Walk 25 -10.1 miles - Total 326.7 miles - To Go 673.3 miles

Pathfinder Guide Walk 28 Clophill, Gravenhurst and Wrest Park
















Committed to the cause Rob turns up with a croaky voice, sore throat and cough but still up for the walk. We are doing this walk to make sure that we cross 500 miles with Robin Franklin (Professor of Research in to Myelin Repair at Cambridge University) on our final day of Offa's Dyke. Another gloriously sunny day making everything that is bursting in to life on tree and stem look at its best and add to the great mood you feel on days like this.

We set off from Clophill and after a couple of immediate wrong turns picked up by Rob's now highly tuned antenna for heading the wrong way we find the Green Slade Ridge walk. It is immediately delightful following paths through orchards just beginning their blossoming. We meet Bob and Sarah who are doing the same walk but much faster. They caught us up from way behind and after chatting are quickly way ahead. They give us directions and tell us we can stop off and explore the Church ruin up ahead. I hasten to add we are slower than other walkers due to the creative process we need to work through for Rob's masterpiece photos he takes along the way.

St Mary's 'Old' Clophill Church on the brow of the hill raises many questions. It is now a ruin after being Clophill's Church from 1350 to 1849. The position of the church at the top of the hill gives it stunning views across the surrounding countryside. So why would you move it down the hill. Even if it is a ten minute walk for the residents surely the view is worth it. We think back to how Thomas Hardy walked several miles to get to his church in Dorset. We see a new community of graffiti artists have moved in. They are making use of this spot for what they do. There is also a rope and steps up to a room within the remains of the church. The steps are well worn. What goes on up there? We imagine the tensions that must exist between those who are using it for what they do and those who want to see it preserved as some historic site representing its previous use in some way. We hear later that barricades have been put up to keep the new users out but they were of little deterence. I feel that enquiring energy of childhood as I wonder what goes on here now. We descend the hill and see the new church which is a sort of copy of the old church and again wonder why move it down the hill?

As we move on Rob informs me that Mercury went retrograde on Sunday and will stay there for three weeks. How we got to this from asking why we couldn't call someone who had asked us to prepare some material for the press baffled me. I had no idea who Mercury was and what retrograde meant. Rob patiently explains it is terrible for Virgo's this event and that since Sunday he has lost his phone, his internet has started playing up, he can't send out any emails, his golf swing has deserted him and he has a sore throat. All evidence that Mercury's retrogression should never be understeimated! Now I understand.


We sit resting against some hay bales in warm sunshing looking over an English countryside scene to take our lunch. Tasty Haloumi Lounza sandwiches made by Sou....wonderful. As we head down to Wrest Park I notice a sign for Global Robots on a barn just before we get to the Versaille inspired stately home. As we stop and Rob takes his photos we meet Alex and ask him about the Robots. Alex tells us he was qualifying as an apprentice electrician and needed somewhere to finish off his apprenticeship and joined Global Robots two years ago. He is now qualified and the manager here and still only twenty. The robots are those machines you see painting cars and putting them together to music on ads on tv. These are all retired Robots. Most at least ten years old and replaced by newer models. They come here and are refurbished. Andy the owner tells us they can last forever and he goes all over the world to buy up robots out to retirement knowing they have many more years of use ahead of them.
Alex tells us they can do anything. We wonder but then he tells us they can stack pallets, load potatoes on to pallets and this raised a smile......they can milk cows. We look sceptical but he assures us they have been successfully used to do this. One is also being used in a Dinosaur on Leash exhibition in London where the Dinosaur head moves forward towards visitors and opens its mouth at them. Astonishing to come across this next to a stately home in the middle of English countryside. We wish you well with your business Andy and great to meet you and Alex.

We finish back in Clophill where we meet Jill who filled us in more on St Mary's Church. Another wonderful day and next up is Offa's Dyke. We both fear it but will do it and are sure we will learn a lot about ourselves as we take it on.