I'm not talking about Timothy Claypole, the bearded jester from classic children's TV series "Rentaghost", but Claypole village, over the border in Lincolnshire. To find a route from Barnby in the Willows to Claypole has become my own personal search for the North-West Passage, and is proving about as difficult.
Although not as dangerous, in terms of lives lost.
It's a bit daft really, because I can easily go there by another route, but that's along a rather boring road and I'd much rather go the scenic way.
So I ran to Barnby past horse liveries and fields now rich with oilseed rape, through the grandiosely titled "Church of All Saints" with its fifteenth century tower, and crossed the bridge over the River Witham into Lincolnshire. The river marks the county border.
I ran along a well marked track I had previously explored in the autumn, longer term readers may remember that, but this time rather than turn around I followed it the whole way through.
This led to an adventure along wholly virgin territory for me. I was clearly running through dairy pasture country, through lush green fields with olde worlde "Keep off the Grass" signs on them. A helpful sign told me I had now reached Sutton village, and the path would lead on to a village called Fenton, both places no more than 5 miles from home but I had never suspected existed.
Fenton turned out to be a very affluent looking village, with an All Saints church of its own, spired rather than towered, and judging by the noise, an extensive dog kennel somewhere. But the path just looped back on itself, there was no route into the village so I could find the road to Claypole.
I had failed again!
This also meant I had to retrace my steps, which I am utterly loath to do, as it means that there won't be anything new to see. But as I wearily trudged back into town, the sight of a small group of swallows delighted me, they are so early this year. I even managed to get a shot of one in classic telegraph wire mode, albeit not a good one.
By the time I'd got home I'd covered a shade over 20km in about 2 hours 10. Nearly a half marathon.
I think that makes up for being too asleep for Parkrun this morning!
Si
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| Morris men prepare a dance wishing success for my run |
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| Young dove preening in the trees near Asda |
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| Another airy footed flower bee on wilting library squill |
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| On the Barnby road, unknown fly on dandelion |
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| Barnby church in the far distance |
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| Donkey |
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| All Saints church, Barnby in the Willows |
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| Slightly pale looking speedwell? |
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| River Witham, home of big pike |
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| Castle of straw |
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| The map at Sutton |
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| Open pasture |
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| Fenton church |
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| Rather large garden pond |
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| Fenton sign |
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| Flushed a pair of mallard from the drain |
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| On the way home. Barnaby's Manor. |
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| Swallow |
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| Cute little pond with an island |
