Ratby Circular 1

13th February 2007

Leicester County Council - Parish Walks leaflet (3 miles)

Past The Playing Fields

Setting off from the Ratby Memorial, outside the Primary School, we headed down Burroughs Road until we passed the school playing fields on the left. We found the sign to follow. Not lost yet. All is well.

The New Forest

As in many other fields in Leicestershire, this one has been planted up to be the forests of the future. In 50 years time, the landscape around Ratby will look very different surrounded by tall forests.

Spring Is Coming

Although spring is still a couple of months away (we haven't had our long periods of cold weather yet!) this sight always gives the impression that the longer days and warmer temperatures are not so far away. Hazel catkins can be found drooping everywhere. Some may turn in to hazelnuts. The squirrels are getting excited already!

Whereas last year I was talking about the dry weather and low water levels, that's not so much of a problem this year! If I was a 4x4 vehicle or a tractor, I would have no problem here. As it was, I'm human, so I gingerly walked over the deep mud canyons and mud swamps, hoping my boots would stay with me.

Lumpy Fields

This field still shows how fields were ploughed in Medieval times. These lumps are called Ridges and Furrows and were caused by farmers ploughing in only one direction, going round in circles, heaping up all of the earth towards the center. The fact they are still here proves that this field has never been ploughed by modern machinary.

This path led around the side and the back of the Ratby Burroughs wood. A robin tracked us as we went on our way, singing incredibly loud and tuneful songs.

Having survived the mud, we got on to the Burroughs road. It was all easy going now. We'd be home in no time... that was until we saw two English Setters called Roscoe and Jasmine and their owner in the adjoining field, who took our attention for a good while.

A very foresty photo - a large fungus growing out of a dead log.

We were heading back to Ratby at a good pace, trying to make up for lost time, but I didn't think that this sign was really necessary. It's not as if we were in danger of braking the speed limit.

Coming to the ford on the Burroughs Road, we had two choices - cross over the footbridge or stand in the water and splash about. As you can see, the footbridge was ignored. (I was told that this was to clean the mud off boots, but I wasn't sure if I should believe that or not...)