The last weather front had crossed over and the next one was not due until tonight, so Bertie and I headed out to make the most of the weather break. I was still slightly under the weather from the cold of last week, so was not looking for anything spectacular and also with the ground continuing to be waterlogged it had to be somewhere suitable for Wellies. So a local walk, out along the fields to Plaistow, but scooting around the north of the village and down beside Nell Ball. Out towards Piper's lane before turning back to reach Crouchlands. From here circling back home around Wephurst Park.
Through Ifold and down the ride to reach poundhill lane. Cross over the boundary to the forestry road so that we could get down the side of Barton farm house and into the fields. Across the fields to pick up the Bread run track to Plaistow. At the track to Plaistow Place we crossed over to the fields on the other side - a very boggy field with little drainage, which we followed around the edge and out to Weald Barkfold farm. The original idea was to cross the fields back to the Plaistow football pitch , but there was a herd of cows in the way so we opted to use the side of the back road instead.
At the edge of the village we turned down the bridleway beside Nell ball and continued along this "stream" as it merged onto a farm track and then the driveway for Birchfield. Here we did a U-turn and down the driveway to Upper Frithfold farm where it touched Piper's lane. back into fields beyond the farm yard up to Roundwyck house and around that. across a small stream and into Roundwyck copse. We continued through the copse on a forestry track until it changed into a footpath (last time this was very overgrown , but now it had been trimmed back). This ended in some large puddles beside the crossroads of the Crouchland lagoon tracks.
Now the usual route back home through Wephurst Furze, Wephurst Park, and around Orchard Cottage to get to the edge of the village and home.