The Walk from Exton Green to the great lake, 6 June 2024

Photographic evidence and rambling commentary by Tony Attwood

As one who had never Rambled before being introduced to Peterborough Ramblers I have to say, I had no idea of the significance of the various parts of the Thursday ramble.  And in fact, it took me a while to understand the importance of each element of the occasion.

Take for example the meeting prior to the walk.  For a novice like me actually finding the place from which we are departing is something of an exercise since my map reading and related geographic skills are not all they might be (for being a Londoner the A-Z was the bible; beyond its boundaries there was nothing).

So for myself, the timing of the arrival is important – early enough so if I get lost I might still have time to find everyone but late enough so some others will have arrived first and as helpful souls will flag me down greeting me with shouts of “it’s here you ***** ***** ******” and words to that effect.

Thus I have always valued the meeting, and indeed often these meeting places are themselves places of note and beauty as indeed is The Green at Exton.

As is Exton (population 607) itself, although on All Fools Day 2016 the the parish was abolished with the swipe of a bureaucrat’s rubber, and was merged with Horn to form “Exton and Horn”.  And I ask what sort of a name is that?

But nothing puts me off, because I know that this is just the start and anon, as the poets say, we shall see the most amazing and beautiful things the likes of which our meeting place cannot prepare us.

And indeed this time I shall jump forth, as it were, and proffer just such a picture, for you can hardly believe that the photos of our gathering place were taken just a few miles from this picture of castle and lake.   A most stunning and amazing site, worth the price of admission on its own.  (Not that there was the price of admission to the walk of course but if there had been it would have been if you catch my drift.)  But as you can see here we are receiving guidance and notes on points of interest from our Leader, as we prepare to venture on, with the notion of what was to come, as yet not even a notion.

For one should never assume that the way forward is always gentle and equal with footpaths provided by an ever-giving local authority.  No!  The way onward can on occasion be rough!!

And indeed it is not unknown for your trusty and honourable photographer and reporter to find himself lost amidst the undergrowth, struggling to catch up with those marching forth or even fifth.

But one must be resolute and one must believe, for quite often lo and behold around the next bunch of weeds and brambles there they are venturing fifth, although without (if I may say) a thought as to where the honourable scribbler of notes had got to.

But yet again as you can see I outfoxed them all,  even at times doubling back (as we rural explorers call it) and catching them unawares in a forward position (if you catch my drift).

For always there is the promise of a land beyond, a land unknown, (or even a great big lake.)

But of course, one must be patient and understand that our leader knows more than we do and that these fields of trees and sheep and hedges and other countryside things the names of which I know not and am usually too embarrassed to ask, are but matters to be enjoyed and passed by as we travel onwards to what us writers and associated literary types like to call “part 2” which will appear shortly.  If not sooner.

In the meanwhile, if you find any errors in this report, please keep it to yourself.

Part two will, possibly, follow.