The Leicestershire Round

15th July 2006

Belton in Rutland -- Hallaton -- Cranoe -- Glooston -- Thorpe Langton (10.5 miles)

The Bus Stop in Belton

Schools out for the summer! So it's time to jump on a bus and go walking again. It's an incredibly sunny day, as it has been for the past few weeks. I've been roasting in school during the heatwave, so now its time to do it properly in the open. Back to the Bus stop in Belton in Rutland and onwards!

Houses in Belton

There are many attractive villages around Leicestershire with idyllic looking houses. These ones are made from ironstone. It's very peaceful around here. My walking boots were the loudest sound I could hear as I clumped down the street.

Au Revoir Rutland

It was only a brief spell in the county of Rutland. Rutland - has a big reservoir and makes nice beer. I really must make the time to find out more about Rutland...

With my tendancy to go the wrong way at least once per walk, I appreciate any clear markers given to me to help me on my way. There's no mistaking this one - if I get lost whilst following this path, then for the safety of society I had better stay at home next time (otherwise who knows where I'd end up?)

Scorched Earth

The path tells it all. It hasn't rained properly for a few weeks now and during all of this time the sun has beaten down on the earth and dried it into cracked concrete. The danger is that when it does rain, and if it rains hard, it won't soak into the ground straight away but run over the top of it. In severe rainstorms this could cause flash flooding and wash away tonnes of soil. These are major problems in drier parts of the world.

The lambs born in the spring are now outsizing their mothers. Although used to humans entering their fields, the sheep you can see bleating in the picture let me know that she knew I was there. Have a listen:

I almost feel like one of those relatives who, on seeing their nephew/niece or grandchild, go "Ooh! Haven't you grown!" Some fields now need to be fought through on my walk, such as these towering broad beans.

I prepared myself for entering Hallaton and was on the lookout for any ducks turned bad in the area, especially any that were hanging out on pond corners or wearing hoodies. However, I thought that this sign was decieving, as I found the ducks to be very calm and pleasant, not how they were advertised at all. They all quacked cheerfully as I passed and politely let me pass through them.

Only 4.5 miles walked but I needed a break already. The Fox Inn appeared just at the right time. I had a deja vu experience - I had been here before. This is where I came for the first time only the night before for a meal with some friends. And to think it was too cold to sit outside last night!

In many villages there may be one or two thatched cottages still around, but in Hallaton there are a great number of cottages protected from the rain by straw (or do they use reeds, as some house do?) A very attractive village to visit.

Ok, it isn't quite a tardis (I'm sure Dr Who would not like people looking in at him through the windows) but red telephone boxes are becoming a rare sight these days. It was a very fitting sight to see one of these boxes still working in Hallaton. It gave the impression of stepping back in time a few decades.

As I walked through the fields on the way to Cranoe, I saw a great number of these Meadow Brown butterflies. They're often seen on thistles, flittering from one flower to another. I was the only walked on the rouind today, or so it seemed. No-one else was daft enough to go on a long walk on a day like this.

As I was walking down this road to Glooston, I realised that I was not going to finish a huge walk today. The heat was bearable in the shade but sapped all energy out of you if you moved in it. I looked out for any shady areas that I could walk in for a while. I saw none.

I have a particular fondness for the countryside of Leicestershire. Having lived both in very hilly areas and very flat areas, Leicestershire offers a happy medium between the two - an interesting, gentle landscape that offers a great number of relaxing walks.

Looking at the Ford as I was coming in to Thorpe Langton, I was tempted to jump about in the water to cool down. But that would have been silly, especially as the water was browner than the dried grass beside it. I would stop in this village and wait for the next bus.

Near the ford, I saw this metal object. It was hollow inside and was obviously formed for some great purpose. But what for? I cannot think of any use for it, apart from: a) a clumsy drinking container, b) a very heavy hat, or c) an armoured ant hill. If you know what it is, do let me know.

Aaah... After my long walk in the heat, I can relax and get a tall drink of lemonade to cool me down. Ah, perhaps not. It's shut. Once I found out where to get the bus, I found some shade to sit in.

There was nothing else to do apart from to sit patiently at the village notice board and wait for the next bus. It was shaded, which was very refreshing. The man who I spoke to earlier came over again and we chatted awhile as I waited for the bus. That's the great thing about going for these walks: you meet a variety of people, often only for quick chats, but they help to add to the enjoyment of the walk.