Mileaters January Milton Abbas Walk
The first day back at work after the Christmas excesses is always hard going. It is the same for the first walk in January. First you have to find a pub which is open mid-week and then plan a route which has not been seasonally affected. Our pub was the Royal Oak in Milborne St Andrew and our route was 90% mud free despite the previous two days rain.
You know its not your day when, before leaving the Village Green, a car runs over your foot. Shortly afterwards you are told your meal has not been ordered at the pub but not to worry. Maybe this was the reason why you would then decide to throw yourself into one of the only mud puddles on route!
In their haste to aid a fallen colleague (leave no-one behind) a second walker also bit the dust (mud).
The walk through the woods near Milton Abbas saw the Ancient Beech tree plantation. I am reliably informed that they are self-pruning! Who knew? In these trees It was a bit a bit chilly with temperatures down to +1oC with up to minus 15o windchill, so best keep moving. We stopped for coffee a little further on, in a sheltered spot, overlooking Winterborne Houghton. Afterwards, descending into the village, we came across an odd site, a phone box which had not been converted into a library or a defibrillator station.
The sun, now shining continued to shine for the rest of the route but the mood changed. Newton’s theory in reverse ‘What goes down has to come up again!’ The gentle descent to Houghton was eclipsed by a short up hill bit. You know this because the banter, laughing and chatter stops, the heavy breathing takes over and the line strings out to twice the length. At the top, the mood changes back again, due to the picturesque views but more probably due to the knowledge that we were on the homeward leg. One last surprise was that a lake had appeared across the footpath overnight.
I say one last surprise but, as we raced for the pub and lunch, our way was blocked by a recently erected ‘Road Closed’ sign. We managed to find a way around the closure only to see a sign at the far end which said ‘Road Closed. Find your own route’. Thank you Open Reach for being so helpful, 6 vans not a single workman in sight’. A challenging walk, completed by 17 intrepid walkers, who after a good lunch, fully deserved an afternoon nap.
Martin and Lesley
