The Grape Escape

Tuesday 23 March

Venue: Denbies Vineyard , Dorking

Walkers: Farty, T.B. , 12 Legs, Clat. Windy is on holiday - ole or however you spell it. Sally is 'involved with the BA. stuff', and Trish is sorting out her back. We look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Distance: 7.9 miles - hurrah!

Find of the walk: two pussies

Weather: blame the weathermen for getting it completely wrong - more later.

We assembled under sunnyish skies, rain not promised for late p.m. Wrong! it arrived about 1 hr into the walk, and so we got very damp, and Chinese-looking, as we tried to peer through the mist - oh yes

Our route took us through the vineyards, and workers abounded, as we saw them clipping the vines right back, in readiness for, hopefully, a bumper crop of grapes this year. From there, we travelled through some of the streets of Dorking town, and out and up, to Milton Heath. This is very pretty countryside, and our path led us alongside a magnificent hen-run, with a splendid cock in charge - you should have seen his spurs.

Over a brook, up a slight hill and down again, as we arrived at the village of Westcott, where we passed by 'that man' who has been in the news for having a shambles of a garden, which looks like, and is, a complete tip. It seems that others have been getting in on the act, and adding to the rubbish already there - what a mess. We headed downwards, and over another brook, up again , down again, and over another brook with loads of wild garlic.

Up we went again (Wind. would have loved this), more steeply this time, and over a railway line. Our route got steeper and steeper, and more like a rock-face, but the fashionistas flew up the hill like the slender gazelles they are, and left the rest of us puffing and pausing for breath. We finally reached our summit, to view the fabulous and far-reaching views - wrong! Today, we experienced heavy mists, or a'front' which had come in, and obscured our views entirely. There were however some lovely violets dotted about.

We were now on the North Downs Way, and we journeyed upwards a little more, and saw a man (with not much on) , holding his equipment up and peering through it. His enormous rucksack looked big enough to contain a body - oo -er.

We are now on Ranmore Common, and we passed St Barnabas Church, where one of our ex-flying colleagues is now the rector. However the church was locked and no sign of life - if you get my meaning!

After finding a man talking down a hole (he was on the 'phone), we turned sharp right ,and rambled down the gentle slopes towards the vineyard once more. We arrived quite damp, and a little muddy, but ready for our lunch. This was taken at the Stepping Stones pub, a little way from Denbies. They accept dogs, and do food until 2.30, but they close afterwards. The scores are: ambulance - 2 (because it had no soul, and felt cold and bare), Food: 4, Service: 4, Value 4. which gives a score of 14/20.

It was still raining as we left. There is no walk scheduled for next week, due to stuff going on. However, we do hope to resume on Tues. 6 April. The clocks go FORWARD this Sunday, 28th.

In the meantime -HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE, AND EAT CHOCOLATE - remember, an oeuf is enough - ha ha ha ha ha