Day 5 - Three Choirs Way

 Hereford Cathedral to Munderfield Row

(Actually Lugwardine to Munderfield Row)

After yesterday's unhappy ending, walking into Hereford along a main road and then seeing the nightmare traffic as we tried to drive out of Hereford, I decided that it would be more sensible to start from Lugwardine, at the end of the main route out.

My old boots &
Soggy Bottoms!!

The day was very pleasant. Sunshine, a cooling breeze with cattle-free fields and quiet country lanes for the most part.

The fields were wet with the early morning dew. So much so that not only were my boots wet but also the bottoms of my trousers. I'd changed from my 'technical' showerproof trousers to a cooler, cotten pair. 

Talking of boots I have, over the last two days, reverted to wearing my old boots that had been consigned to "Gardening Clobber". I have two other, newer pairs both of which seemed designed for daintier tootsies than mine. Only this ancient pair of the original Brasher boots seem to give my toes enough room. The blisters that I have on my toes were caused on the first two days by the two pairs of newer boots. They're fine for a 6-8 mile walk but any further & they rip my toes to shreds!!

Anyway - back to the walking!!

I'm glad that I didn't leave my walk till any later in the year as some of the paths were beginning to get very overgrown!! From Lugwardine my path went to Withington, across the main road to Worcester and then snaked via lanes, farm tracks by the wonderfully named Thing-hill Court, animal free fields to Ocle Pychard where I met two lovely ladies walking lovely, quiet dog! We got chatting and it transpired that one lady had had a kidney removed 13 years ago. We both agreed that she looked very well on it. There's hope for all of us. 

A little further on I crossed another main road, the A417 Burley Gate to Newtown/York hill crossroads. Then it was another farm lane and fields before arriving at Much Cowardine church.

The medieval church stands on a sloping hillside looking across farm fields in the Loddon valley. There is apparently a plaque inside the church celebrating Edward Elgar's connection to the village. There was a wonderfully comfortable  bench outside the church where I had my lunch.

It was lovely, lying full stretch in the sunshine, listening to the calls & songs of so many different birds, not even the buzz of traffic to disturb the serenity. So lovely that I found it quite difficult to put my backpack on and head off again!!

The name 'Cowarne' comes from a Saxon word meaning a centre for dairy farming, or more prosaically, a cowshed! I passed a modern version on my way out of the hamlet!

I turned off the lane and meandered through a Christmas Tree plantation before crossing more fields to arrive at the messiest farm I've seen in a while; it was well named Hope's Rough Farm. Boy was it rough!! 

Up till then I had been travelling roughly northeast. Suddenly it changed direction!! Northwest!! Going away from home? That didn't seem right!! All to avoid climbing up & over the hills around the Hopton area!!

None the worse for my fall, 
overlooking Stoke Lacy

After a seemingly endless detour towards Stoke Lacy passing orchards left & right the path swung back round to its original northeastern direction!

Not before dumping me unceremoniously on the ground trying to climb over a fence that a house owner had put across the path!! It was a metal stock fence with no means of opening. Too flimsy to climb on and I could only just stride it on tippy-toe!! In swinging my other leg over whilst balancing on my toe I lost my balance and went "Ace over Titty-Bogel"

Nothing hurt except my pride but the air was blue for a while!!

They're there!!
In the gap through the hedge!!

I continued on my way skirting the hill but climbing gradually all the time till I reached Stoke Lane. I continued along the lane until I came to a fork in the path.

Left across the fields to Mundersfield Row or right down the lane to Mundersfield Stocks & then up the B4214 to Mundersfield Row?

I started down the pathway . . . . and heard cattle lowing!!

I spied something in the distance so beat a hasty retreat & continued down the lane!!

I wasn't in the mood for any cattle encounters!!

So I didn't walk as much today, only 13.2 miles, as I'd started from Lugwardine.

That makes a total of close to 83 miles to date.

Long day to finish tomorrow at Worcester!!