Leigh, The Plough

Our Fashionistas

Soggy doggies and slippery stiles

Venue: Leigh - 3, I believe!

Walkers: 10 Legs (Fashionistas), Farty, TB, Clatters, Registrara and Mrs P. Apologies for absence from Ms Nohills (taking sis back up to London), poor Chris who has put her back out again - GET WELL SOON! - and Sally who amongst all her other problems now has a painful tooth. Also GET WELL SOON!

Distance: 10k / 6.21 miles

Time Taken: 2.50

Weather: WET!

Find of the walk: A dead crow

We met in the lane by one of our favourite pubs, the Plough. As we congregated, we all ended up in Clatters' car sheltering from the rain, but soon decided that as we were wearing our wet weather gear to give it a go, reasoning that we could always cut it short if the rain became heavier. Our 10 legs Fashionista hadn't failed to impress! The doggies were sporting their coats (Minnie's somewhat straining at the seams now - oh dear, who ate all the pies?!) and Sue looked quite the sartorial part in her long coat and snazzy hat. Farty and Registrara were Ladies in Lavender, the remaining three dressed for dryness rather than to impress! Much hilarity over Farty's cutting from the Metro for Clatters regarding knitting tits . . . don't ask!

So off we set - the rain actually was just very heavy drizzle and fortunately as the ground is so dry at the moment, it wasn't at all muddy underfoot. It's a lovely walk with fields, woods, streams and rivers (the River Mole) and views of the North Downs - well, through the misty rain. Quite a number of stiles, and most very slippery when wet! The first comfort stop was in a beautiful wood which apparently floods in the winter - well, Clatters, and later Farty and Mrs P nearly flooded it themselves instead!

We passed through fields of wheat and barley - one of them had a very narrow path across so we all got our legs soaked but the next one had a lovely wide path - thank you Mr Farmer for doing your job properly! We stopped for break on a small green outside a beautiful house/mansion. We then came across a fledgling crow? rook? oh, a crook! (Minus his swag bag and stripey sweater . . .) and after initially being concerned he might have been injured realised that he was fine, just all on his ownsome. Hopefully Mum came back to find him! Not long afterwards we suddenly found oursleves being dive bombed by swallows - think they probably were nesting nearby and didn't like the soggy doggies being around. Who could find them a threat?! Heard and caught a glimpse of a green woodpecker and unfortunately then found the Find of the Walk - a dead crow. Poor thing.

As you can see from the above, we also came across a field of what we presume to be alpacas - very sweet and they just stood there, munching and watching us. It looked like they had been recently shorn - their coats resembled a cord carpet!

Farty and MrsP then turned plant detectives, checking out the contents of a hedgerow in Mrs P's bargain buy book from the tip!

We reckon that the plant that looks like a lacecap hydrangea is the Guelder Rose, Viburnum opulus, and the other one is the Wayfaring tree, Viburnum lantana. We also came across this beautiful horse chestnut tree, a lovely sight.

We passed an enormous house under construction that we reckon had to be a WAG's pad - quite tasteless and totally out of place in the lovely countryside. But it had stunning views to the Downs - jealous? no not us! Just proves that all the money in the world can't buy you good taste . . .

We retraced some of our route to get back to the pub in time for a well earned lunch - fortunately the rain had stopped for the last hour or so of the walk so we were all reasonably dry. Despite the pub being doggy friendly, our fashionista decided not to stay as the soggies were getting cold - Minnie once again looked very fetching in her pink towel! Poor Registrara had to bolt her food so she could make her hairdressing appointment.

Scores on the doors for the Plough: Service 5, Food 4, Ambiance 4 (TB particularly approved of the Sun newspaper provided and was soon engrossed in Page 3), Value 4, making a total of 17 which means that it's the same as last time we visited..probably one of our favourite pubs. We also decided that at the end of the year we would give an award to the winning put - rosettes to be knitted by Clatters! That is, when she's finished knitting her tits . . . . !

We realised that we hadn't scored the pub at Nuthurst last week, so for your info here goes: Service 1 (massively long wait for food) Food 4, Ambiance 3, Value 3, a total of 11.

Walk next week TBA - apologies already for absence received by Mrs P who has a VERY hot date with Jon Bon Jovi - sorry girlies and TB, some things just have to take precedence! If you don't see me again, you know that he has whisked me off (well, a girl can dream) and Alan and this life of mine will be just history!