The Leicestershire Round

16th September 2006

Dunton Bassett - Leire - Frolesworth - Claybrooke Parva - High Cross - Sharnford - Aston Flamville - (Hinckley) (13.5+ miles)

Brace Yourself!

Back to Dunton Bassett for the next round of the walk. I had braced myself today for a long walk, as many of the villages that I would be passing through either had no bus service that I knew of or just the odd bus every now and then. My destination was Barwell, oh so many miles away. Still, every long journey begins with the first step...

Lost And Found

The well trodden fields leading out of Dunton Bassett seemed popular for dog walkers (I didn't see any dogs, so how did I know...?) At some point, someone had lost this leash for their dog, which another person had kindly hung over this gate for it to be found again. An investigation was launched by local police to trace the owner, and the Leicester Mercury ran a story about it for a few days, appealing for witnesses, but both were without success.

Hip Hip Horray!

A characteristic show from the autumn hedgerow is the display of bright red rose hips, often from the wild Dog Rose. These are a very good source of Vitamin C, so I am told. The bits inside are also great for using as itching powder, as I remember well from my school days.

This lake by Stemborough Mill, often hidden from view by a hedge thick with a variety of red-coloured haws, was popular with fishermen (and women - fisherpeople?).

Noisy

Just past Stemborough Mill was the loud humming crackle of this power line. In the calm morning air, it seemed almost deafening. This is what I could hear standing directly underneath the power line:

Another quiet outpost of Leicestershire with a quiet way of life and attractive houses. As the good book tells me, part of the nearby disused railway line has been bought by parishoners and donated as a very popular Nature Walk which leads into Ullesthorpe (about 2 miles south).

The Elderberries are ripe and ready to be picked - if you want them. When I lived in Germany I was given a tonic made from Elderberries which, when heated and drank, was good for driving out colds. I must find this recipe again as it would be useful against the usual teacher's half-term flu!

This view leaving Frolesworth taunts all of the Leicester Round walkers. If I carried on this road to Sharnford, I would only have 2 miles to cover. However, the round dips sharply south for a good walk, turns west, then up again to Sharnford, taking 8.5 miles. The temptation to go on the road was strong, but my conscience took me southward.

The leatherjackets are all hatching out at this time of year into Craneflies, or Daddy Long Legs as they are more commonly known. There were millions of them. Each step sent hundreds of them wobbling into flight, most being careful to miss me, but a number still crashed into me.

Even though it's a Saturday, I still crept past this school in Claybrooke Parva, trying not to be seen. I know this wasn't necessary, but old habits die hard.

Ever on the look-out for a home, I surveyed this property with a possible eye to buy. I still think it's more than I can afford, but I was impressed by the use of natural light in the home and the authentic wooden effect of the ceiling.

These sloes (or blackthorn berries - which ever you prefer) are just about ready to harvest. I'm sure that they have more uses than making sloe gin. The bushes are absolutely bursting with berries this year.

Passing by High Cross (the acclaimed centre of England and junction of the old Roman roads of the Fosse Way and Watling Street - now the A5) I met an old man who I chatted to as we made our way up the path of the old Fosse Way. He was keen to tell me about the history of the area, and pointed out that the stones you can see on the path are from the origonal Roman road.

The last of the field crops are being harvested now. There are now few fields with crops in. I remember the cornfiled behind the house I used to live in was alight with burning straw at this time of year. These days, for the sake of our environment, farmers have to plough the straw stub into the land.

The path to Sharnford has changed from that shown on the map by the creation of a new wildlife reserve, painted by the Y5/6 pupils of Sharnford Primary School. Two photographers from the Syston Photographic Society told me about the changes (and pointed me in the right direction!)

I am not a twitcher myself (I photograph plants, yet I wouldn't sit there and watch them. Is there a name for that?) but I can undertsand the attraction of it. Just spending a few minutes watching the daily lives of the birds was very relaxing and quite fascinating. Much more interesting than Big Brother!

Passing by this filed, I was glad that there was a fence between myself and those huge horns you can see in the picture.

At last - Sharnford! They like their willow trees around here which added to an enchanting hidden dimension to the village. However, having passed through a Willoughby Waterleys on the last walk, with a distinct lack of willow trees, I reckon that this village should now claim that name.

I crossed the M69 as a weary traveller, but was cheered up by the sight of this Llama, looking very Llamary. I presume it is a Llama - I didn't have my 'Unusual Animal' Spotters Guide with me. It stared at me for a while, stretched its neck and then carried on in a Llamary sort of way.

OK. This overgrown path wasn't that bad (unless you were a cranefly - I was covered in web-enclosed cranefly husks by the time I got out of here) but it didn't feel inviting or part of the Round. I realised later it wasn't - I had taken a wrong turn just before this field and ended up in Burbage.