16th January 2015. Enderby Leisure Centre via Narborough to Enderby approx 5 miles.

It was a walk we've done before (on the 3.1.2014) but this time we went the other way round and called at a different watering hole.

Leaving Enderby Leisure Centre we turned right towards Narborough.

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After walking down the footpath/track we came to the busy main road which we crossed at the traffic lights, making our way towards Narborough village, passing the Narborough Arms and the Nat West bank on our way before rejoining the B4114 Coventry Road.

Shortly after the Huncote turn on the right we crossed the road again and climbed the wooden steps to the old disused railway track. Here we had a great view of Croft quarry not far away which reminded us that it's a long time since we walked up to the top of the quarry.

Croft Quarry

The disused railway line is known locally as 'Whistle Way'.This branch line used to link the now disused Enderby Warren Quarry with the Birmingham to Peterborough Line approx 1 km south-west of Narborough railway station but there never was a passenger service or indeed an Enderby station.

We continued walking along Whistle Way until we reached a bridge crossing a farm track which led us to the Pastures housing estate where the Copt Oak pub is, our watering hole for the day.

 

We were warmly welcomed by the staff and the cream scones went down a treat.






We think Sheila was trying to tell Willie that Valentine day is not far off. 

Leaving the Copt Oak we set off back to Whistle Way to continue our walk along the disused track, a bit muddy in places.

At the end of Whistle Way we walked up on to Seine Lane passing a house with a new plaque in memory of Alice Young, a missionary, who lived there many years ago.

For info:
When Alice was 26, she left Enderby to travel to South Africa to carry out missionary work, especially in the field of education, under the auspices of the London Missionary Society.

She worked in Palapye, Bechuanaland (now Botswana) and conducted her classes in the church until a school could be built.

She often taught through singing, which led to the formation of a choir and as she taught the children to speak English, she learned from them how to speak Sechuana.

Chief Khama, head of the Bamangwato tribe, (1837? – 1923) was so impressed with Alice’s enthusiasm and skill as a teacher that when the new school was opened, instead of giving the key to one of the dignitaries present, he handed her the key and asked her to take charge.

Within three months, 190 children were attending the school. The pupils included 16-year-old Semane, who later became the fourth wife of Chief Khama.

In 1895, Khama travelled to England to take part in the L.M.S. 100th anniversary celebrations and to hold discussions on other matters with the British Government. He also insisted on coming to Enderby to fulfil a promise he’d made to Alice to visit her parents. 

We tried to get a photo taken in front of the plaque but something distracted most of us at the crucial moment of the click.

Leaving Seine Lane we walked through Enderby village back to the Leisure Centre.

Smashing walk, lovely weather, let's hope it will be as good next week.