The Leicestershire Round
9th December 2006
Newtown Linford - Bradgate Park - Woodhouse Eaves - (4.5 miles)
The Final Beginning
On the last leg of the Round. Newtown Linford church was in the process of being decorated for Christmas, with a large christmas tree lying outside waiting to be taken in. I was joined by another walker. Compared to when we went up the 'Old Man' in Coniston, Lake District, a couple of months previously, this was going to be very relaxing.
A Christmas Clue
Compared to Leicester city, where many houses compete with each other to see how many Christmas tree lights their houses can physically support and how large they can make their electricity bills, Newtown Linford is quite tame and sparing with its decorations. OK, it was daytime when we were there, but there weren't too many clues that Christmas was coming. This nativity scene was one of the few we saw.
The Park
Central Park in New York was described to me as the lungs of the city. Bradgate Park, although away from the city, is similar. It is where many Leicesterians go for their exercise or to get a breath of fresh air. You should see this path heave with people in the summer! Fortunately, once you get off the path, you can almost believe there is no-one else around.
This must have been a magnificent house, set within a magnificent view. Lady Jane Grey lived here, the unwilling queen of England for 9 days, until she was beheaded by the orders of Mary Tudor, King Henry VIII's daughter.
The Bracken Fields
The park is a huge home for hundreds of deer who roam the large grassy expanses. However, large areas of the park are overgrown with bracken, which deer (unfortunately) do not eat, as it is poisonous. This part is the foreground had been mowed. We saw some deer looking wistfully at this area in the distance.
Built as a folly in 1784, this monument can be seen for many miles around. Apart from being a monument, its purpose is, well, unclear. It's a fantastic building though, giving Bradgate Park a feel of being in ancient times. I would like to say that this, then, could possibly be my next house, but that would be complete folly and nonsense.
The view from Old John is outstanding. Before you, you can see Leicester is just about its fullness. Doesn't look very big, does it? I have now (just about) walked around the entirety of this city. I can see my trodden paths in the distance...
Although these mini-forests must be there all year round, they're not usually noticed until the Christmas period. Pick Your Own (Dig Your Own?) christmas trees. Apparently, some trees are sprayed to prevent theft. They don't smell outdoors but they stink when warmed up indoors. Some places even use fox urine. (How do they get that?) Also, what do they do if someone then buys the tree?
Gone are the days when nature was simple. In spring time the flowers came. In summer the berries ripened. In autumn they were picked and in winter the plants went dormant. Simple. Now, with the winters being so warm, the plants haven't a clue what to do. Hence why these brambles are flowering now. Will young children today ever see a decent winter?
Yet more newly planted forests on the way to Woodhouse Eaves.
The sign of a new year coming is already here with these Hazel catkins already hanging from their branches.
Normally, ladybirds will find a crevice to crawl in to for overwintering. This one has decided to stay out in the open, or perhaps she (he?) hasn't gone to bed yet. She'll (he'll?) have to move soon. Once the birds start getting hungry, she'll (he'll?) be an easy snack.
I almost made a faux pas whilst crossing this golf course. Seeing three balls lying around the place, I was tempted to pick them up (not that I wanted them, but it's just what some people do for no reason.) Luckily, the guiding voice of my walking companion told me of three approaching figures in the distance. I was saved from a certain confrotation.
There is nothing better than a challenge, and what better a challenge could you want than an entire rose bush blocking your way? Unfortunately, unlike when I was walking behind Fleckney in the summer, I didn't have my secateurs with me. We both had to do a risky 'The Matrix' style manoeuvre to get round.
A disagreement happened on the other side of this field. We needed to get from the far right corner of the field to this gate. There were two possible ways: a straight diagonal, or around the edge? The map said around the edge. So we went around the edge, thinking there must be a good reason to do this. Once we got to the gate, we realised there wasn't a good reason to do this.
The ivy berries are full and the holly is already coming in to flower. Two opposite ends of a plant's life-cycle.
This ivy plant, found when walking in to Woodhouse Eaves, must have an incredibly successful pollination strategy. It was drooping with the weight of full, globular sets of ivy berries. It must be my botanical nature that drew my attention to this...
This is where it all started, the bus stop in Woodhouse Eaves. I have now officially walked the Leicester Round, all 110 miles of it (and the rest from getting lost, etc.!) It was great to do it all in a year too, to see the seasons change as I walked. So what am I going to do next year...?
We celebrated by going to the Old Bull's Head, on the road to Woodhouse. It was the first time I had been here since it's renovation - we bundled in, with muddy boots and a borrowed Winnie-the-Poo hat, into a rather classy joint. The prices woke us up but the food was good, and they had Landlord on tap! Others joined us to relax and chatter the afternoon away.
