Wilden Walk.

We awoke to hear a beautiful dawn chorus, a cackling green Woodpecker and a few Pigeons clearing their throats, from our countryside mooring. On sprinkling some songbird food on the towpath a robin flew down to gather bits for it’s newly hatched youngster. We are on Sustrans Cycle Route 54 here and many cyclists have sped by coughing, as they don’t seem to have bells to ring. There doesn’t seem to be any such thing as a quiet mooring anymore with the towpaths being so busy these days.

After our lengthy Sunday morning phone calls to family during coffee we set off on a circular walk in the sunshine. Down the Bridleway from Bridge 10 we looked back across the field towards the canal which was just behind the hedge. No, they are not Friesian Cows, but a large herd of horses!

We passed Wilden Pool which was busy with fishermen all around it, then emerged out onto the busy Wilden Lane to call into the twee little Post Office Stores.

         

Further along the lane stood All Saints Church with it’s dainty little clock tower in the corner of the burial ground. As the church was open for a service, I crept in to have a quick look around and take a few crafty photos. Many of the stained glass windows and the clock were given in memory of the Baldwin Family in the early 1900’s.

        

We took the Bridleway opposite down past the old Wire Mill where we saw some interesting little animals in the paddock.

   

A bunch of elderly cyclists were pushing their bicycles up the path, nice to see the wrinklies keeping fit and enjoying themselves!

        

We soon came to Bridge 8 and headed past some fishermen back up the canal to Oakfield. We just got back on board when the hotel boats Snipe and Taurus cruised by heading south. Not long after had we settled down to a snack and a rest, things turned black and there was a heavy thunder storm!