The Barnack Walk 13 June – in pictures!!! And words!!!!

Pictures and commentary by Tony Attwood assisted by a rather old nut crunch bar found in the pocket of his walking trousers, of which we may say no more.

But forsooth, we gathered at PE9 3DN “by the church,” but not before I noticed the fzat that this was not only the best-kept village, but so best kept they put up the same plaque twice.

Now repetition in all art and design activities is a matter of considerable debate as I found many centuries ago when I moved from South Tottenham in North London to what was then village of Broadstone in Dorset (although of course following urban drift, now a suburb of Birmingham).

But I digress.  We gathered, and for me, I must say the gathering is a significant part of the afternoon for it is here that there is many a merry quip from one’s fellow

walkers with those in the know telling the rest how green is the grass and pointing out that heavy traffic is rare in the area, and we all then nod with great solemnity.

And indeed here our Leaders were quite right for as can be seen we had both uplands and downlands all covered in “grass” with very clear markings keeping us away from the zone where there was a recent discovery of   Oculudentavis eggs.

Oculudentavis you will of course know, was the smallest of the dinosaurs and several of them now serve as honoured members of my local district council and are said to be the most sensible members of the ensemble.

But I digress, for we now had the occasional pause (as it is known in walking circles) as we examined things which everyone else found interesting but which had gone by the time I caught up with the ensemble.

However, it was not all grass for there in the distance was another church which was interesting since it wasn’t that far from the previous church.  Or as it was put to me, it was the previous church but I had turned round and was looking back over the journey we had already walked.

And that is something that I feel is not emphasised by walk leaders for it can be very confusing.  I mean I only learned to turn round when I joined Peterborough Ramblers.  I really had no idea that that turning round was something that everyone (except Londoners) did quite often.

What we also found was that plants in this area were protected.  And these are not to be confused with Robert Plant CBE, of whom it has been said (or not depending on your taste in music).

But such matters are merely the stuff of diversion, for the order of the day is walking forth (or onwards as they say in some parts of the kingdom).  And as you can see in the picture, there we go, dutifully following the footpath to… well where?

Of course, if you were on the walk you will know, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you if you were not.

Because there really were surprises ahead and it wasn’t all just walking about, oh my word no!

But of course if you were on the walk, or if you have glanced down the page or on your phone you will already know, so I might as well tell you, what we had next was… yes a basketball court.

Now one or two members of the ensemble who these days insist on vetting my notes before publication have suggested that I have got this wrong and it is not a basketball court at all.  But I follow the dictum of Charles I that if I say it is, it is.

Of course I do know that Charles I was banished from his membership of the Whitehall Rambling Club, and my response, that if I couldn’t follow what the king had said that meant someone else could write these notes, soon quietened the mob.  Bowls it is.