Dominion #henley 3

Turning left, we continued through the housing estate then turned right onto Riverside Gardens which is a cul-de-sac. We followed the path around the bend until it faced north then on the left-hand side a concrete footpath emerged between the houses and some woodland. This footpath bore southwest to cross a stream to lead to another road, then we turned right to head north onto another footpath. This took us along the river for a short while, then at the junction we turned left to head west back into the car park. We saw quite a few sights on this walk, but this church was the most impressive building. It must have had quite a bit of influence in its day with its long wall built across the field to display its domain. I wonder if these rent agreements still apply, or if the church chose to sell them off for a big lump sum. Bet it wishes it didn’t now.

Go West Young Lamb #henley 2

Heading west, we crossed through a wood to reach a stile at the end, then climbed a hill in a north-westerly direction. Just before we reached another stile, we turned left and headed directly west which brought us out onto the road. Turning left, we followed the road around the bend until it turned directly south, then turned right into the church car park. After passing the church, we continued west and crossed a stile to follow the path downhill towards the road. We passed through the kissing gate and walked directly through the gate opposite to pass through a farm. Continuing west, we crossed eleven stiles along a ridge until we descended onto a road. A short turn right found our next stile on the left, which brought us onto a descent to a road. Turning left, we walked back through suburbia to a T-junction, where we turned right followed by the first left.

 

The Hills of Henley #henley 1

Leaving the car park at the north, we turned right onto a footpath that curved south past a children’s playground. As it joined the road, we followed it south until it reached another road. Crossing it, we turned left and headed east past the school until we came to a gate just past the last house. Entering the field, we headed south and crossed over the stile into a ploughed field, and after passing the farm buildings on our right, the path bore south-east and began to cut through another field. The path followed the river around a meander until it reached another stile, then shortly afterwards we bore east to cross another stile to reach a road. Heading south, the road crossed the river then we turned left to follow the road over to the canal. Turning left onto the towpath, we followed the canal underneath the main road, and passed under another bridge before reaching a third.

Who would live in a house like this? #sambourne 14

It’s got to be an old couple. Either that or it’s rented out. They know what they’re doing. The Cotswold stones are there to protect the grass and prevent people from  parking and driving over their lawn. I wonder if they have to repaint the walls every year to keep them that pristine white. Maybe they get away with jet washing them every couple of months or pay someone to do it for them. It all adds to  the cost of village living. It’s quite cute, but the whole building does seem to lean on its chimney. You’d half expect it t be moving up and down like it was breathing in a cartoon. It could almost be inflatable, pinned down with telegraph wires and pitched anywhere the hosts fancy. The grass always looks greener on the other side. The fence looks a bit exposed though. Maybe it’s a pallet placed vertically to form a gate.

When Trees Attack #sambourne 12

It looks like something’s getting ready to charge. They’re even pointing. The one on the right might be holding the branch like a cane. It might be the commander while all the left ones are lining up like obedient troops. There’s even a butterfly in the top left to act as a scout. Are the nearest ones having a duel about having to attack, or are they exchanging strategies? The door actually looks like quite a weak point. After all, it’s made as the same materials as themselves. The bushes have already been sent in. They’re blocking the windows and making sure that there’s no escape. And some more reinforcements have been sent in on the right behind them while some of the older troops have been sent to approach from the rear. And now they’re ready to begin their assault. Will they open fire or drop the command to charge?

Exquisite Gardening #sambourne 11

Someone has some serious skills here with a hedge trimmer. It must really irritate them when there’s a twig or leaf poking up out of place or not in line. Even  the tree is carefully pruned. It looks like it’s got eyes. I wonder if it nibbles a bit of hedge each time the wind blows and bends it over. I wouldn’t know how it reaches the bushes on the far side though. Perhaps the leafless tree does that. They do look a little more rugged. Perhaps there’s lasers at night that trims off any excess growth. The sensors could be installed on the drainpipes. Or maybe there’s a template for every shape that’s kept in the gardener’s shed. It might even be a school for trainee gardeners and the mistakes are kept around the back. I bet that little blackboard reads “Keep off the grass”. But it does look more than four words. Maybe it states the punishment as well.

Raising the Bridge #sambourne 10

Continuing north, we crossed two very large fields until we reached the hedgerows and crossed a stile to turn left. Heading west, we followed this footpath until it brought us into contact with a house. At this first boundary, we turned left and headed south directly across the field. Turning right, we entered the wood and headed north-west which allowed us to cross the brook and bring us out onto a field on the other side. Heading south-west, we walked directly across the field past the tree in the middle of it to reach the other side. We followed the hedgerow north until we passed the border of an outhouse, then took the stile left over the hedgerow into a plain grassed field. Heading south-west, we cut across this field and passed through another to reach our last stile which brough us out to the driveway of our starting point. 

Approaching the Green# sambourne 9

Continuing north, we followed the footpath through a field, keeping the river Arrow on our left. Crossing a stile, we continued through a wood to another stile which led to a trail with a wood on either side. We continued north until we passed three more stiles to reach a building on our right. Here, we walked halfway alongside the property until the footpath presented a left turn and faced a footbridge heading south. This took us across the river then we bore south-west through the wood until the path turned directly east. We stayed true to the arrow which brought us up to a small hill alongside a house, and at the end of the wall was a kissing gate which brought us onto the main road. Turning right, we crossed the road then continued east through the gap in the hedge. We followed the hedgerow directly east until it reached a wood, then turned right and headed north.

Around the back #sambourne 8

Heading east, we crossed the ford via the footbridge, then as it met the road we turned left to head north and follow the footpath on the other side. This footpath followed a wood on our left and over a stile into a field beyond. On our left was the back of the manor. There was a stile to access it via a footbridge, but this would put us back onto the property. I’m sure that’s someone walking the grounds like a tourist, but the property should have been closed. Maybe it was a ghost. It might have been a statue and it does look like it’s on a pedestal, but surely if it was it would be positioned directly in front of the entrance. Maybe it’s a dummy to deter passers by. It’s placed at just the right distance that you can’t make out if it’s real or not. It might even be a wooden mop with clothes on.

The Crossing #sambourne 7

So here’s someone giving it a go, creating waves and making their mark on the local land. It’s a proper car prepared for the elements so it should make it. But the entertainment comes if it does get stuck. Will the driver risk getting out, or will they appeal to local witnesses to help come and push? I wonder if it set off only after watching the car in front. It’s worth wondering if this route is worth it or is there a safer one available. There’s even something on the green on the left which could be a tombstone or tribute to those who didn’t make it. Some wouldn’t attempt it and turn back. But it’s a dream come true for local mechanics who come to the rescue. That van could be one ready and waiting, or it could have been abandoned. It’s a shame that the bollard’s in the way, otherwise I could go online and check.

The Big Dip #sambourne 6

Heading east, we walked directly through the woods until the trail met up with a track. Turning right, we headed south until the track met up with the road by the ford. It’d be interesting to  see how deep this ford is in times of drought. There’s a footbridge to get pedestrians across, but for traffic you’ve got to take the risk and plunge through. Fortunately, you can see the bottom  today, so if you take it nice and slow, it won’t be a problem. Just keep your vehicle slow and steady so that water won’t come up through the engine and flood it. What you have to watch out for are the idiots who decide to rev their engines and floor their vehicle through, creating a huge splash as they enter the water. This makes it easier for water to enter the bonnet and create all sorts of problems for the engine.

The Approach #sambourne 5

It’s a proper yellow brick road entrance. It’s as if we’ve come to the wizard’s home after a long journey. The bricks near the entrance. They seem distorted images that are about to fade in and out of a computer picture, leading to a true entrance. It might even slide away to reveal a garage or a passageway underground. After all, this was where the gunpowder plot was conceived. Even today, this still could be a communication monitoring station and headquarters. The flagpole could double as an aerial. It’s a building that could be easy to reinforce without being too suspicious. It’s in the countryside with flat open fields so it’s not a problem by air. There’s road and horse access through the countryside, and you can escape on foot through the fields if you need to. And there’s even a river that you can flood to prevent escape or create a distraction for another getaway.

Who lives in a house like this? #sambourne 4

The gardener’s come outside for a cheeky pose for her friends. She’s not doing a very good job though. She might be happy with the size, but I’m not happy with the sight. Some of the windows might have holes that need fixing. The grass is all scorched to match the stone. She’s certainly let it go. Maybe she’s leaving l=it like this for the new owners to take care of, or she’s quitting her job today. Her jacket nearly matches the grass. If she lay down facing the camera, there’s a chance that her torso could be disguised, and all she’d need to do is find a long patch to hide the jeans. Perhaps there’s an army hiding behind the bushes with rifles, or even on the ground covered in grass. The sergeant’s in the trees with a periscope spying on us both. We’re probably going to get shot just for being on the lawn.

Adaptive Camouflage #sambourne 3

Continuing east, we cross a stile to reach a small road. We turned right and found our next stile on our immediate left to continue east. This put us on a dusty track that passed a large farming structure on our right. The track slowly bore south-east and crossed a ditch before running alongside a brook. The brook carried on underneath the road, and we passed through two gates to join it. Crossing the road, we turned right and continued south passing the driveway on our left alongside a rail next to an open field. Passing a cluster of oak trees, we continued south to a second cluster and passed through a kissing gate on our right. This brought us out to an outside view of this stately home where the gunpowder plot was planned. It’s been one of those dry summers where the colour of the grass matches the building.

Under the Bridge #sambourne 2

It’s amazing what farmers use for a shelter. It saves them having to build anything themselves. I think it’s some kind of engine. It could be a cherry picker used to maintain the bridge itself. On closer inspection, it looks like a trailer carrying a trolley. I wonder if any liquid drips through, or is the bridge is sufficiently covered with ballast to prevent this06. It looks like there’s been an accident already, and that a fence has had to be built around one of the bridge supports to prevent the farmer from crashing into it again. The farmer might have took it upon himself to do that. It looks like he’s taped off the other side. It could be electrified, or he could just be marking the border of his land. There might be an embankment under the larger arches and that’s why the whole thing is fenced off.

Ghost Train #sambourne 1

We’ve left the car on a small road by the village. It’s not obstructing anyone’s drive and people can get by. And there’s less chance of people visiting each other at the moment because of the lockdown. Starting on the green, we headed east on a footpath past a small wooden bus shelter that led down a driveway to a gate. Just before the end of the driveway, we turned left and crossed a style, then turned right to continue east directly across the field. On the south side was this old railway bridge which was part of the line from Redditch to Evesham. There’s a great video  on YouTube which shows pictures of the area then and now as it tracks an old train making its journey. You’d think that the line would run vertically to connect the towns directly, but it’s possible that Sambourne used to have its own station. 

Out of the Box #bentley 8

Postmen stay the same, but what happens if a courier comes? Will he try to deliver a parcel through the door? Hopefully they’re smart enough to find a hiding place or the owner may have left instructions, but there could be an attempt. It looks like there’s a panel missing above the door, though that could be the wind. Perhaps it’s a home for the birds. It’s an odd place as it’s very close to the road. Are there curtains and an attic room? Is there a back door? Do they suffer from damp as water falls through the chimney? Do they pay rent? And what sort of mess do they leave? It’s obvious that someone’s spent a bit of time crafting this. It’s not something that you can just buy out of a shop. The base looks a bit rotten. I hope it ca withstand strong gusts of wind.

Little Lambalot #bentley 5

This little lamb was a bit adventurous. Rather than running away, it was curious and decided to follow us. At least it didn’t chase us. I wonder how it got the guts to do that. How can something so small and fluffy be so confident? Maybe it’s been shunned by the flock and just wants to make friends. Maybe it’s mistaken us for the famer who’s going to feed and nurture it. Or maybe it needs our help and wants us to follow it. It could have come from a different land. The hole in the hedge behind it looks a little warped like a portal. The branches could even be made of bones of previous lambs and we can still see specks of their fur. The one in front of us could be a ghost. We climbed the hill in a northeasterly direction to return to the road where we were parked.

The Hills might endeth #bentley 4

There’s little sign of a town in front, but you get the feeling that years ago, there used to be more trees. At least they’re facing whatever’s approaching us to offer us some cover. Someone’s been busy. But the diggers are approaching them from behind while they’re distracted. I don’t know how you can tell the front of a tree from the back, but you just get the impression that they are. Maybe they’re scared of the sun, and they’re using the hills to shelter from it. How far back do those hills go? Just when you think you can see the sky, another one fades in just behind it. Each one gets steeper as you go up and down to face the next one. Fortunately, we’re not going that far. We continued west alongside a stream, then our footpath shifted ninety degrees and we started to climb north-west. We passed over a track into the next field, then turned immediately left.

Watch your Step #bentley 3

At least someone’s made an effort to aid our progress across the brook. A simple plank mounted securely on two bits of wood makes all the difference and we don’t have to worry too much about getting our shoes wet or muddy. I suppose in winter the whole thing floods, but no-one would venture to come out in that anyway. There’s still someone who’s going to be overly cautious though. They just can’t bear to get a speck of mud on their shoes. I can’t stand that type of person. What’s the point of venturing out into the countryside in the first place? You’re there to enjoy it and should expect a bit of dirt. At the T-junction, we turned right and headed north along the road. We crept up a small incline until a farm appeared on our left. Turning left, we headed south-west through the farm to reach a footpath at the end.