Mind your Manors!

Tuesday 19 January 2010

The Plough Inn at Dormansland

Walkers: Farty, Token, Mrs P, Windy, Clat - Sally joined us for lunch

Weather: gloomy at start - it is much colder down here than up the M25 a bit. However, no rain, no views either, due to misty conditions.

Find of the walk: a pair of pink fluffy gloves

We started from the pub, and headed towards Greathed Manor, which is a nursing home. Some splendid Highland Cattle here, and the bull had some splendid dangly bits. The conditions were very muddy, reminiscent of diarrhoea (well, after all, there is a vomiting bug doing the rounds), and at times, the group did a wonderful job of straddling the said merdey parts and no falling over - well done!

We walked up to Starborough Castle, which looked extremely well kept. It has a moat, complete with narrow boat. This place is a hotel apparently.Starborough Manor behind the castle is a bed & Breakfast

The countryside was lovely - very varied, no livestock to walk through, and quite well marked. Lots of farms, and one very swollen duckpond, which still had some ice cover, and as the ducks waddled along, the whole place crackled. Through a memorial wood and then onwards, to a very gloomy pine wood, and past a footpath signed to Clatfields which has to be investigated at another date - clay pits abound there, apparently. We encountered Ford Manor on our way back - another nursing home - we know where to come in the future!

A few re-arrangements to the walk had to be made on account of getting back to the pub in time for lunch. The natives are friendly and some asked us if we were lost - no, it's just the way we look, i'm afraid.

3hrs and about 7 and something miles, we were back at the pub. The staff were friendly, very welcoming, and very efficient - jack russell pups for sale, soon. This place also has a Thai restaurant, so we ordered lots of priks and enjoyed our meal. Sally had a very impressive pile of bangers, as she decided to eat British.

There may not be a walk next week, as Clat is hoping to become HD ready, courtesy of John Lewis. If the large window of delivery opportunity, shrinks, then one will be arranged at short notice. The next confirmed walk date is Tues 2 February - soon be summer.

Above left: The house with the duck pond - a bit pokey and rather on the small side we thought

Above right: Clatchat and Clatfields - to be revisited

Left: ducks and geese on an (unbelievably) still semi frozen pond

Below: Highland cattle, the one on the left complete with impressive dangly bits!

the next walk

ladies and gentleman. next walk is tuesday 18 jan. start point - the plough inn, plough road, dormansland. if we cannot park there , then park in ford manor road (off the B2028 lingfield to edenbridge road)
see you there, at 1030. sally is joining us for the pub afterwards. xxxxx

Is diet the key?

Is diet the key?

Is this why we're doing all this walking? happy New Year!

photo explanation

the photographs are up - thank you Trish - i must learn this technology!

the horse is a very hairy chap we found just after merstham. he had a coat on and was chomping his hay. mrs p gave him peppermints but he decided to try and take a chunk out of her hand - farty and her quick reactions got the hand back. so, never judge a book by it 's cover , or a horse either.

the other pic. was towards the end of the walk. we spied a gorgeous deer - brown with a tan bottom. we were down-wind of him/her so we got quite close before he/she shot off - aaaaaaaahhhhh.

A FREEZING COLD REIGATE HILL!

Freezing Fannys - and that's just the farm

Tuesday 5 January 2010 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Venue: Reigate Hill - a different walk from the usual
Present: Farty, Mrs P. and ClatChat
Weather: Flippin' freezing - who's idea was this?
Distance : about 9kms although it felt longer in the cold.

Find of the walk: some discarded hair extensions, complete with beading.

We set off over perma-frost covered walkways - even the dog turds had frozen solid, so no danger of messy boots. It was so cold - Clat lost touch with her thighs after only 10 mins. Our pace was brisk, as we made our way down to Gatton Bottom and along the North Downs Way in an easterly direction.

We passed through a school and Reigate Hill Golf course - Mrs P left her mark there, which was very brave of her in this weather. From there, we crossed the footbridge over the M25 and arrived at the outskirts of Merstham (good for coffee/ wee stop). A narrow bit of lane then followed, before up the hills we went, so that we could look down over the motorway and beyond. No sunshine, but grey clouds forming - snow is forecast. The countryside is very white - Mrs P took photos, which will hopefully appear today on this blog.

We eventually came to Fanny's Farm, but did not stop - we waved as Fanny took things off in her window.

Onwards , upwards, and westwards , we walked, mainly through fields, until we came to the junction by the Reigate Hill car park. Our post-walk stretching was a very quick affair, before heading off to the Yew Tree pub, to de-frost, and for Clat to be re-united with her thighs once more.

Well done walkers - hot baths all round!

Next walk: Tues 12 January - thinking of Dormansland. Wed 13 January - another walk, or lunch in Croydon - Sally has a birthday on 11th!!!