26th Feb 2012 - another chiddingly circuit

The sun was out yet some of us who met in the Gun Inn pub car park as planned didn't have full confidence as others who set off through Strood Farm without coats. We were joined by a newcomer to the group who lives locally but who I had met whilst camping abroad last year.

Five of us were walking in a counter-clockwise direction and heading through a couple of farms before re-discovering the Old Bridge at Stream Mill, (a Grade II listed bridge) next to the hammer pond. It was in a slightly different, less frozen condition this time.

The warmth of the sun caused me to abandon my coat as we continued our way to Chiddingly, observing the abundance of verges full of snowdrops, talking with friendly horses and picking our way through muddy tracks.

We stood outside the church and listened to the congregation singing and then spotted a buzzard circling above a nearby wood.

Struggling to maintain altitude as it flew trying to spot its next meal.
We were making good time, with an expected arrival time back at the pub just before midday. It was time to take a pint of local brew and reflect on a very enjoyable Sunday morning walk.