20th Jan 2017 Walking from Dunton Bassett to Ashby Parva and Return app 4.5mls.

After meeting at Cosby Village Hall, 10.30am as normal, we set off for Dunton Bassett, having arranged with other walkers to rendezvous at Dunton Church.

What a brilliant walking day, very chilly but bright.

At Dunton when everybody had finished booting up we started our walk to Ashby Parva.

For info:

The village has one pub (the Dunton Bassett Arms), a primary school, village hall and a combined village shop / post office. The village hall was donated to the village by Orson Wright, a successful Leicester builder who had been born in the village.

Out through Dunton towards Leire bearing left at the end of the village towards Ashby Parva.

Cameras at the ready we headed out into the open countryside.

A bit of info.

Winter feed - 'Feed hay in small amounts or in a feeder to minimise waste. When fed a limited amount of hay at a time, cattle have less opportunity to trample and soil the hay.' This farmer is obviously watching the pennies.

The others have joined in to make sure they get their fair share.

Bare branches and clear blue - wow!

The country views are great at this time of the year. A bit of snow would help maybe for photo opportunities but most people are quite happy without it.

How did he get so far behind?

Renewable energy at work.

 Nearly into Ashby Parva.

Our destination, the Holly Bush in Ashby.

A roaring fire - what a fantastic welcome.

Drinks ordered, we settled down for a chat and a warm.

Bananas !!

The coffee here needs a mention - served in glasses with a minty chocolate.

Plotting the next shot.

The sign on the wall says it all.

Well we all enjoyed our break at the Hollybush, but it needs to be said we do enjoy our walking too.

Machined 'hay eggs' awaiting collection.

And more.

Around the corner and back into Dunton with its 'chocolate box' thatched cottages.

A cracking walk, fingers crossed the weather is the same next week.

13th Jan 2017 circular walk Enderby, Narborough and back via a different route. Approx 5 miles.

An email had been sent to all walkers in case they hadn't seen the weather forecast - mainly to warn about the wind early in the morning. 

Meet at Cosby Village Hall 10.30am.

Weather is sunny which is great.

It is also windy - up to 40mph gusts, not so good.

It is also going to be very cold. Thermals may be needed as 3 degrees was mentioned.

So it could be a walk around Cosby and a coffee somewhere warm. A walk  is arranged but we are leaving the final judgement until tomorrow at the car park.

In other words, we are playing it by ear!

Fortunately the wind died down much earlier. So, we set off for the arranged walk from Enderby Leisure Centre.

Dressed for the occasion - woolly hats, gloves, scarves,  waterproofs you name it.

Having parked the cars at Enderby Leisure Centre all seventeen of us set off down the lane adjacent to the centre heading for Narborough.

The path crosses over the M69.

After walking through Narborough which we do on many occasions on wet weather walks we set off up Whistle Way, a disused railway track.

For info: Whistle Way, Narborough/Enderby - this hard surfaced path follows a disused mineral railway line from Narborough to Enderby.

It's quite overgrown at the start of the walk.

It soon widens out to give good views of Croft Hill.

For info: Croft Hill stands 128m high in a largely flat area of Leicestershire. 

The wind was still quite blustery but the high hedgerows helped to give quite a lot of shelter.

Walking down off the railway path to make our way to the Copt Oak for tea/coffee.

Sun still shining.

Nice to sit and rest the legs for a while.

After a short break we set off back to the railway path to continue our walk into Enderby via Seine Lane.

We soon got into our stride again.

A stray clump of cyclamen was spotted.

The end of Whistle Way was in sight.

Up on to Seine Lane and back into Enderby.

Down through the main street past the Dog and Gun.

Back at the Leisure Centre we all thought the walk a success considering the weather forecast earlier in the morning.