Brian returns to the fold

Sat 1 Nov 25. DH, RW, BS, DL, CH, JB, JS Scrumpy & Albus

It was back in May ‘24 that Brian last walked with us on a Saturday, so it was good to have him join back in again today. In that time he has missed around seventy walks and breakfasts including many new areas and cafes, and of course all the banter that goes on each weekend. Having stopped because of the pain in his hip, the new one fitted in Shepton Mallett hospital back in the summer has now settled well enough for him to return to the fellowship of the group. I opted for a short local one this week with about a half being across fields and the other half on minor roads or tracks. There had been a lot of rain in the preceding week so I was expecting it to be a bit damp underfoot with some areas of muddy ground.

Todays group of ‘magnificent seven’ met at 0815 at the church/village hall at Lower Shepton and with seven pairs of boots this week we set off on a clockwise loop towards the old Dowding farmhouse. Taking a path at the side we passed through a small orchard and then came across our first claggy field of the Autumn. There was no alternative but go straight across it, so we were thankful it was only about thirty meters or so to reach the far hedgerow. My map showed the path passing through near the corner but JBs live mapping showed it a bit further down the hedgeline. The edge couple of feet of the field although out of the mud appeared to have been the stumps and stalks of a former hedgerow, which typically was laying against our direction of travel. Thankfully the stile into the next field wasn’t too far and although it was a tricky one to cross, there was good damp grass the other side to start cleaning our mud laden boots on. A second stile took us into a large field where the view in front of us was the hill we would soon be walking up.

We exited the last field on this path through a large opening in the hedge, the same one we had been unable to find in the hedgeline last time, so I guess someone had been out to clear it since then. We came out by a row of cottages and had to turn left for 50 metres to find the diverted path taking us to the rear of them. Again the stiles were not the easiest and were really testing out Brian’s new hip as we made our way on a narrow pathway beside a small stream and then out into a large field with a small copse surrounding a small pond. Hopefully though that was the end of the stiles for this week.

We passed through a small wooded area and then started the climb through an uneven field. The skies had cleared and it became warm quickly as we all started to remove items of excess clothing. As we followed the right of way, it dropped below the rear garden area of a property but as the landowner was repairing a fence, he allowed us to continue through h beneath his tennis court to pick back up with the path a bit late on. We then climbed through a farmyard and exited onto the Bratton Seymour road.

With the of the former girls school building towering above us we climbed a short track up to the parish church of St Nicholas. I included information in my blog from June this year about the church which can be read here. Having confirmed the path was indeed slippery when wet, we paused for this weeks photo infront of the 12th century building and then spent a few minutes inside the church before starting our descent down the steep and narrow path through the trees. By this point we had already been going for around an hour and although the way back was on good roads or tracks and mostly downhill, we had to pick up the pace a bit.

Apart from a brief stop to take in the view across to the Pen Selwood ridge and King Alfeds tower, we dropped down the hill at a rapid pace. Having decided there was not enough time left to go through some of Dowdings apple orchards today we turned right onto Hoens Lane and stayed on it until we emerged alongside Lower Farm House, Dowdings old family home we passed an hour or so earlier. On the far side of the road and totally unseen as we passed by earlier we’re a good few turkeys, getting fattened up ready for a Christmas table somewhere.

Richard was clearly delighted to see them and before he could stop himself issued the timeless line, last used by him on the floor of the Cambridge University Bar or maybe even the local Pegasus nightclub many years ago - “That’s a mighty fine looking bird”!

Once we had stopped laughing and selected our birds for the festive slaughter, we completed the days walk with a short stroll back through the village to the hall.

A good ninety minute walk of just under three miles, and ample changes of terrain and altitude to test out Brian’s new hip thoroughly.

It was then just a ten minute drive back along the narrow lanes to The Dolphin on Wincanton High Street for this weeks breakfast.

The two Johns had arrived first and were well settled in when the rest of us arrived in the restaurant area. Deryck immediately appointed himself as the toast monitor again and soon had both toasters loaded up, and the waitress was pretty prompt taking our orders. With coffee and teas brought to the table, and orange juice and milk jugs acquired from the kitchen we didn’t have too long to wait before the first toast popped up and was brought to the table to be shared around. Soon after the vegetarian options and the larger traditional breakfast were brought in, although there was a much longer wait for the small ones. Everyone agreed though that it was worth the wait and with the convenience and friendliness of the staff, certainly one to use again when we don’t want to travel too far. All in all a good walk for November and great to have Brian back with us again.

PS. I told you I wouldn’t mention the spilt milk Richard!

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