Herbaceous Hidcote

A quick limber up today before the walking begins. Across to Hidcote Boyce via part of the Monarchs Way (625 miles long) and the Diamond Way. A very bucolic route and we met not a soul. Shared my apple with Dobin. Walked across the location of the battle of Mickelton Tunnel involving Isambard Kingdom Brunel and 3,000 navvies.

Encountered great and blue tits, kite and buzzard, green woodpecker, yellowhammer, robin, dunnock, song and mistle thrush, Whitethroat and blackcap. Started raining just as we finished. I feel an attack of the tea rooms coming on.