Chase Lane - Meer End 6 miles completed

We had a lovely sunny day. It was a good walk with good company and good views of Kenilworth castle.  Just when we were congratulating ourselves about there not being too much mud we hit bad patches in Black Hill Wood. We had a good lunch at the Tipperary Inn.

On this walk I ran out of track on my etrex about half way round. The track I had exported from Quo to my etrex h had been truncated. Luckily I can still use a paper map! See the Help page for an explanation and how to avoid the problem. (Especially, if you use a Garmin etrex)

Chase Lane - Meer End 6 miles - Wed 28th Nov

This walk replaced the Stratford - Barford bus pass walk because of flooding on the banks of the Avon. We parked opposite the entrance to Pleasance Farm Grid Ref  SP 264 730 in Chase Lane. We had a good lunch at the Tipperary Inn.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Buckland - Shenbarrow Hill - Stanton 7.5 miles - Oct 24th

The rolling dip slope of the Cotswolds,was in the sixth century the territory of the Saxon chief Cud or Cod. The Saxon word for this type of gently sloping high pasture was wold and hence this area became known as Cods wold. Eventually the name became associated with the whole of the limestone ridge from Bath to Chipping Campden.

There should have been beautiful views from this one but it was very misty on the hills. It was still a good enjoyable walk. We had a break at the Stanway Estate information hut at SP 068 320. 

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Meon Hill Fort

We passed below fort  this on the Upper Quinton - Hidcote ramble around Meon Hill. We spotted an area with permissive access which appeared to allow closer access to the top of the hill. We did not investigate then but I have now found the following website which gives details of many such areas.

On this web site you can find details - and maps - for more than 1800 walks, rides and areas of open access

http://cwr.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?Site=6149

For Meon Hill fort you need to enter the county as Warwickshire and it is actually the Lower Clopton farm area of permissive access that you need. There is information and a map of the area.

More info at

http://www.lowerclopton.co.uk/farm-trail

 It looks just right for an afternoon stroll with the grandchildren! There is also a farm shop.

Upper Quinton - Hidcote 6.76 miles (Around Meon Hill) Wed 26th September

I have wanted to do this walk for some time. It promises to be a very good one. Start at 10.00 a.m. in Upper Quinton. Park near SP 178 462 or meet at my house at 9.00 a.m. to share transport. We will stop for lunch at the Butcher's Arms in Mickleton after 4.5 miles. You need to click on the link (print a map) below to see the full walk.

This was a very good walk with good views and good company. The pub was fine and we dodged most of the rain.

Tales of Meon Hill

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Sibfords - Burdrop 6.58 miles Aug 22nd completed

This was an interesting excellent walk. The sun shone brightly. Jean found the geocache called 'The wet and winding road' near Traitor's ford. It was an easy find. See photos below the map. The undulating countryside is beautiful as are the villages. We had very good sandwiches at the Wykham Arms in Sibford Gower for lunch. The pub at Burdrop is closed.

To print the map

Jean finds geocache near Traitor's Ford, Sibford Ferrers.

Traitor's Ford

By Ditchedge lane

Near Burdrop

Between Burdrop and Sibford Ferris

Shutford-Swalcliffe 6.25 miles Wed 22 Aug

Amendment

 The pub seems to be closed! We will do a different walk.

This is a beautiful area west of Banbury. We go along part of an old Roman road which is just a track now. There is a link below to a pamphlet about Shutford. I have included the village trail in the walk.

Please meet at my house at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. by the church in Shutford. I suggest we have lunch in the Stags Head at Swalcliffe. This will be after we have covered about 4.5 miles leaving 1.75 miles for after lunch.

Map Ref SP 386 402. 

Please let me know if you are coming and where you intend to meet. It is about 30 miles/45 minutes from my house to Shutford.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Shutford village trail pamphlet

The satnav file is on the SatNav Users tab.  The Quo file is on the Quo Users tab.

Dumbleton - Alderton ramble completed

We had a beautiful walk on a glorious summer's day with a good pub lunch in Alderton. There were some steep climbs. We saw a hare and found this cave in the side of a hill at roughly map ref .SP 013 359 by the path. Is it an ice cellar? Perhaps it was used for storing game. It is bricked inside and quite deep.

There is some information about Dumbleton at the link below

Dumbleton

I can't find any info about the cave/cellar.

Dumbleton - Alderton 6.2 miles Wed 25th July

This was an excellent walk on a fine day! I had done part before and it is one of my favourite walks. It was a bit tougher than our previous walks. There are at least 2 long climbs. We had  a good lunch at the Gardener's Arms in Alderton. This gave us a break after 4 miles with 2.2 miles and a steep climb after lunch.

Parking is in Dumbleton at Map Ref SP 018 357 near to the church. It is just south of Evesham off the A46.

It was too hot to look for the geocaches. Our expert cache finder Bill was not available. I have updated the map and the SatNav and Quo users files.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Moreton Morrell - Lighthorne 4.1 miles

This is the shorter edited version of the walk done in a previous posting.  I have removed the inadvertent detours we made usually due to poor signposting.  You can park either at

Moreton Morrell at Map Ref SP 311 560 near the phone box at the crossroads

or at Lighthorne at Map Ref SP 337 559 in Church Lane.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

  Remember you can download the gpx file or Quo file from the Tabs at the top of the blog screen.

One of the fishponds you pass near Lighthorne.

Moreton Morrell - Lighthorne 5 miles! - Wed 27 June

We decided to start from Moreton Morrell as we had parked there before. It is possible to park in Lighthorne also, we discovered. I have also posted an edited version of this walk so you do not follow the wrong paths.

We had two new members on the walk and it proved to be a good training session. As you move anti-clockwise around the track from M Morrell you can see the decisions we made which the satnavs helped us to correct.

Firstly, we missed a path.

Secondly, we we were tempted to go along a clear track which lead eventually to a barbed wire fence. We had to retrace our steps. This path was not actually a right of way. The real one was almost parallel a few yards away over a stile. When the angle between 2 possible paths is very small it easy to follow the wrong one. The arrow on the satnav does not start to alert you till you have gone someway.

Thirdly, the path was just not there neither was the path opposite. There were no waymarking posts. We had to match map cordinates on the map with those on the satnav and with the beginning of the expected path. Patrick also worked out the compass bearing to take. After some discussion we set off across a large field and eventually found a stile that confirmed we were on the right track.

Thirdly, because we cut a corner the satnavs started pointing backwards to a waypoint we had missed out. We had to select 'Stop Navigating' and start 'Tracback' again.

Fourthly, a bit like the second point we went along the wrong one of 2 paths at a small angle to each other.

It was an interesting walk and the views near to the ponds near Lighthorne were good. Doing it anti-clockwise meant we descended rather than ascended a steep hill north of Lighthorne.

Lowsonford-KyteGreen farm 4.75m - update

This was a beautiful walk on a summers day. We saw a muntjac. Bill fell down a badger's hole. Luckily without injury. There are two geocaches shown on the track. We found "On the catwalk" but not "Pink Panther". The map (earlier post) has been updated. The SatNav  and Quo Users Tabs have also been updated. 

Lowsonford - Kyte Green Farm 4.75 miles

This was a beautiful walk on a summers day. We saw a muntjac. There are two geocaches shown on the track. We found "On the catwalk" but not the other one.

Walk difficulty: Easy.  

The start is at Map Ref SP 187 681

Click on the map to make it bigger. Use the View menu at the top to Zoom In or Out etc.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

It was wet in parts!

Bill found the geocache actually

Lowsonford water pump

Combrook - Butlers Marston 4.75 miles

This was a very good easy walk. There are few stiles. We found the two geocaches marked. There are more at www.geocaching.com

The area is beautiful. The start is at map ref  SP 305 517

 

 Click on the map to make it bigger. Then use the View menu at the top to Zoom In or Out etc

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Bill found both geocaches and took this photo.

Peter, Peter, Derek, David, Jean

Tattle Bank - Cutler's Farm 3.4 miles near Claverdon

A very pleasant walk. Start from map ref SP 18158 64087

 Click on the map to make it bigger. Then use the View menu at the top to Zoom In or Out etc.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Langley - Edstone 3.15 miles

This was one of our first walks. The area around Langley is excellent walking country. We parked in Langley map ref SP 18940 63241. We did the walk clockwise.

Click on the map to make it bigger. Then use the View menu at the top to Zoom In or Out etc.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Yarningale Common - Malthouse Farm 4.8 miles

This was our second walk. It was very enjoyable. We started at Yarningale common map ref SP 18885 65863 and did the walk anti-clockwise.

Click on the map to make it bigger. Then use the View menu at the top to Zoom In or Out etc.

When I recce'd it the Warwickshire hunt was out in force. At one point I thought they were chasing me!

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Try this walk from Hay Wood - Mousley End 3.1 miles

This is the track, as recorded by satnav, of the very first walk done by SatNav ramblers. It was very good. We parked at Hay Wood map ref SP 20583 70722

We walked anti - clockwise. I have marked on the map a few instructions.

Click on the map to make it bigger. Then use the View menu at the top to Zoom In or Out etc.

The files are now stored on OneDrive and you may have to open a Microsoft account to view them.

To view or print a map click on the link underneath and select the map. It should open.
 Maps folder (pdf format)

Our first geocaching expedition (photos)

Wednesday 11 Jan 2012 was a historic day!  SatNav ramblers found 2 out of 3 geocaches on their first geocaching expedition ever.

Note
The locations of these were downloaded from www.geocaching.com. Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using hand held satnavs or GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS OS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location. In its simplest form, a cache always contains a logbook or logsheet for you to log your find. Larger caches may contain a logbook and any number of items. These items turn the adventure into a true treasure hunt. You never know what the cache owner or visitors to the cache may have left. Geocachers take something and leave something of equal or greater value in return. A good game for grand children to enjoy.