Roadkill Ramble

Date: 23rd August 2012
Route: Willington - Brancepeth - Brandon - Broom Park - Ushaw Moor - Esh Winning - Waterhouses - Stanley Crook - Willington
Distance: - 17 miles

Weather: - Dry and bright

Back from cruising the Med I was carrying a few extra pounds and in need of a good walk out. The great British weather was its usual unpredictable self as Bob picked me up and drove the short distance to Willington to park down a side street opposite the church.
We began the short walk back into the town centre at 9.50am and the Co Op where we picked up the old railway line. There was plenty to talk about, certainly on the rugby front with the usual highs & lows of following Hull FC. A couple of wins including Catalan and a top 4 finish was in our mind. However this was blown away with a whooping at Widnes and a serious reality check. For the third season in a row all talk at the club is about the next season!

Rain + Sun = Beautiful English countryside

We passed through Brancepeth & Brandon and soon arrived at Broom Park, heading on towards Usher Moor & Esh Winning before stopping at our now familiar spot by the river near Rog Path woods for lunch. With all the rain & sun it was massively overgrown and Bob looked like a garden gnome sat amongst the wild rhubarb fronds! After half an hour we were packed up and heading off again through woodland as we followed the river through a series of small towns & villages on our way back to Willington. The size of some of the vegetation along the path was almost tropical in appearance. We had to take shelter as we were suddenly hit with a 30 second downpour before the sun came back out - how odd is our weather at the moment?!

Fern tree!

Wild rhubard trees!

Rugby continued to slip back into conversation as did talk of all the potential clients we have - fingers crossed some of them commit to dates in the diary. The walk had been surprisingly lacking in wildlife, plenty to be heard but little to be seen. We did however stumble across plenty of roadkill, or should that be pathkill!

Mr Mole

Mrs Mouse

We soon came of the railway track to hit the road back to Willington arriving back at the car at 3.30pm. The weather had held up for us and it had been a good run out after another long lay off from walking.