Walk 06/2008 – Cheesy Walking

Sunday 9th March 2008

15 of us set off for a local walk in the area close to the pretty villages of Stilton and Folksworth. Setting off from by the Church in Stilton the walk took us along a variety of tracks, wooded areas and fields. The scenery was generally pleasant, if unspectacular with long distance views across the fields and for much of the latter part of the walk a back drop of wind turbines on the horizon. Although for the most part of the walk we were never very far from the A1M, there was no traffic noise although we were slightly perturbed when walking through a field we all suddenly had to scatter due to a car coming!

At one point for a brief moment a fox trotted along in front of us before disappearing into the hedgerow.

There seems to be a lot of work going on in putting new kissing gates in to replace stiles. One farmer chatted to us as we walked through his yard and tried to get us to express a view on whether the gates had been poorly constructed. He obviously thought they weren’t up to scratch and appeared to be looking for a “quote” from a local rambling group. Alan managed to side step the question.

Lunch, for the long walkers, was eaten in a very pretty wooded glade with a pond – a very peaceful little spot complete with a rickety wooden seat made for two.

The weather was generally kind to us with just one short light shower, light winds and occasional bursts of sunshine.

We disturbed a pheasant at very close quarters whilst walking across one of the fields and also very clearly heard a woodpecker in a copse over to the side of our footpath. However none of our resident bird experts were able to identify which type of woodpecker it was from the sound. Claire admitted she still has not got through her bird book as far as W.

Ten of us completed the full walk of 12.7 miles with five choosing the slightly shorter option of around 10 miles. Due to the flat terrain it was a comparatively easy walk, but nice to stroll along and enjoy the good company.

We ended the walk by partaking of liquid refreshments in the Talbot Inn in Stilton. All in all a pleasant way to spend a Sunday

Report – Angela

Pictures – Alan and Nigel

Walk rating – surprisingly good for so close to Peterborough

We walk out from Stilton.

We pause to consult the map.

Cambridgeshire countryside.

Don Corleone and his moll check with Alan that we are on the right track.

Amanda strikes a pose.

I’m sure we are here.

Looking towards Lutton.

Crossing a little bridge near Lutton.

The longer walkers find a scenic pond to sit by for lunch.

Lunch by the pond.

Another view of the pond.

Reading a sign board seems to have caused some amusement.