The Leicestershire Round

24th October 2006

Barwell - Sutton Wharf - Bosworth Battle Field Site - Sutton Cheney - Market Bosworth (7.5 miles)

Back To Barwell

The bus stop in Barwell. It hadn't changed. On the way there I had a really nice chat with a Mrs. Watts, who turned out to be a great friend of the mother of Mr. S., who as we all know is of School Garden fame (see Matt In The Garden if you've forgotten, linked from the HomePage). The world gets smaller day by day...

The Simple Pleasures

Heading through the Industrial Estate of Barwell, I passed the fantastic smell of this food trailer and couldn't resist. Excuse - I needed the energy to complete my walk. I ordered an egg roll and learnt about the plumbing disasters of the lady serving behind the hatch. A small, simple pleasure, but it makes a difference!

Fields Of Mud

The heavy rain of the past few days has taken its toll on the countryside, now waterlogged and covered with puddles. It makes the walk very hard going - feet slip or get stuck to the mud, which then need to be yanked out on each step, and the path has to be side-stepped often to avoid walking through a muddy water-hole.

The UFO shaped head has gone, but 'The Shadow' is still there, mirroring my every step. I seem much taller in this photograph. This is what all of the exercise must be doing to me. Actually, I do feel much better for it, physically and mentally. Why people pay huge amounts of money to sweat in a gym, when they can just go for a walk on a muddy day for free, is beyond me.

The Next Crop

Already fields have been ploughed, sown and the the new crops are already breaking through the soil. This new wheat crop, capturing the autumn sun, will cover the soil with green over the winter. As it will already have done its first bit of growing, it will grow much quicker in the early spring warmth.

Usually as I 'do the Round', I follow the route on an Explorer map. However, at this point, the walk goes off the map and I must rely totally on the Good Book. I did wonder if the tarmac for this road came from Leicester City Centre where, after laying down lots of tarmac, they're ripping it up again to lay down stone slabs imported in from China.

The water draining off from the fields has made the normally quiet streams spring into swelling and fast moving action. The moral of this bubbly tale? Do not drink the water from this stream or you may get more than you bargained for. Who knows what those bubbles are made from?

The Leicester Round signs have not disappeared. They have been merged with the Ambion Way, a walk that is related to the Battle of Bosworth.

I cannot remember seeing dandelions at this time of the year before. However, I was suprised to see quite a number of dandelions in flower so late in the year. It is a very warm autumn, which may be making animals and plants go a bit 'out of synch.'

As I walked down to the towpath of the Ashby Canal, I saw a bull in the field beyond. He also saw me, and didn't look too happy about it. He made some strained, deep grunting noises as a walked down. I scoured the book just to check that I didn't have to go through his field. Luckily, I didn't.

This area is very well marked. The Good Book is a very useful guide to follow (as I'm sure they'll be glad to know!). I tend to follow maps more than words - again the book comes up trumps there. Using an Explorer map also lets me know about other sites and interesting bits near me, and gives me a 'bigger picture' of my walk.

It was a year ago, just about to the day, when I was on a canal boating holiday for a week. It is a great way to live life in the slow lane. For me, now, this wharf meant coffee. I was having an easy day - egg rolls, coffee... whatever next? A gang of Sherpas to carry my stuff around for me? Hey, now that's an idea...

The Round Walk leads right up to the site of the Bosworth Battlefield, where Richard III battled against Henry VII and lost, ending the medieval years and beginning the Tudor dynasty. I took time to look around the exhibition - it's a good one, full of facts and ways people died. You can even use a longbow and wear armour.

This is a new project at the site, to create an entire medieval village. So far, one and a half houses have been built, with plans for many more. They are made using traditional methods of a wooden frame and wattle and daub, complete with a thatched roof.

Richard III and his vast army camped here, where the flag can be seen flying by the tree. In fact, he must have taken up a huge area. Other flags and markers can be found showing where he died, where Henry VII camped and other key points on the battle. Had Richard III won the battle, which he almost did, what would our lives be like now?

Just beyond the battlefield site, heading towards Sutton Cheney, I came across these wild apples. Would Richard and Henry's men have had to rely on wild foods they found in the local area to keep them going? Despite their spotty looks, the flesh was white underneath. They tasted a bit sour, but edible.

The church at Sutton Cheney is a grand old beast, stout, simple in structure and with a working clock! It's old door, stonework and windows gave the impression that Richard's or Henry's men could ride by at any moment.

Amongst the lush green grass in the graveyard, these Orange Hawkweed flowers were very noticeable amongst the gravestones.

Passing through the narrow neck between The Duckery and Spring Wood, this European Larch, just past an isolated mock Tudor house, provided a bridge under which Rounders have to walk. A series of events have caught this tree on another and held it above the ground.

In some years, the trees go all amazing colours of reds, browns, oranges and purples in the autumn. This year, they seem a bit reluctant to turn into their rainbow colours (although the non-native exotic trees are making quite a show). The countryside is still very green. The Horse Chestnut trees, as pictured, are leading the way, now looking very bare, with what's left looking very yellow and brown.

Looking underneath the Chestnut tree

I was entranced by all that I could see.

A carpet of leaves, all scattered and brown,

With a single conker that had just fallen down.

The town of Market Boswoth seemed like an attractive place to visit. It draws heavily on it's local history, as could be seen by all of the shields of Richard and Henry that decorated the town, and the shops selling interesting historical items. The next bus to Leicester was 55 minutes away, so I took one to Hinckley...

...which took me through Barwell. Then, my bus from Hinckley to Leicester took me through... Barwell! Barwell - it's the place to see, again and again! I looked down and realised that I was taking part of a field home with me. I needed a serious clean up when I got back home!