LETJOG E2W – Day 13: Friday 26 April – HARBURY to BINTON (18.5 miles)
A ewe and her lambs, at the start of my day’s walk through the middle of England
If the Midlands are considered the centre of the country then, to me at least, the part of Warwickshire (‘Shakespeare’s County’) around Stratford-upon-Avon, that I am now traversing, might be considered the ‘Heart of England’, not just geographically but perhaps culturally too. I have visited Stratford many times, and have worked on a number of projects in the region over the years, but not before this LETJOG E2W walk have I walked through these parts. As you will have seen from yesterday’s Blog the countryside around here is magnificent, and today’s route, nearly all off-road apart from some very minor lanes, met with all my heightened expectations.
My morning walk took me westward, as ever, through the hamlet of Chesterton, over the M40 Motorway, and through the villages of Ashorne and Charlecote, before traversing Charlecote Park . . .. . . then, as noon passed, I completed the trek into Stratford-upon-Avon, where I enjoyed a couple of hours at leisure, before a ramble over the fields to my destination at The Blue Boar in Binton
So, another fantastic day on the trail, over some of central England’s very finest countryside – I hope you enjoy the photos.
Blue skies and green pastures this morning, all of the way out of Harbury . . .. . . and some fine rolling country ahead of meAt Lodge Farm these few cattle chose to be insideThe M40, looking south to the Warwick Services turn-off – it seems I can’t avoid these places, given my recent visit to Watford Gap!Soon though, it was back on the field paths . . .. . . and a lovely approach to Ashorne villageA rural postbox . . .. . . and a car like no otherThe grassy path to Newbold Pacey . . .. . . quite stunning!This path runs through future woods . . .. . . to fields being converted into solar farms – I have not researched the full environmental costs and benefits of these installations, but many locals seem opposed to them, presumably on aesthetic grounds, despite the land between the panels still being capable of use for sheep grazingThis heavily rutted track made for a difficult mile or soAt Wellesbourne Campus, part of Warwick University, an unusual facilityThe gates to Charlecote Park . . .. . . that walkers such as I are allowed to transit . . .. . . so long as we do not stray from the line of the yellow postsThe deer are not subject to such restrictionsEventually, after following some unofficial footpaths along field sides to avoid the traffic on the main road, I made it to busy Stratford-upon-Avon, where the Theatre and the swans were resplendent in the spring sunshineA lunchtime feeding frenzy for this bevvy‘He’s behind you’ – I’m not sure if that particular line was written by The Bard?!Into the town centre . . .. . . and a more impressive statue of William Shakespeare on Henley StreetLeaving town via the market . . .. . . and out to Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in ShotteryAnd on the subject of residences, I have seen a number of new estates being built on the edges of many of the towns I have walked through on my walk – note the pre-formed gable-end panels, that appear to be made of glass fibreTiptoe through the bluebells . . .. . . beside another solar farm . . .. . . and along this impressive avenue of oaks . . .. . . to my destination at Binton
Another very fine day indeed. I have a couple of milestones to announce this evening; first I passed the 200-mile mark of my LETJOG E2W walk quite early this morning, at about the point where I stopped for water break at Ashorne village, and second, I see now from my JustGiving page that, collectively, we have raised over £1,000 for Parkinson’s UK. So a very big thank you to everyone once again – Michelle at the charity called me at lunchtime for a catch-up, and we both send our sincere thanks. Thank you also to Rosemary in Harbury, who last night put me up, set me on my way with a fine (and, quite appropriately, ’hearty’) breakfast this morning, and who I have just seen has donated a large part of my overnight charge to Parkinson’s UK – thank you so very much Rosemary, and everyone!
With the swans in Stratford
My Blog heading today ‘The Heart Of The Matter’ is taken from a song of that title released in 1989 by US singer-songwriter Don Henley, a founder member of the group Eagles, that appears on his third solo album ‘The End Of The Innocence’. The number was written by Henley, together with fellow songsmith J D Souther, and Mike Campbell, guitarist to Tom Petty’s band The Heartbreakers.
Street artist Ricky entertained myself and others in Stratford for 30 minutes this afternoon with his rendition of several Neil Young (and other) songs, whilst we sat watching and listening over a coffee – and the building behind him (now Pret A Manger and Pandora) is part of the Bard’s Walk arcade that I built and let as my very first property development, 35 years ago now, back in the days when I worked on Prudential’s retail property fund!
One thought on “The Heart Of The Matter”
Nothing unlucky about day 13 on the road. There I was grinding on a pc all day while you were enjoying the Spring air! Great pictures once again – the mile or so on that muddy heavily rutted track is just one of those obstacles you across now and again. And more music from the mighty Eagles🎸🎼🎤☀️
Walking for Fun, Challenge and Charity! 
Nothing unlucky about day 13 on the road. There I was grinding on a pc all day while you were enjoying the Spring air! Great pictures once again – the mile or so on that muddy heavily rutted track is just one of those obstacles you across now and again. And more music from the mighty Eagles🎸🎼🎤☀️
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