Walk 5 Peatling Magna to Claybrooke Magna

24th June 2012


Here we all are ready and eager for another walk round Leicestershire. Another beautiful day in the offing and we are all looking forward to plenty of fine scenery, good beer and food in our stroll into the M69/M6/M1 triangle.

[Note: Stanley went on holiday and has left us without most of his thoughts on this walk, and so this blog is being to be made up as I go along.]

The thirsty walkers stand outside the first pub.  

Note open door that was closed later on in the day

Actually when I say "all of us" you will again notice that one of our happy band is missing.  This time it is Ev, as far as I understand she had to miss this one because she was learing to read, although I am sure that cannot be right. {Edit - doing a reading}.  It was suggested that her legs had worn down so much that she was worried she might not get over some of the tall stiles, but I discount that one because my legs are not that long but I can do it most of the time.

So anyway, it was pretty dark and ominous as the happy band moved away from the safety of The Cock Inn at Peatling and our resident photograther and transcriber of my thoughts decided it was too dark to take proper photographs so he experimented with the new camera (oh dear).

First up into what appeared to be a series of wild flower meadows.  Although given the amount of rain we have had it could just be that the grass has never been dry enough to cut. Almost immediately we came across some friendly ponies who were more than a little interested in the camera.

Eye see a pony

Happy pony tries to eat Steve's arm

Having fought off the pony we continued on through the meadows towards the motorway.  Here it looks as if our resident photographer was taking a bit of a rest - that's a little bit early in the walk!

Time for a kip amongst the flowers

 Time for a kip amongst the flowers II

Anyway he managed to catch us up as we traversed the first difficult bit of the day.  No suprise that it was going to be muddy somewhere along the route.

Another Long Hot Summer

But it was not long before we were back onto reasonably firm ground.

Now the tradition of kissing gates and kissing bridges is lost on a dog, but it is probably sufficient to say that there were an awful lot of them on this walk.

Oh err...

Anyway...off throught he fields towards Willoughby Watterleys which was neither was Willowey or Watterley as I had expected, but you cannot have everything in life I suppose.  Still they do celebrate the success of the siege of Gibralter.

Frenchie bashing in the Willoughbys

And then off into fields again.  Great fun was had here bounding along and generally being silly.  Experimental photos ahoy.

Dog on the run

the rain exploded with a mighty crash as we fell into the sun

the first one said to the second one there I hope you're having fun

Rabbits on the run

And after that a most astonishing transition from dark to light as the big yellow thing in the sky came out.  Of course, this caused trouble all round as the humans decided to take off their coats.

Rain ahoy folks

Now, as any dog worth his or her salt can tell you, taking your coat off in this the most English of all Summers was just asking for trouble.  But they did it anyway, and so there is only one picture of the next bit of the walk as it went "as black as your hat" [odd saying really I don't have a hat and if I did it wouldn't be black] and we got a little bit wet.  Across fields, through fishing lakes, across fields towards the M1.

Stormy Sunday

On the way Jane went all hippy on us - is that a dandelion in your boot Jane?

Off to San Francisco

[Sorry the photographer could not hold the camera still enough - note rain coat back on].

And then we were there, walking alongside the M1.  The noise had been quite bad for about a mile now, but walking alongside it was incredible.  And then the sun came out again....

The M1 traverse begins

Ahh, dingly dell...and if I'm not mistaken a kissing gate [though I don't fancy my chances with the next one through the gate...]

Go on give us a kiss

So here we are about to climb up to the bridge that we will be using for our traverse today.  And here is the source of the noise (no not John..) below.

Quiet day on the M1

And so a quick stroll across the fields towards Dunton Bassett and the reward of lunch and a swift half (or so).

Cow and Calf (but no Yorkshires in sight)

The weather is not looking to clever but the pub has a covered area outside so we are OK if it does rain.

What...no food?

As it happens there is not a drop of rain in sight so we can sit in the sun.  As it also happens the pub staff seem to have missed the course on customer service, and so no food!  Seems that they were unable to put a slice of meat from the carvery into a bun and make a huge profit on it.  So walkers beware, don't go to Dunton Bassett on a Sunday and expect food, you'll just end up looking as happy as the face here

Another happy punter in Dunton Bassett

zero chips to The Dunton Bassett Arms (even the beer was pretty ordinary).

So we prepare to leave Dunton Basset behind and go in urgent search of food.  Next village is Leire over a mile away.

Welcome to Dunton Bassett, Leicestershire's friendly village

The path out of Dunton Bassett was glorious (possibly becuase we were leaving), and there is no doubt that it was beginning to warm up.

Dreaming of food

Did I mention caches?  Well there is one around here somewhere, but without the cache finder general on the case I'm not sure if we will ever find it. Kerching..I've actually forgotten how many there were by this stage.  I'll say four and hope i am right.

Daisy or Poppy

And on into Leire. The first pub was not only closed it was for sale...that bodes well we thought as we walked on.

Pub! So eight chips to the Queens Arms in Leire.  The conversation went something like:

"Do you do rolls or sandwiches?

Sorry it is Sunday lunch only.

Oh

But we do have some rolls, we could make you some if you would like"

Jane considers chicken, or chicken considers Jane

And here we are spending our money in Leire rather than Dunton Bassett. 
All except Stanley, of course, who is like the Queen and never carries money.

Time for a bit of a kip thinks Stanley (I need a holiday thinks Stanley)

Of course, beer has a funny effect on "the girls"

Oh heck a kissing bridge, and I've just had my lunch

And after Gillian comes Jane.  The beer seems to have had an effect on Jane's legs, now Jane knows what it like for Ev to scramble over these stiles.

Too much beer

Yet another mountain to climb

And off we go to Frolesworth.  Not much to say about the place except it seems to have been knocked down and rebuilt.  Still at least it wasn't raining, even through everyone is still fully prepared with coats, water proofs and sun hats at the ready.

Looking back towards Leire

The sun finally begins to shine as we leave Frolesworth behind and head across towards Claybrooke Mangan and the end of the walk.

The end in sight

Claybrooke Magna is on the horizon (that's the bit between the sky and the land for non technical persons) in the photo above.  But, oh no is that rain I see?

The grass is still long across these fields too.  I'm glad it was not like this throughout the walk, my poor little legs would have been very tired.

And now some photos of this bit of the walk [edit: the only bit of the walk where there was enough light for long enough].

John and Jane bring up the back of the peloton

John and Jane have fallen so far behind even Stanley leaves his new "best friend" [Rob] to go and have a look for them

Come on guys the pub will be shut if you are not quick

And then suddenly here we are, the end of walk 5 and Claybrook Magna.

So without Stanley to advise me I will give this walk three muddy boots.  Nothing special it has to be said, but even so better than doing nothing.

On the cache front I think the register for the day was twelve. 

For those who are counting that walk was 9.98 miles.  That makes a total walked distance of 41.3 miles and 59.25 approx miles still to go.

Just time enough to leap in the car and go back to Peatling Magna for a swift half before travelling home. [Edit: or not as the case may be, pub was closed.  Sunday in the UK is not like it used to be!]

Download the gpx file here (click on actions - export)  Please use a virus checker.

Next time.  High Cross Roman Road, and also early barracks of the Leicestershire Militia, a duck (honest), the M69, land of my fathers and some of my forefathers, two more ducks and then we get very Common indeed.  Oh and only one pub!

c. Stanley Dog 2012