On Sunday 11th July 9 members and 1 guest met at Frampton on Severn. We left at the bottom of the long village on a lovely sunny morning walking past many lovely old houses and gardens, some Tudor, some Thatched.. Frampton has the longest Village Green in the country. When we reached Manor Farm Barn, which dates back to 1650’s (used then to store sheep’s wool) we took a left turn down the side of Manor Farm to come out into fields, then taking a right turn we carried on up fields with horses in until we came to the Gloucester and Sharpness canal with its many barges moored along side.

We crossed a road bridge and went down the road towards Arlingham. After a short way we took a right turn through a Kissing Gate, carrying on up the fields til we eventually came to a stream and turning right followed the track along til we came out at Saul Junction with its Swing Bridge.

We sat here for out lunch stop watching the boats go up and down the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal as the swing bridge opened and shut. We lost the sun at this point but it was not cold. Going over the bridge we turned left and followed the path that took us to Whitminster Church. Crossing the lane we carried straight on down fields turning left and right going through field of Bead Wheat . When we came to a road we crossed over going into the entrance to Frampton Manor Park, its a very large park with massive lake on left with many swans (some one counted 36 that she could see) and Canada Geese.

Here we sat on large logs and had our second stop before crossing the park through a gate and over a stile til eventually coming back into Frampton on Severn by the Lych Gate and red phone box to take the path down to the Church of St Mary. Once past the church we bore left and back to our cars. Then 5 of us stopped at the top of village to have a drink outside the Bell Inn, where a cricket match was taking place. We left just as few spots of rain started. Every one thanked me for a good walk.

The Wool Barn on High Street 

Group at Saul Junction

Leaving Saul Junction along the towpath

Bob in the undergrowth

Overgrown churchyard at Whitminster