Kilkenny Viewpoint

This is a short post just to say about Kilkenny Viewpoint. It’s a short easy walk with easy parking and a brilliant view of Cheltenham great place to let the dogs off when it’s empty there’s a few picnic benches around so take a packet of crisps and a drink to enjoy the view. The pictures do no justice for the live view.

Google Maps: 51.865833, -1.995883

GPS: N 51 51.950 W 001 59.753

OS Grid Reference: SP 003 185

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Banbury Road (Geocache Walk)

Today I, mum and Jennifer (My sister) parked up on the grass just at the beginning of a bridleway. After we got ready we went towards the bridleway we saw a very long grass track with trees and bushes at the side with the sun pelting down it looked very enjoyable. As we walked along the grass track I saw through the trees a sea of yellow rape seed. We came to a gate and went through into a wide open field with rape seed on both sides and a wide grass track with telephone poles running down on the left. When we got to the end of the track we went through a 2nd gate on to a footpath crossroads we carried on in to a wide grass field and kept going towards a farm house. When we got to it we went across the drive and crossed the road into another field with a slight hill and at the top we saw a gate with a grass 
field behind we went through and then through another gate on to a tarmac drive and passed some garages and walked next to a pond and then went over a wooden foot bridge and through the first gate but not through the second instead we walked along river Dorn and we got to a very big foot bridge but went through the gate leading into the field and then in to a nature reserve (Keep dogs on leads) as we went through the gate and got past the massive hedge row and came to a brilliant view of hills of green and the village of Wootton nestled between the hills to the far left and seeing a small river through the middle of the reserve. When walking along the nature reserve stick to the top path but if you take the bottom path there are stairs through the gate further on. After we got out of the nature reserve we went in search of a geocache. Found the cache after quite a search
 and walked along the wide grass track, Jennifer couldn’t handle Lucy (Little dog) she accidently let go of the lead. We then came to another gate that went down some stairs into Wootton, on to Horseshoe Lane. We headed over to a very nice bridge took some photos and went over along the road until we saw a footpath sign hidden behind a bush that pointed along a drive way we went along and came to another gate (Quite a few so far. More to come)that lead into a wide open field and we could see where we were in the nature reserve so we got a view from both sides still very nice we went round a slight bend and searched for another geocache after finding it we carried on to another gate on to a road and turned right following the

 road all the way down and over another small bridge and on the corner of the road there was another footpath sign. We went through the gate and into the woods and let the dogs off so Floyd could play in the river after he finished we went up a dirt track on our left Jennifer went off a bit further to find the geocache at the top and a short time later me and mum heard her shout found it so we signed the log and went on to a small farm track and turned right then a few feet down turned right again into a small wooded area and not long after that turned left in to a field with just blue open sky all around us and a green field in front of us. In the green field there’s a big yellow strip looks as if someone painted on the land scape with a massive brush we followed the yellow grass road for quite a long time until we got to a hedge row and looked for a geocache (List available at the bottom). We found it and then went through the gap in the hedge row and carried on following the yellow grass for a while again and then reached cycle route 5 we followed it until we got to a cross roads in the cycle route and footpath looked for a geocache and followed the off turn into a wooded footpath following it all the way back to the begging of the walk and completing it by buying a drink and some crisps at the sturdy’s castle inn. We took about 3 hours to complete this walk and the weather was great except for the end when it started raining

Post Code: OX5 3EP

Google Maps: 51.869603,-1.328905

GPS: N 51 52.176 W 001 19.734

OS Grid Reference: SP 463 192

Track: http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=jmzktapdlcsktmab

Geocaches:

No. 1 – A Sturdy Walk, No. 2 – A Sturdy Walk

No. 3 – A Sturdy Walk, No. 4 – A Sturdy Walk

No. 5 – A Sturdy Walk, The Gecko’s Perch

No. 6 – A Sturdy Walk, No. 7 – A Sturdy Walk

No. 8 – A Sturdy Walk, No. 9 – A Sturdy Walk

No. 10 – A Sturdy Walk, No. 11 – A Sturdy Walk

Bonus – A Sturdy Walk

Lighthorne (Forest Walk)

We parked on a grass verge and looked at the entrance thinking it would be fine to just let the dogs loose so we did, they almost got to the stile but decided instead to have a sniff around. When we got into the forest over the stile and

along the bridge we saw it has had some work done because of the pile of logs and deep muddy tyre tracks we managed to get over them and go straight through the middle of the forest which is where the footpath sign pointed it lead to more muddy tyre tracks and a fence. We followed the fence round for about 2 minutes and ended back where we started so we went off into the forest and went in a different direction where my mum got her foot stuck in a bit of marsh the only bit of marsh in the entire forest unbelievable, after she pulled her foot out we carried on and we called Floyd back because he disappeared we saw a glimpse of him running back then a very sudden loud yelp but he kept coming back we couldn't work out why he yelped because he looked fine nothing wrong with him I said to mum "He must have trod on a thorn or twisted something". We carried on looking around at the beautifully creepy forest with its brown leaves on the floor mixed with the bright green grass and moss covered branches. The tree trunks also had moss climbing up it.After a bit more walking Mum said to me "Look over there" so I did after about 15 - 20 seconds I realised what she wanted  me to see there's sheep in the next field

and no fence in between us and them we thought about calling the dogs back and putting them on their leads but mum said they probably won't notice which we carried on and headed back to the car. We were getting close to the car and we heard trumpets and I then saw horse and riders across the road from us it was "The Hunt" because the noise of the trumpets was spooking the dogs we got to the car and left.

52.191272,-1.514091 (Google Maps) 

N 52 11.475 W 001 30.842 (GPS Co-ords)

Steeple Barton (River Walk)

 I spent today with my cousins Jake, Luke and Adam. We went to Steeple Barton Church St' Mary's because we saw on the OS map waterfall. We parked outside the church (I can't get a street view picture of the parking but there is a small lay-by there) and headed into the graveyard and followed the worn grass to the end of the graveyard and went through a small gate and followed a narrow path to another small gate leading onto a bridge me and Jake went over the bridge and Luke and Adam decided to go on the over side. Me and Jake walked next to a big lake with a brilliant view of Barton Abbey and a very nice river on the other side and further along we came to another bridge with an arch at one end and a nice scenery walk at the other. we saw a very nice waterfall. We carried on a little further and saw a massive field but we decided to turn back. On the way back we stood outside Barton abbey and heard the bell ringing 12:00. We got back to the car and drove back.

SMILE!!

51.920731,-1.350189 (Google Coords)

N 51 55.244 W 001 21.011 (GPS Coords)

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)