Health Walk

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Tuesday 5th June -  Months ago one of us was enthusiastic about having a picnic in the Walled Orchard to celebrate the diamond jubilee - not all were enthusiastic, the picnic was OK but . . . .  However most were carried along by Jacqueline's personality but days before we were due to meet Jacqueline, poor soul, unfortunately was struck down with embolisms in one of her legs, toes to groin, and became immobile, the prognosis is around six months!  So we were in a quandary but having got used to the idea we pressed on abandoning the idea of a Jacob's Join and electing to all bring our own lunches.
The weather forecast was more than a bit gloomy, rain was expected and indeed it was just beginning as
we assembled in the Barn Paying Car Park at 1100 hours.
Only ten of the original party had arrived.  It wasn't all due to the weather but we wondered, it was certainly not picnic weather.  Ten was a good number because Sue had made two trifles and we only had ten dishes!
We set off on the planned route, see below.  We arrived in the picnic area and turned left to walk along the dam.  Sue said - you couldn't have brought John this way - steep steps ahead.  I'd planned to take him up the main path and join the main party at the entrance to the wood - between photos 1 and 2.  Carole and John had to withdraw at the last moment.  Carole's been trying to get John to come for some time and at last she almost managed but circumstances were against her.

Photo 1                                                        Photo 2           
Here we've left the reservoir behind and later we are in the depths of Dog Kennel Wood.

Photo 3                             Photo 4         
The dreaded Rhododendrons again - they are in full bloom all over the park, my flower book says these are wild ones as most of them seem to be.  Photo 4 is I, Michael, full of the joys of winter
We walked over the New Bridge and up the hill to the Walled Orchard where Joe had made sure the gate was unlocked, thanks very much Joe.  It hadn't rained once we had got walking so we carried out our plan to have our picnic.

Photo 5                                                Photo 6                                         Photo 7  
Not quite as we imagined, we huddled together in the Gazebo and pretended it was summer but it felt like winter.  Sue dishing out the trifle - it made it more of an occasion.

Photo 8           Photo 9
Peter had entered into the spirit of the moment - you've guessed, Michael is a Republican although the thought of the Blairs in the Palace makes him cringe.  Never mind, I had a good morning's sailing in the Lune estuary yesterday.
Photos 5 to 9 are all in the Gazebo.