Three walkers gathered outside Church on the 3rd October. Over the past week supply problems meant that finding a petrol station actually selling petrol was a headache so we decided to start our walk from church rather than driving to a starting point.
We walked through Newbold village before crossing Loundsley Green Road and entering Holmebrook Valley Park. Here we had our lunch sat at a picnic bench.
Holmebrook Valley Park was originally open fields reclaimed from an opencast site and laid out as a park in 1995. It extends over 130 acres of sports fields, open water, woodlands and hay meadows.
Continuing our walk through the park in a figure of eight we walked past the pond following a footpath which eventually ran alongside a field containing two Shetland ponies before emerging on the main road in Cutthorpe.
Along the road we made a stop to collect conkers – Julie was on the lookout for items she could work into her church decorations for Harvest Festival.
Walking down Cutthorpe Green we passed through Hall Farm where Julie bought half a dozen eggs. In the farmyard a herd of cows lined our route, their heads pushing through a railed fence as they ate their silage.
Re-entering Holmebrook Valley Park on another footpath Julie continued to collect interesting seed heads and berries for her arrangements. We soon passed the sports ground before leaving the Park and walking down Newbold Road then St John’s Road to return to Church.
If you enjoy walking you are more than welcome to join us on the first Sunday of each month, meeting outside church at 12:00 noon. Please bring a packed lunch.
Steve Franks