10/11/13 - Blue Skies at Piddle Brook

Distance - 7.77 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration

Simply a gorgeous day and beautiful walk.  Last month's leg on the Millennium Way was completed in a downpour.  I am rewarded this time with perfect walking weather.... cool, blue skies and wonderful sunshine.  I need to soak up as much as possible, as we head into another British Winter.

Just as last time, we start at the Oak Pub, heading West, rather than East.

Instantly hit Upton Snodsbury, which is perfect picture book middle England.

Molly has taken a look at the Church

We take a short detour to find the cache in the Church Grounds.  An alley between the houses delivers us into the fields, and the vista opens up of what I have in store for this walk.

Heading out into the Green

Too much to expect for November

Superb views over the Malverns

That's the story for the walk.  Doesn't sound much, but it is terrific walking.  Work my way across the fields, through an orchard, across Piddle Brook and through North Piddle.

Flyford Flavell is the half way point.  I skirt the edges of the town and will be going through it on Stage 7.  There are a load of caches in this area, but I have found them all before, so have to make do with a single micro that is in an unusual container.

The way back offers alternative terrain.  We pick up the Wychavon way and have woodland to walk through.  Grafton Wood leads to Bow Wood, where there is the third and final cache of the day.  There is nothing better than a clue that says "hole and you need really long arms".  Caching gets you doing things that you would not normally entertain.

Emerge out of Bow Wood and I have the only field with live stock other than sheep to negotiate.  This one has chickens, cockerels, cows and some young bulls.  We try and make ourselves inconspicuous, like cowboys walking through sacred Indian burial grounds.  One of the bulls starts hollering.  This sets off the farm dogs and then the other cows join in.  At least they don't stampede.

2hrs 45 Minutes after setting out, I am back at the car.  Unusually, I don't fancy a post walk pint.

Another great leg of the Millennium Way.