Today there was supposed to be a group walk for Joyce's walking group and I was due to lead the second group of six. It was a repeat of this walk we did last December, so I knew the route.. from Chevington church to and then around the Ickworth Estate. But, of course, no group walks now we are in lockdown. It was such a lovely day and I wanted to get out in it, so, at about 9am I decided I would just do the walk on my own. I got my stuff together, including a packed lunch and drove to Chevington, setting off walking by about 9:55. I texted Joyce to say I was doing it anyway and she replied saying she thought Jane and Squints were planning on doing it too.
This was my route - pretty much identical to last time although I did take the field edge option for the last bit of muddy path on the way back, remembering that Joyce had checked that it was possible, and added a little detour to go and visit the monument. This was my route.
As before, I went up to the entrance to the estate, down towards the River Linnet, following it downstream to the end of the estate then back past the house and church down to the river again. Now I turned south-east, passed the canal and then the fairy lake and went up through the woods to the monument before returning to Chevington.
Here are a few of my photos.
I parked by the church across the road from the elegant Church Cottage.
I passed part of the Chevington Hall moat, reflecting the blue. blue sky.
After a bit if a muddy track, I climbed steadily to boundary of the Ickworth Estate.
I got some wonderful views, full of autumn colour.
Following the Linnet I passed the white houses.
In the summer it almost dries up, but it was flowing now.
As I climbed up towards the house, just after I passed Ickworth Lodge, I met these two characters. It was Jane and Squints! They weren't doing the same walk but had parked in the Ickworth House car park and were going round the estate in the opposite direction to me.
I headed for the entrance to the hotel.
In front of the hotel I found a herd of deer 😄
Work is still continuing on the house.
I went down the hill to the church.
There are some impressive trees on the estate... and lots of mistletoe.
The canal, a lake on the Linnet by the walled garden.
The fairy lake.
I headed up the hill through the woods and at the top who should I meet again? "Are you stalking us?", asked Jane. "No, I'm going in the opposite direction", I replied.
At the top now I had a good view back towards the house.
I took a short detour to visit the monument.The monument was erected in 1817 by the people of Derry as a memorial to Frederick Hervey, the 4th Earl of Bristol.
I descended back towards Chevington, along the frontgarden of the Armswater Cottages again.
This time, I avoided the muddy path by using the field edge.
And here I am back at the old school and Church.
What a beautiful autumn morning's walk of just under 9 1/2 miles. Great to bump into Jane and Squints too... twice! It made my day.I needn't have bothered with a packed lunch as I was home by 1:15pm. Now where shall I walk next week?
You can see more details of my route here on MapMyWalk and more of my photos here on Flickr
No comments:
Post a Comment