Walsham-le-Willows – Report

The morning was frosty and misty.  Oh dear!  Hope it will clear before our walk.  Luckily not far to drive – down the A143, turn off at Wattisfield and head through the bendy lanes to Walsham Le Willows.  Already the sun was beginning to be seen behind the mist and the air was warming up (a little).
The Blue Boar – was that where Robin Hood used to meet people?? But surely that was Nottingham?  Anyway, the pub was open and we parked up and ordered our meal.  (No sign of any outlaws yet – just the usual suspects.)  So down through the village, which has a shop and a good butchers, and shows films in the village hall/community centre and even boasts an enormous builders merchants (Clarkes).   Then onto a pathway heading out around fields and into open countryside.
By this time the sun was really showing through and the views were stunning.  Misty blue light over crops already growing and a slight haze in the distance over the farm buildings.  We walked down narrow lanes with trees forming a canopy overhead.  Most of the leaves are down now, but some trees still seemed to have green leaves;  where did Autumn go?  Or is it still coming?  The talk then turned to strange things happening in our gardens -narcissi and orange blossom flowering, birds showing spring behaviour.  We shook our heads and showed our age. “What is the world coming to?”
We had to be careful when we wandered along the narrow roads, now and again a car or van or even a tractor came along.  But the tarmaced bits were few and far between.  There were wide tracks alongside hedges with shrivelled up sloes and many hips showing.  In the distance we saw large houses with interesting names : Batwright’s Barn, Keeper House, Burnt House, Squirrels Hall, Fishpond Farm, Sunnyside House, Redbrick Cottage; and places : Finch’s Bottoms, Westhall Wood, Ten Acre Wood, Cranmere Green.  Underfoot it was long grass, still damp and a bit of mud in places, but not difficult to negotiate.
We zig-zagged down the sides of fields, walked along wide paths that ended in pathways through woods, past a large pond glinting in the now quite warm sun , and followed a stream to the South West corner of the village.  We went through 2 stiles which have been called ‘nut crackers’ but an informed person told us they were “eyes of needles”, the kind camels can’t go through (biblical reference).  So you always learn something new on our walks.
The sign had said “Beware of the Bull” and just before the village, there he was, with his cows and, lo and behold, a very young and beautiful calf……….. what were we saying about spring?
Past the cemetery and St Mary’s Church to the Blue Boar for a very nice lunch.  Another thoroughly enjoyable walk.  Thanks, David and Jan.

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