23rd September 2012

23rd September 2012.




Dear All,

We have just returned from a weeks walking in The Forest of Dean with the U3A. We were a group of 19 and we stayed right in the centre of the Forest at a historic hotel called “Speech House”. It was built in the 17th century as a hunting lodge then became the administrative centre for the forest including the court for the verdereres (who looked after the trees) and the free miners. The court room is now the dining room and still has original and very valuable chairs in place.

Speech House

Group on Sculpture trail

We arrived Sunday pm and did a short walk on the “Sculpture Trail”. On Monday there were “Forest Walks” starting from the hotel and we met wild boar within half an hour of leaving. Estimates of numbers vary from 200 to 600 but evidence of their rooting is everywhere and there are plans to start culling. The walk was meant to be about 12 miles but as happened most days was a tad longer!.

Tuesday we headed west to Orcop and more open country and steepish climbs to Garway Hill and Kentchurch with lunch at Kilpeck. Again the estimated distance to the pub of 9.4 miles was rather optimistic and we arrived an hour late. Kilpeck has a rare Norman church with about 80 corbells (small gargoyles). We explored that then walked back another fictional 4 miles.

Wild Boar

Forest of Dean

Wednesday was a free day but a highlight as we visited one of the local coal mines operated single handedly by a 77 year old man with a wealth of tall stories. We were all kitted out with helmets and lamps and went underground to see the seam he was working. He had the real gift of the gab heightened by working on his own all day!

After that 4 of us visited Tintern Abbey and Chepstow.

View from Garway Hill

Tintern Abbey

Wednesday night was memorable as I woke in some pain with what turned out to be a kidney stone. It is not an experience I am recommending and eventually had to go to the local hospital for diagnosis and a pain killing injection. Kate manfully (womanfully?) stayed with me so we both missed walking the “Three Castles Walk” on Thursday. We did manage to visit Monmouth between spasms and took in the castle and museum, which was dominated by Nelson (who preserved the oak trees in the forest) and Charles Rolls of Rolls Royce fame.

Tough Miners

Symonds Yat

I recovered enough to join the walk from Staunton to Symonds Yat on Friday which included a boat trip up the River Wye in the afternoon.

On the way back on Saturday some of us stopped in the Cotswolds for a final walk beginning at Guiting Power and taking in the Cotswolds Country Park home of Adam from “Countryfile”.

So an enjoyable week (mostly), the weather was kind with sunshine until Wednesday and mostly dry and cloudy thereafter. I am not sure what happens next with kidney stones: has it passed? will there be more? but so far so good!



Love



Mike & Kate