A Guiding Life

Because I joined the group 'doing the round' late, I'd already done sections 2 & 3. So with my ever patient walking partner, we started at Oakham to do the first part of section 1.

Because of the lock-down and not car sharing we have to do each section in two parts.

So this was a planned 14 mile round walk out from Oakham, the first 7 miles on the Rutland Round then a different route back to Oakham

It started fine, although I had a nag of something happening in my right foot.

Egleton was lovely.

The fast London line that still has a walk over crossing (no signs or clues about when the trains might be coming through) in this day an age, given the speed the trains run, it's madness but there we go, bridges cost money.

Up a steep incline to get a view of Rutland water behind us.

And on toward Brooke.

The Macmillan way and the Rutland Round share this path.

The Lime (or Linden) trees smelt incredible, so strong

Brooke is a little village but very select and well kept.

There's no affordable housing going to be built here anytime soon!

The land around holds its medieval past in plain sight.

And the footpaths are maintained as well as the houses around here!

And so to Braunston-in-Rutland - never forget the 'in-Rutland' part, it adds a million onto the house price!

And out past Prior's Coppice - a last remaining part of the medieval Royal Forest

By this point the nag in my foot had become an unbearable pain and we stopped for lunch and painkillers but it was clear I could not walk another 7 miles.

Forever patient walking partner picked off a much shorter route back to Oakham, a fair amount of it on road.

So we turned around and headed back towards Braunston(in-Rutland!)

But it was becoming a pain that was bringing tears to my eyes and a pathetic hobble

A problem of being out in the fields is no one else can walk you out of there.

Finally we finished through Brooke Hill Wood and the Leighfield Way.

A round walk of 10 miles.