Wyvern Probus Walking Group 2024
Wednesday, 1st May 2024
The walk will be led by David Caines. We will meet at the Black Horse pub in Foxton at 9:30am for start at 9:45. The walk will start with a short canal side pathway before striking off across grazing meadows with only modest gradient increases in the direction of Laughton before accessing two quiet, side roads, walking back towards Lubenham before joining the canal foot path back to the Black Horse pub. Lunch will be around 12:30 for those not walking but wishing to join us.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Probus Walk Report April 3rd 2024
The Wheatsheaf Pub in Edith Weston was the venue for Charles Stewart’s April Walk. Shortly after 9.15 am nine worthy members of the club were busy pre-ordering their lunches, donning their walking boots and preparing for the forthcoming six-mile walk through the Rutland countryside.
The weather was not that promising, chilly and cloudy with a very slight drizzle which luckily soon cleared. We set of along the Manton road and out of the village, accompanied by Bonnie Stewart. One of our colleagues was regretting his memory lapse having forgotten to pick up his anorak as he left his house! After a quarter of a mile or so we left the busy Manton road and entered Edith Weston road which would eventually lead us into the pretty village of Lyndon. We noted that the farmland around us was heavy with standing water.
Passing the headquarters of Lyndon Farms we joined Luffenham Road and then Church Road as we walked through the village. The sun was now out and the breeze had dropped as we admired the attractive houses in the village as we walked along Church Road. On the outskirts of Lyndon we passed St Martin’s Church which attracted the attention of our own Martin Waddington (St Martin, born in Todi, Tuscany was Pope from 649 - 53)
Church Road took us to Lyndon Top and as we walked down a steep slope towards the Lyndon Visitor Centre, we had a wonderful view of Rutland Water looking over to the Hambleton Peninsula. The Centre was the chosen coffee stop and we quickly occupied the benches in the front of the Centre. Charles was supplying us with refreshments as we occupied the benches, so David Mitchell and Philip Parkinson bought themselves coffees from the shop to justify our use of the seating!
After our break we left the Centre and walked along the South Shore footpath on the return leg of our walk. This is a scenic walk with the water immediately to the left and for much of the way the Rutland Water golf course on the right. The golfers amongst us were reminiscing on previous successes and considerably more failures on the several holes that we passed!
We eventually entered Gibbet Lane passing the Sailing Centre and the caravan site as we walked into Weston Road, passing the village school and reaching Manton Road. At this juncture a light drizzle had started but we were soon back to the car park and ready for a beverage or two and our lunches. Patrick recorded our walk as 6.2 miles. As ever an enjoyable and entertaining outing and as Charles had promised, we did not have to negotiate a single stile!
Richard Ward
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROBUS WALK – WEDNESDAY 6th MARCH 2024
Eight of us (and Bonnie) met in the car park of the Tollemache Arms, Harrington on a misty morning. The weather was calm, and not too cold – the first signs of our approaching Spring.
We left the car park at 9.45 a.m. and soon turned through the first gate by the pub, to cross a large open field, leading into another where we could see to our left, several large bumps, known as ‘The Falls’, the remains of the old Manor House and gardens. It was clear from the outset that the black and white waymarking was very sparse, but we managed to spot the gap in the far hedge to climb into the next field. However, on reaching the stile, we found the surrounds in thick mud and grimy water. With a great deal of difficulty, we did manage to climb the stile, but David Caines sensibly decided to take a lower route via a cattle enclosure and he emerged without blemish, walking up the field from our right.
We walked through further fields to reach a humped bridge, over the river, which was a convenient spot for a group photo. Bonnie made the most of this stop, charging into the river several times to retrieve her valued stick.
We reached the quiet road at Arthingworth and viewed to our left the magnificent house, believed to belong to a pop star, but Martin was unable to remember details.
From Arthingworth we walked along quiet roads, encountering a couple of friendly hose riders as we climbed towards the top, before reaching a convenient spot by the roadside to enjoy a suitable mid-morning snack with fine views over the valley.
From here we walked some distance downhill to a bend in the road, where several of us remembered seeing a security camera in a large tree overlooking the road. We spotted a black shape still in the tree, but surmised that it was simply the remains of the camera.
From this point, we climbed the long hill up to Harrington, arriving at 12.15 p.m. We then enjoyed a superb lunch at the Tollemache Arms, and were given excellent service there.
When we emerged from the pub, the sun was shining brightly – a pity it had not emerged a little earlier!
Martin Waddington
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Walk Report 7th February 2024
Six stalwart members of Wyvern Probus plus Bonnie Stewart met on the car park of the Cheney Arms in Gaddesby for the February walk. The morning was sunny and thankfully after the previous night’s heavy rain, dry. Distance to be walked was five miles taking in the villages of Barsby and Ashby Folville, returning to Gaddesby for lunch in the pub.
Setting off at 9.30 am we crossed the road climbed the first of several styles we were to encounter and joined a footpath that soon showed evidence of the last nights rain. Leaving the footpath, we entered a grass field which having crossed found ourselves on an upwards walk over a very muddy field. We then crossed the second style of the morning to walk across grass field then though a hedge and into another grass field. Climbing our third style of the day into another field we approached Barsby. We walked through the village, crossed the main road and walked into Baggrave End.
Leaving Barsby we were walking on a pleasant grassy track which eventually turned into a muddy path alongside a field and took us to the next style to be dealt with. Here David Caines was on hand to ensure no one came to grief as they crossed! A steady ascent took us up to the highest point of our walk with views in the distance of Thorpe Satchville and Twyford. Walking downhill over yet another muddy field we reached a stream. We walked alongside this stream and joined a hard surfaced track. Shortly afterwards we stopped to enjoy a coffee break and the almost, by now, obligatory Jaffa Cakes! Continuing along this track we met a lady dog walker before joining the road on the edge of Ashby Folville. We continued through the village and joined the Leicestershire Round with the fast-flowing Gaddesby Brook on our left. Having crossed several fields, we reached the penultimate style at the end of a narrow and very muddy section of the walk. Crossing the final grass field, we climbed the last style of the morning and walked down to Church Lane and along the footpath back to the Cheney Arms.
We enjoyed a well-earned pint before enjoying an excellent lunch and as ever, in a companionable and convivial atmosphere.
Richard Ward
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 3rd January
Cancelled due to flooding. For the record, this was only the second time in the last eighteen years that we have had to cancel - the first was a few years ago when we had to cancel a June walk due to rain!
