Pirton, Wellbury, Hexton, Barton-le-Clay, Higham Gobium, Shillington and Pirton
After a weekend with Leo our grandson and Rob with mum and sis we are ready to walk again. This time a local track around where I live. It is a stunning place and why I love living here. Rob captures a new shot of the church opposite my house. My house is name Church View for this view. We head off up to Tingley Wood where we take a slight detour to see if the bluebells are in full bloom yet. Not quite. About a third showing but the rest maybe a week a way from the full carpet of blue which impresses each year. We suffer an early delay as I suddenly feel my back and trousers becoming wet. 
The clever light plastic sac I carry my water in has sprung a leak. The smallest of leaks but as with dyke's in Amsterdam all water needs is a small crack and off it flows. I empty out my drink which will cost us dearly later but is a lightening of the load for now.
As we near Wellbury the countryside is stunning. Lots of blossom on the trees and with leaves now bursting out on branches and the sun shining the world looks great and it is good to be alive. Rob is impressed by the fine figure of Ted a white horse being lead off to training. Rob marvels at how women are so comfortable controlling these powerful beasts. We begin to understand why men are so easily held within their spell and control.
As we approach Mortlake Farm we see a Google Mapcar coming towards us. Even empty quiet country lanes now being captured by the google eye.With Barton-le-Clay close by there must be lots of clay around and we come upon a field that has dried out and shows off its lines against a clay white furrow. We head off in to Hexton and decide to stop off at the Raven for a pint of orange juice and lemonade. So two pints and two packets of crisps.
How much do you reckon? We would not have stopped if my liquid sac had not leaked. So it is my fault. Well for our two drinks and two packets of crisps it was £8.40. Shocking and we vow no more pubs for extortionate none alcoholic drinks. We later stop at a shop for a pint of milk and a pint of water for £1.50.We talk football. Both of us now interested in next season rather than this. Or I suppose Rob would still say he is 'excited' about the Europa Cup....but I wonder. Later we bump in to my neighbour Pete who said he heard me being upset during the Arsenal game. Apparently I just said 'bloody' very loudly in my cursing but I was very annoyed and very upset. I obviously cheered too much at last week's Manchester United defeat and am being paid back.
We talk poetry and Rob lets me in on an ode he is working on to some lonesome Cypriot sheep - a mouflon, apparently. Like all budding poets he is working through rough lines and reshaping them to seek balance, harmony and the appropriate imagery for this heroic beast. Not quite ready yet but order your advance copy as not since Wordsworth have such lines been crafted. It occurs to me that Rob is kind of the 'Nick Clegg' of poetry. He says a week ago this would have been a huge insult but he now takes it as a huge compliment.
Today's walk was a random ramble lead by me round my local territory. At one stage we did need to make some choices and had to rely on the map. Rob settles down comfortably now with map in hand, decisions to make, directions to give and more certainty about our destination...he is happy.
We pass through Higham Gobium which I only mention cos it is such a cute name. It is named after the Gobium family who lived in these parts after the Norman invasion of 1066. We now enter Shillington where rumour has it the name was originally Shitlington until the residents renamed it. We wonder if this is true. We bump in to Ida Winyard who does fantastic work raising hospice funds through charity choir singing. 
Rob asks her if she has lived in Shillington long to which she says she has just moved in. 21 years ago! She introduces us to Keith out walking his scotties who settle down for a rest as we chat. They recommend we take in the views from the church at the top of the hill and wander round the church. A lovely recommendation.
As we descend the hill we are amazed to see a car Al Capone and his heavies might have been seen around. Rob is thinking about how we could take this around the country with our machine guns ready politely asking for donations to the charity. Offering protection to those who support us. OK...you're right...nobody is going to be scared of us. Rob also captures more social history with his shot of the village shop where we got our milk and water.
As we walk between Shillington and Pirton we see a postmodern scarecrow. The height of kite technology representing a falcon or kestrel it looks really impressive scaring the birds from the middle of its field. I ask Rob to stretch his creative talents to their limits to capture this postmodern image in ways that convey the contrast to the stuffed old scarecrows of the past or a plastic bag on a pole.
Finishing in Pirton we are captivated by the colours of a cottage garden. All colours now pleasing the eye and giving off scents our noses want to dwell on.
No comments:
Post a Comment