Finmere (Airfield Walk)

We parked up next to the entrance to the Microlight Flying Centre. With the dogs on the leads we headed towards the dual carriageway and turned up the stairs going onto the Bernwood Jubilee Way. We climbed over the stile and along a gravel path towards another stile we walked over the grass towards the runway luckily there where no microlights flying about. Looking up and down the runway I kept thinking about the Bristol Blenheim Mk 1, Mk 4 bombers landing and taking off from here also the occasional Spitfire and Tempest it felt like walking on history. We carried on towards the old air control tower which is what we came here to see. After the lengthy walk over the fields we made it to the control tower. We went inside and saw the state it was in it was like being on

a movie set for the end of the world with the scrap yard outside the windows and the mess inside. The walls and floor were partly covered with moss and a constant dripping in the background but wasn't as annoying as the alarm going off at the radio tower outside. After we finished looking around we got out and 2 helicopters flew over I guess going to Croughton airbase. We headed for the forest in hope of seeing more buildings. In the woods we found a paint ball range good thing no one was around or we would have come home multi-coloured. As we went further in we saw a missile we went to have a closer look and saw some more at the back of the woods. We carried on down through the woods and saw an old plane wings taken off but some of the controls still left inside. After a mess around we went even further through the woods and found a model submarine it was enormous bigger than the plane. We spent ages looking around here and picking up paint ball bullets. We finally gave up after about 3 hours. Click for A bit of history of RAF Finmere.

Geocache: RAF Finmere (GC2V1Q9)

SP 653 323 (OS Grid Reference)

51.985362,-1.051372 (Google Maps)

N 51 59.122 W 001 03.082 (GPS Co-ords)

Compton Wynyates (Windmill Walk)

On Saturday morning I said to my Dad lets take the dogs out. It took us a while to get out here because of ice on the roads and at one point on the drive down the car did swerve a little but we arrived in one piece to take this walk. We went through a gate and then along a grass track with bushes and trees on both sides and came to a stile where we climbed over and the dogs got through a gap between the fence post and gate post. after a look round there where 4 gates around us and we carried on straight ahead following the track and after a short walk we saw another gate and stile but there's a fallen down fence which we stepped over and saw an old barn on the over side of the fence so we couldn't get any closer. We carried on and went up 3 stair cases and the windmill started to appear and when we got to the top of the stairs we where breathing heavily because the hill is a bit steep and the stairs are quite high. We walked along the edge of the hill through a small but spacious clump of trees. We then went through another gate. We got to the windmill and looked round at the view there was a brilliant view all around us looking back at where we came from you can see Compton Wynyates house and in the other direction you can see hills and forests (The view is better then what I can write). We then walked back to the car. 

Parking: 

52.076697,-1.525273 (Google Co-ords) 

N52 04.602 W001 31.516 (GPS Co-ords) 

SP 326 421 (Ordnance Survey Grid Reference)

Minster Lovell (Hall Ruins)

We arrived after along drive from Boars Hill we drove around for a while trying to find this place and after awhile we gave up and I asked someone where it is and  he said it was behind the church so we walked down the road to the church. As we walked past the church and saw this enormous structure we just couldn't believe it. It's brilliant although the path was a little slippy inside it was beautiful seeing the arched windows the roof of the hallway entrance just thinking this structure was built about 600 years ago (1440) is just amazing how it still stands we let the dogs off because there was nobody around even though we're not meant to (Please don't tell on us) we took loads of photos I didn't put them all on the this post because it's just to much. I do suggest you visit if you like your ruins it's free to go in and look round but please respect the place the English Heritage does a good job looking after it. If you want more info click this link: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/minster-lovell-hall-and-dovecote/

Parking:

51.800448,-1.534315 (Google Maps)

N 51 48.027 W 001 32.059 (GPS)