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.
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