On the map, it looked fine: a three mile circular walk starting at the Lydiates, (or Cross Gun Club, as many people know it).
It started well, with a view over to Vale Head Farm, which used to be a riding school, then a livery yard, and is now part of the Ruskin Trust's Glasshouse College (click to see more), providing educational opportunities for young people with particular needs
The path passes the old farm buildings, now part of Cross Gun Club
There are good views over to the Edge
Looking down at one of the lakes - the fishing co-exists with the clay pigeon shooting
The structures are part of the traps for firing the clays.
The warning sign
Then the path turns into this field
Absolutely fantastic to see that there is a clear path through the field. Deserving of a medal! Particularly in view of what came next...
Round the edges of the field, I think these are some form of chamomile
This is a barley field, but there's quite a bit of wheat still growing in it. Last year's crop?
And that's when the walk went wrong. The next path I tried was non existent. Not possible to follow at all. So I had to detour to an area called The Wilderness - which was planned for a separate walk
There were more hidden lakes on this unplanned bit of walk
...and some ponies hiding in the nearby trees. But I'll explore this walk properly another time.
So, I walked back the way I had come. By now, storm clouds were coming up over the Sheepwalks...
...though the way ahead was still pleasant. The far woodland is Kinver Edge
So, what about the non-existent path? Two things: first, I'll try to walk it from the other end, to make sure of my facts - and I'll report it if I need to. Second, I have signed up for the Big Path Watch, an ambitious nationwide survey of our footpaths. You can sign up to walk all the paths in a kilometre square, and download a smartphone app to send in your results. I've signed up for three squares - and I'll be charting my progress on here. Watch this space.
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