland and descend to reach a track where I turn left and follow the footpath way-markers.  At a fork in the footpath I go to the right to skirt around Littleworth Farm.

    On reaching a minor road I turn left and follow this road until it turns sharply to the right.  At this point I continue straight on along a bridleway and stay with it until I reach a road which I cross and follow a bridleway passing Forest Farm and then continue along a broad farm track.

    At a junction of paths I turn left and follow a path along a track that soon goes downhill through a field to reach another track below Forest Hill.  Here I turn right and stay with the track to reach a minor road.

    At the road I go left, this is a quiet country lane so I decide to stay with it and not take the option of a footpath on the right which leads to Piper’s Hill Farm.  I do not encounter any traffic and then as I near the B4091 I take a footpath on the right leading into woodland on Piper’s Hill.

    I keep the road to my left as I go through the woods.  This is a popular dog walking area and there are a network of paths in the trees, but the road serves as a useful handrail.  At the northern edge of the trees I cross the road and enter woods on the opposite side and follow a path that goes steadily downhill towards Hillfields Farm.  Nearing the farm the path turns into a minor road and my route is now very straight forward because I stick with this lane for over a mile to return to my starting point near Astwood Bridge.

    I have covered sixteen miles on my jamabout, bagging two trigs is a bonus and finding the connection with The Archers has been interesting.  Time to head back to the caravan to see how Lynnie has been getting on with her book.

    You can view this 16-mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Outdoor Explorer – 204 – Worcester & Droitwich Spa

    2nd July 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • Droitwich Barge Canal

    Droitwich Barge Canal

    We have been at The Old Orchard CL for a couple of days and as yet I have not bagged any of the local Ordnance Survey trig points, so in planning today’s walk I have ensured we will visit one.  There will also be an opportunity to walk along a section of the Droitwich Canal which will be a new canal for us. 

    Once again we are starting our walk from the caravan.  Leaving the site by the driveway we turn right and walk down through the hamlet passing Yewtree House.  We keep with the road and carry straight on at a junction and follow this quiet lane as it heads in a southerly direction.  Soon the hedges disappear and we pass arable fields of rich loamy soil. 

    We stay with the road heading south and pass Pipestyle House and continue on towards Uphampton.  At a T-junction we turn left on a road signposted towards Ombersley, after about 100 yards we reach a lane on the right and turn here and follow this lane until it bends to the right.  Here we go straight on along a dead end land. After a while the lane narrows to a footpath and continues into Ombersley.  

    On reaching Ombersley we turn left and walk besides the road and then at the roundabout turn right and walk through the village to pass the Cricket Pitch and then turn left into Sinton Lane. At the corner of this lane there is an interesting property which has a horseshoe shaped entrance on one end.  This is the former Sinton Forge, at one time there were five forges in Ombersley, in 1911 this one was operated by Samual Sanders, the third generation to run the forge.  He employed his two sons Samual and Fred.

    We walk along Sinton Lane and then cross the A449 before continuing on along the lane for a short distance, we then turn left on a footpath opposite a barn.

    After going through a gate we turn right and follow the fence line continuing on a clear path through crops.

    The footpath continues into another field and now follows the hedge line and goes steadily uphill.  As we reach the top of the hill we spot the Sinton Farm Ordnance Survey trig pillar, this is the 257th trig I have bagged.

    On entering the next field at a crossing of paths the map shows the footpath crossing the field, however this is one of those fields with a wide margin and it appears that rather than walk through the crops people are encouraged to walk around the edge.  

    We stay on the margin of the field around woodland and then turn to head towards a minor road.  At the road we turn right and walk on the tarmac to a junction where we turn left and then turn right onto a lane signposted towards Porters Mill.  This lane takes us past Woodside House, Hunt Green Farm and Tapenhall Farm to reach Porter’s Mill.

    After a passing the mill we turn left into Porter’s Mill Lane just before a bridge over the Droitwich Canal.  This lane runs besides the canal and then as the road bends to the left we go through a car park and join the canal towpath.

    We now walk along the canal towpath for just over a mile.  This is the first time we have walked along a section of the Droitwich Barge Canal which runs from Droitwich Spa to the River Severn at Hawford Bottom Lock.  It opened in 1771 with the main purpose of carrying salt from Droitwich which was extracted from the natural brine springs.  It was abandoned in 1939, by which time the railway network had made the transport of the salt much easier.

    In 1973 work started to restore the canal and it was fully opened in 2010.

    It is getting towards lunchtime so after passing under a bridge at Salwarpe we briefly leave the canal and wander up to St Michaels and All Angels church and find a bench to sit on and eat our sandwiches.  This Norman church was extended in 1400 and the chancel rebuilt in the 18th century.

    Refreshed from our lunch we return to the canal and now carry on along a very pleasant section of the towpath.

    After passing under the A38 the canal is close to the edge of Droitwich and there are houses on the opposite bank.  We leave the canal at bridge 11 and join the road turning left to walk past Droitwich Leisure Centre.  We carry on crossing a road bridge over the A38 and then at a roundabout turn left into Westwood Way.  Since joining the canal towpath we have been following the route of the Monarchs Way and now we follow the waymarkers on a footpath that goes to the right heading towards Westwood Park.

    For a while the path goes through trees and then crosses the driveway to Westwood House.

    We  stick with the Monarchs Way, a 589-mile long distance path which follows the route taken by Charles II as he fled following defeat at the Battle of Worcester.  Starting in Worcester it heads to the south coast at Lyme Regis and then heads east to end in Shoreham.

    The path goes by Westwood House, this stately home was built in the 1600s as an Elizabethan banqueting hall.  Henry VIII granted the house to Sir John Pakington and his family continued to live here for several centuries, it has now been subdivided into twelve self-contained apartments.

    At the edge of Nunnery Wood we leave the Monarchs Way and continue west on a footpath along a track which leads to a minor road.  We continue along the road to a junction where we go right  and at the next junction go right again into Haye Lane and stay with this lane until we reach the A449.

    At the main road we turn right on the pavement and then cross and head up Holly Lane which leads between houses.  This lane turns into a footpath and after passing a house continues into a field.  It is clear that this route is not well walked and we struggle to find a clear route across the neglected field.  It is therefore with relief that we reach a junction with a clear path and turn right and head towards a minor road at Fruitlands Farm.

    At the road we make a diversion turning right to walk a few hundred yards down the lane to the Fruitier’s Arms.  We popped into this pub near the end of our walk yesterday and the beer was excellent so I need to sample another pint or two to check it is as good today.

    From the pub we turn around and walk back up the road and continue on until we reach Pipestyle House and then turn right and from here we follow the route we took when we started our walk staying with the road until we reach the Old Orchard CL.

    You can view this 14 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow my walk, you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer Map – 204 – Worcester & Droitwich Spa

    30th June 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.

  • The Severn Way and Ombersley

    The Severn Way and Ombersley

    On today’s walk I am keen to walk a section of the Severn Way besides the River Severn.  We often walk besides canals, but a riverside walk is not such a regular occurrence and I am interested to see what wildlife we might see along the river bank.  Looking at the map I can see the river is only a short walk from our pitch at The Old Orchard CL so we will head off from the site.

    From the caravan we head to the field margin to the north which runs close to the minor road and follow this until the top margin of the third field , here we turn left to reach the edge of the field and then go right on a footpath heading downhill towards a minor road and properties at Tytchney.

    At the road our route is to the right, but first we have a look at Tytchney Gables a 16th century timber framed property which is just to our left.

    Heading north along the lane we soon reach a crossroads where we turn left into Boreley Lane signposted to Lincomb and follow it to a T-junction where we turn right keeping on this country lane until we reach a junction.  Here we turn left into Lyth Lane and follow this steadily downhill towards Lyth Farm.

    After passing the farm we keep on the track as it descends through trees and then reaches the edge of a field of pasture, which we diagonally cross passing a flock of sheep. 

    On the far side of the field we reach the Severn Way and turn left to walk with the river bank on our right.  Our route is now straightforward as we are staying on this path besides the river for a few miles as it wends its way through fields.

    The Severn Way is a 224-mile long distance path which starts at the source of the River Severn on the Plynlimon plateau in Mid Wales and roughly follows the river until Severn Beach and then follows the River Avon into Bristol City Centre.

    I had hoped we would see the river as we walked along but most of the time there are hedges or trees obscuring the view, however, it is pleasant walking on a well-marked route and most of the fields have yet to be cut for hay.

    A fallen tree with a good view of the river provides a grand spot to stop for our lunch and soon a couple of barges pass by.

    Continuing our walk we go through an area of woodland and emerge besides a lake and continue with water on both sides heading towards a static caravan site.

    On the opposite side of the river is the Lenchford Inn which from the sound of it is gearing up for the international football match this evening when England play West Germany.  I have never been a great fan of international football so will not be making an effort to try and watch the match.

    After passing the static caravan park we are back in fields and then pass holiday chalets before reaching Holt Lock.  This lock was built in the 1830’s to enable the river to be navigable for vessels heading further upstream towards Stourport.

    Alongside the lock is the old Lock Keepers cottage also built in the 1830’s, this was still occupied by the lock keeper up until 2010 but has now been sold and converted into holiday accommodation.  It is interesting to note how the windows on the front of the building enabled the lock keeper to have a clear view up and down the river if he was downstairs or upstairs.

    We continue along a tarmac lane beside the river with Holt Fleet Bridge in front of us.  Built in 1828 this bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and has a single 150 foot span across the river.  It was reinforced and the road widened in 1928 and carries the A4133 over the Severn.

    We take a footpath which passes under the bridge with the Holts Fleet pub on the far side of the river. This former hotel was rebuilt in 1937, but apparently the location was a popular stop for Victorian riverside cruises visiting Telford’s Bridge.  

    Our path now takes us onto a caravan park with the pitches dotted around lakes.

    The footpath stays close to the river and goes through the terrace garden of the Wharf Inn.

    After passing more caravans we continue on to reach open fields and follow the path close to the river going through a number of fields until we reach Hawford Wood.

    At the woods the path turns inland and joins a track that heads uphill towards the A449 where we turn left and walk on the pavement besides the road.

    We now stay besides the A449 to pass the entrance to Park Farm and Sinton Lodge at the gates to Ombersley Park. 

    There is pavement all the way along so it is easy going, the only downside being the noise of the traffic.  Soon after passing the lodge we turn left to leave the A449 and head into Ombersley. At this point there is a milestone besides the two roads which has had the metal plate stolen from it. I despair at such vandalism.  The plate showed it is 7 miles to Stourport.

    We follow the road into Ombersley.  I have driven through this attractive village on numerous occasions but this is the first time I have walked here and it is full of fascinating buildings.

    We pass the Crown and Sandys, this unusually named pub’s origins date back to the English Civil War when King Charles I and then King Charles II had close links with the Sandys family who lived at Ombersley Court.  Originally the coaching house was known as the Crown but when the building underwent an extensive Georgian renovation in 1810 its name changed to the Crown and Sandys.

    Next door is the Kings Arms pub, you can quickly tell whose side the locals where on during the Civil War, this is said to be named after Charles II who travelled through Ombersley with his troops on their way to defeat at the Battle of Worcester.

    We briefly stop to look at the exterior of the fine St Andrews Church, built in the 1820’s by the famous Gothic architect Thomas Rickman for the Marchioness of Downshire.   Due to Covid measures the church is locked so we are unable to view the inside.

    Back on the road we head through the village and continue straight on at a roundabout.  Just to the right of the roundabout is the weighbridge hut.  Originally situated on the opposite side of the road the hut housed the equipment for the County Councils weighbridge.  Apparently it was moved to its current location in 1930 at which time the equipment was removed.

    We now stay on the pavement besides the road heading north out of the village until we pass the Ombersley Medical Centre, here we turn left into Woodall Lane towards Uphampton. We stay on this lane until we reach a footpath on the right. This path takes us in a northerly direction across fields heading towards Fruitlands Farm.

    Arriving at a minor road we make a diversion from our route and turn right and walk a few hundred yards down the lane to reach the Fruitier’s Arms.  I walked past here a few days ago, but on that occasion did not stop for a drink. Apparently it has been run by generations of the same family since 1848 and is said to be a traditional boozer, focussing on selling local beer and serving light snacks.  It would be rude not to pop in and sample some beer.

    Refreshed from our excellent pint, or two, we return to the road and head uphill and turn right at the junction besides Pipestyle House.  We now keep heading north along the lane, at a junction we ignore a turning on the right still going northwards and then as the road sweeps to the right by an entrance to a caravan and camping site we go straight on joining a footpath which goes through a gate into a field.

    After a brief section through the long grass the footpath emerges on our caravan site at the Old Orchard and we wander back to the caravan.  Our walk has covered almost twelve miles and whilst we did not get the river views I expected we did visit a number of interesting historical places.

    You can view this 12 mile walk on OS Maps and download the GPX File Here

    To follow my walk, you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer Map – 204 – Worcester & Droitwich Spa

    29th June 2021

    © Two Dogs and an Awning (2021)

    All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it.  To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
    Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk.  It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.