Worcester Ramblers: "Cutnall Green, Rushock and a 'Whole lotta love' tomorrow" 5 Feb 2026

We started the walk at the Chequers pub at Cutnall Green

Th coffee stop was at the St Michael and All Angel's church at Rushock where the Led Zeppelin drummer, John Bonham, has his final resting place

The 6.7 mile walk in 2.5 hours included the villages of Elmley Lovett, Rushock and Bryan's Green

Although it was considered impossible for it to be muddier than the previous Thursday walk this walk managed it!

Worcester Ramblers long walk from Temple Guiting 31 Jan 2026

Having done short Worcester walks until now i decided to try a longer One. It was to be a 10 mile walk.

The forecast on Friday was for rain all Saturday. However Saturday arrived and the forecast changed to rain starting at 1230, so I decided to go. Heeding the warning from the leader,  I told Google maps to take me to Temple guiting school, which was just over the wall from the Village Hall
The walk started at Temple Guiting village hall.  Nine walkers arrived, then the car park filled up with those going on a turkey shoot, They were still setting up on site as we walked past the target area. It was here that we encountered three Reeves Pheasants who came across to have a conversation!

The walk progressed through Ward, then Taddington (NOT Toddington!) Then to Stanway, where the avenue of trees, planted over many years by the Stanway Hall estate was impressive

At the end of the trees was the monument, where we stopped for Lunch.  

Unfortunately so did a heavy rainstorm, which soaked us while we walked to Stumps Cross. The climb up Waterloo Larch was a muddy scramble but it dried out on the high ground enabling us to get back to the Village hall by which time the mud was drying!

10.5 miles in 4.25 hours:-

Worcester Ramblers Barn Owl Circular 29 January 2026

 

A  Worcester Ramblers circular walk that started at the Barn Owl pub on the North side of Worcester. Very muddy in places but at least it didnt rain seriously. 

The route visited the 12th century Grade 1 listed. St Nicholas church, the oldest in the Worcester Parish

total of 5.7 miles in around 2 hours

Worcester Ramblers Sinton Green 22 January 2026

 

Liz had bought me membership of Ramblers Uk as a christmas present. It took until January 15 for the membership pack to arrive! Looking on the web site the first local walk was with the Worcester group on January 22 so i decided to join them

This walk started at the bus shelter on Sinton Green. I was made very welcome. It was very muddy but at least it didnt rain

6.6 miles total in 2 hours 20 minutes

CWOG Reccie to Barby Northants

This was to be a CWOG reccie for a future walk. It was to start from the Barby Church at 1015. However when I arrived there was no sign of the other three expected participants, I did search all entrances to the church, churchyard and  hall without success. I hung around until 1025 (meeting the priest arriving for the 1030 service) then decided to go for a walk on my own. 

As I hadnt planned anything i decided to visit ashby st ledger, then the locks at Braunston then back up the Oxford canal to HMP Onley then back to Barby. Navigation was challenging for the first half due to fog, resulting in compass navigation Practice. 

The Lower Braunston lock was inspected 

then the grand union canal was followed to its junction with the Oxford canal. 

The Junctiion Grand Union goes left, Oxford canal goes Right

The entertainment at the junction was provided by a long barge (from Bristol) taking the Oxford canal then realising the mistake and reversing back into the junction before continuing on the Grand Union canal. 

The Oxford canal has a very narrow towpath (12" in places) very muddy and inundated by the canal in places causing one to have to step over water connected to the canal. Onley had a large marina and a cafe . Unfortunately it was closing 10 minutes after I got there! I completed the walk by walking up the muddy Barby hill back to the Church

The view of HMP Onley and the Marina from Barby Hill. The Fog had not cleared

 

Roseberry Topping 7 November 2025

 Friday was the going home day. Rather than the road chaos seen on the way north around York, I decided to go west out of Whitby which would allow a side trip to the famous Roseberry Topping. I found a circular route starting at Great Ayton It took 40 mintes to drive from Whitby, arriving to park opposite the Royal Oak pub at 0935

The route was interesting but a bit muddy on the lower slopes.

The sidetrack to the summit


It was a bit hazey on top of Roseberry Topping but the coast and Middlesborough were visible

The view East to the Coast 

Panoramic View

On the return leg, after passing the remnants of the mine and tramway I discovered Fletchers coffee shop on the outskirts of town which provided the nourishment to sustain me on the 4 hour journey back to Coventry

The view back to the Captain Cook Monument from the Coffee shop

The route was 5.31 miles and took 2 hours

Cleveland Way Scarborough to Ravenscar 6 Nov 2025

 There was only one part of the coastal Clevend way to complete from Scarborough to Ravenscar. After consulting the bus timetable for the 3 round trips between the two points I drove to Ravenscar station square and caught the 1025 double decker bus to Queens street in Scarborough. The bus was empty until we got to Scalby wneh all the shoppers got on. I contimued the walk at the lifeboat station at 1130 walking round the castle cliff, round North bay to Scalby

Scalby from Scarborough North Bay

From there the route continued along the cliffs which were quite muddy. Hayburn Wyke was particularily challenging

The coast ahead

Approaching the end of the walk the Chain home station remains were seen:-

The chain home station remains at Ravenscar

Robin Hoods bay from the end of the walk at the Ravenhall Hotel

12.9 miles total in 5 hours (there are a lot of ups and downs on this stretch)

A day of trains 5 November 2025

After I booked my 4 night walking holiday with HF holidays at Larpool Hall in Whitby. I looked at the NYMR web site hoping there would be some activity despite it being beyond the end of season.

I got a surprise!

Firstly Flying Scotsman was doing round trips from Grosmont (and had tickets!)

Secondly the replica of  Locomotion Number 1 was running up and down the siding at Pickering and you could ride in a carraige (and tickets were available)!

So I booked the Flying Scotsman 0845 Trip from Grosmont and  Locomotion at 1415

Breakfast at Larpool Hall was at 0745 which wouldnt allow me to get to Grosmont in time, so I skipped breakfast but managed to pick up their picnic at 0715. I got to Grosmont at 0745 in the driving rain. The banker loco was at the platform juggling carriages and went past in a cloud of Steam

Flying Scotsman Then appeared

Flying Scotsman after a lot of manouvering in and out of the tunnel left late at 1010 with the banker in tow.. There was a bit of drizzle as we crossed the moors but there was still lots to see on the way down to Levisham where the Banker was removed. We arrived at Pickering 20 minutes late

The return journey was greeted with sunshine!

We arrived 20 minutes late into the chaos of the queue waiting for the delayed next Scotsman trip and those waiting to dine on the Moorlander.. So I escaped and drove across the moors down to pickering and parked and went to the station.

Flying Scotsman arrived while i was inspecting Locomotion which was waiting for clear track to do its run, It was further delayed by the arrival of the Moorlander

It eventually got to do its round trip:-

At 1415 I joined the queue, only to be told that due to the delays this was the 1345, so i went to the gift shop and returned at 1445 for my round trip

The journey back to Whitby up the A169, past Fylingdales was delayed by a large container lorry breaking down on saltergate bank, causing the police to block the road either side so it could be rescued (not an uncommon occurence I am told!) I still got back to Larpool in plenty of time for dinner at 1900

Cleveland Way Filey Brigg to Scarborough 4 Nov 2025

 The southernmost section of the coastal Cleveland way is from Filey Brigg to Scarbough, officially 8.5 miles

I drove from Whitby and parked at the Country Park car park, which , being after 31 October was free. As a taster I walked to the end of the Brigg which was breezy

The Startpoint

109 miles to the end!

The Target:Scarborough

The route along the clifftops was muddy and slippy, especially when going past a campsite where the campers had worn out the grassy areas going down onto the beach.

After completing the walk at the Scarborough Lifeboat Station, (8.63 miles) I went to the Bus stop near the Scarborough train station and caught the hourly number 12 bus to Bridlington that stops in Filey. This gave a tour of the outskirts of Filey as the A1039 northern entrance to Filey was blocked by road works opposite the railway station. I walked North along the sea front back to the car and drove back to Whitby. Just one more coastal section to do.

Farewell to steam (again) 1 November 2025

 Vintagetrains organised a special excursion, the final one of their Rail200 celebration.  60 years ago (27 Nov 1965) BR Western Region organised a Farewell to Steam special train from Paddington to Bristol to Cheltenham. In 2025 the same locomotive, Clun Castle gets to do it again!

The excursion would go from Birmingham new street (0757) to London Paddington (1419), diesel hauled with Clun Castle on board. Clun castle would then take the lead (after doing a 3 point turn in West Ealing) and go from Paddington (1440)to Bristol Temple meads (1812) then after a break Return at 1947 to Birmingham New Street (2222). A long day!

Due to bus replacement service between Birmingham international and Rugby and Worcester to roitwich I travelled to Birmingham International by car and caught a train to New Street, passing the coaches diesel hauled with Clun Castle on the back waiting outside the station. The train came in (3Z35) and the diesel was detached and disappeared. Clun castle led the train (1Z35) out of New Street and took the train as far as Small heath (near where it had started the day at Tysely) where the same diesel was waiting and was attached to the front to lead the journey to Paddington. The journey had some long pauses while other trains were allowed to pass us. When we got to ealing a reversal manouvre was done so Clun castle would be facing the correct way coming out of Paddington.

About turn!

The diesel leads into the Platform

It was very busy at the Clun Castle end of the platform so I went to the next Platform 

Clun Castle then set off West (1Z36) through the mist and rain getting to bristol on time

Safely at Temple Meads

Clun Castle, diesel and coaches went off to the Bristol East depot for servicing. I went to weatherspoons for a desert!

Returning to Temple Meads at the posted time 1930 showed no sign of our Train. We waited and waited (5Z37) until we discovered that the signals to get out of the depot had a fault and it couldnt leave the depot. It eventually arrived at the platform at 2015 and left at 2031(1Z37). With Clun still leading it stormed past Gloucester and arrived in Birmingham only 22 minutes late

The departure from New Street

 

342 miles total