After several days doing things around the house it was time to get out and do some more local exploring. I played safe and fopund a couple of routes in the Kittiwake book that I could join together and set out for the little village of Wellington. Although it is close to several A roads all the connections are on single track lanes. Parking is also a bit of a problem - I did not want to leave the car on the side of the main access roads and cause an issue if a larger load wanted to come past. In the end I parked in front of the social club and ran away before they could object.
Down the next side street - Bridge Lane to its end.
Then away along a sunken path between fields - luckily not too wet or slippy.
Across a back road before the path climbed up beside a driveway with lots of "Keep Out" signs
The foot path followed the edge of a potato field alongside the driveway.
Further up the field the path dived into the bushes and My legs got their first soaking of the day from the night's rain.
Then up a driveway - not sure if this was the termination of the previous road or a separate one.
After the house the path ascended into the woods after several sets of steps.
Always continuing in the same direction climbing deeper into the woods.
The angle of the path eased up as it reached the end of the woods.
Leaving the woods and into hay fields, luckily saved from a soaking by the mown path at the side.
Past Brickyard cottage and into a more flatter area - still following the mown tracks.
Across this open hay field I missed the track I wanted (or maybe it had not been mown!), and continued to The Cotts farm.
After a zigzag around the farm the path continued along the top of the slope> At the end of the field I had spotted a walker and dog coming down along the fence from where I wanted to be so knew I could get back on track there.
On a farm track now past several buildings to a back road going to the common.
At the start of the common more mown tracks led off to the side. This was an alternative place to start the walk, but I was glad I did not, as it was not obvious where one could park.
Along the mown track to Broomwell farm with views across to the Malvern hills. Then turning along the edge of the common.
Now lookign north up towards the Long Mynd and Shropshire hills.
I turned again (before loosing too much height) and continued around the edge of the common, after cutting across on more mown tracks.
A bit of track hopping brought me to the western corner, and views south to Hereford.
A funny house with a seating area on the roof, caused amusement before dropping to the southern edge of the common.
A footpath then brought me back to the back road at the point I had started the circumnavigation of the common.
The path followed the back road down to a cross roads of tracks.
Left onto the byway that contoured above the village of Westhope and more views down to the Wye valley.
The byway ended at a driveway and the continuing pathway now descended several sets of steps down through shrubbery.
A strange zigzag around a garden, but again helped by a mown path.
Before dropping down to cross a small valley. The other side was back into a hay field and the usual consequence of the wet grass!
Across a cow field and into Lawton's Hope farmyard. I had a problem with tied up gates here that needed to be climbed, but Once through the yard the signs returned and I continued past an old barn.
Back into long (wet) grass of a hay field had me checking the route.. I still do not know if this was right or I should have ben on the far side of the hedge.
Eventually the hay field ended when it reached an old orchard
Turnign now onto the driveway of a cottage and down it until escaping into a second orchard.
Through the orchard before re-joining the driveway.
this dropped down to a back road, which I followed along to Wootton
At the junction with the back road to Wellington I turned down, following this to a small residential area.
Turning along the side of a small stream opposite an old mill building.
this then came out into more hay fields as it followed the edge of Wellington village.
Eventually re-joining bridge road, and back to where I had left the car - which I hurriedly got in and moved off before I could stop for some lunch.
