DH, AC, Sully
Lockdown 2.0 was in force and so following advice we decided to restrict our walks to pairs. All names were entered into an old line randomiser app and you got who you got! So it was Adrian and myself who set of for a socially distanced walk around the Stourhead estate on a damp and windy November morning. We parked up at the end of the track past the hairpin, having negotiated a rather deep puddle and suitably booted and clothed set off in an anti-clockwise direction. Sully was in in element, wet, muddy, company and some where different again. He was soon splashing through any puddle he could whilst we just took advantage of the extra shelter being so low down.
The autumnal colours were gorgeous, a sad sign though of how much of the year we had missed not being able to get out into the countryside so often. It was also evident how much felling had taken place since I was last in the area. Previously I have organised Army orienteering events in Stourhead, so I know the area pretty well, but seeing so much open space was certainly a bit of a shock. Reading the signs around, it would appear there has been an infection in most of the larch trees which have been felled to try and stop the disease spreading. Makes you wonder how rife disease is across the world in one form or another and actually if it will beat the human race in the end. Anyway enough gloom, onwards and upwards, literally as we took the winding path under the ridge before making the slow and steady ascent to the top path. Not many folks in the woods today but a few comments of how dirty a lovely white retreiver can get so fast!
The wind was pushing in rain and mist as we walked towards the tower, certainly not a day, even if we could, for going to the top. 35 years I’ve live here now and still not made it up there yet!
A steady walk across very wet level tracks before dropping back down to the cars. No big breakfast today afraid but a flask of coffee and some chocolate muffins had to do. A good 2.5 miles, great company and a tired, and eventually clean Sully.
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