I chose todays walk. It looked easy enough on paper, and sounded really beautiful. Well beautiful it certainly was, but easy it definately wasn't. It probably wasn't a good sign that we couldn't tell where we were supposed to start from - the map was really confusing and even asking a couple out walking with their children didn't help much. But we managed to figure it out and off we went. It was quite windy and although not cold, there was a bit of a chill with the wind, and as Jasmine started complaining, Nick let her get on his shoulders, but this was a baaad idea. Heended up carrying her almost the entire walk, and when he wasn't, she cried and she sobbed! Ben on the other hand was my little soldier. He practically ran the whole time, and even after almost 1 1/2 of walking accross fields and meadows, up hills and along hedgerows, he still exclaimed 'wow, a big open field let's run around!' as we entered a rather beautiful copse.
The view during this walk more than made up for the muddy, and sometimes waterlogged, fields. The countryside was all rolling hills, sheep grazing lazily in meadows and chocolate box cottages - on the rare occasion we spotted one that is. Unfortunately only I had wellies (Ben and Jas had left theirs at school and Nick doesn't have any - although we have to remedy that quickly if we want to continue on these walks before summer) so Nick's trainers kept coming off as they stuck fast in the mud and I don't think we can salvage Ben's shoes. Jasmine just cried more the more the muddier it got and refused to be put down anymore. So Nick carried her and his jumper ended up smeared with mud - and I wouldn't want to know what else! - from her boots ! Anyway, we followed these printed instructions and seemed to be making good way, that is until we realised that about a half hour prior, we had taken a wrong turn and were now on the wrong side of the river Windrush, with no way accross. The only way forwards was through a dark forest (the day was fast fading by this time). So off we set and entered the forest through the kissing gate (with the obligatory kiss of course!). I like kissing gates - the kids love them too. We make a big show of taking it in turns to pass through and kiss the next one in line, and we must have gone through 10 or more on this walk alone. Right, where was I? Oh, yeah, we went into the woods and suddenly all was still and quiet in an eerie, but rather peaceful way. We could smell the strong scent of pine and the silence was only broken by the odd burst of birds taking flight....and us as we decided to break into yet another rendition of 'we're going on a bear hunt'...all in the name of rallying the troops. We'd been walking some pretty rough terrain for almost two hours by this point and I was beginning to think we were well and truly lost. Then, salvation! I saw a path snaking off to the right and decided to see if it would lead to a way across the river and out of the woods. It was starting to get darker and I must admit I was a little worried. Luckily the path took us across the river on a very narrow, muddy bridge and through another, even muddier and more waterlogged Kissing Gate than ever before. But there they were - the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall that signalled the last leg of our Journey. Unfortunately this last meadow was ankle deep in water and marshes. Nevertheless, we made it through, then on through the ruins and back through the gorgeous hamlet that is Minster Lovell. Unfortunately I counldn't take many pictures of this great journey as the camera batteries died before we even left Minster Lovell! But I am determined to do it all again in the summer when I'm sure it will be even more beautiful....
Meanwhile Ben, Nick and Jasmine's shoes are still in the garage waiting to be salvaged....
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