On Sunday 1st August, 14 Ramblers did a 7.5 mile walk from Blockley. The conditions were wet due to a period of heavy rain before the start of the walk, but thankfully, the weather cleared in time for the walk itself. We started at the Blockley Community Shop and Café, close to the imposing parish church.

The attractive village of Blockley is the location of Kembleford in the Father Brown TV detective series, and up to the early 19th century, the home of a thriving silk and ribbon manufacturing area.

The walk proceeded out of the village along Bell Lane past numerous fine buildings.  The lane petered out into a track which we followed uphill for about a mile through The Warren and Dovedale Woods, past a couple of ponds. We then had an unpleasant, but mercifully short, stretch of main road walking before cutting through woodland to a path through the woods forming part of Five Mile Drive. On leaving the woods, we were rewarded with a fine view of the North Cotswolds countryside, and after a photo stop, we continued downhill along a track across farmland, past Warren Farm, before re-entering The Warren.

After passing a most attractive house and garden, we stopped for lunch before continuing through The Warren and Norcombe Wood along woodland tracks. We passed a pheasant breeding centre in the woods. On leaving Norcombe Wood, the walk opened out onto a large field. We had a stiff but short climb to the top of a hill, before crossing a further  field, and re-entering Blockley village. We passed by a row of intriguing cottages called The Promenade before returning to the starting point of the walk.

Leaving Blockley and entering the Warren

Still beautiful wild flowers to admire

On Diamond Way crossing Warren Farm

Harvest is well under way

We enter the Warren for the second time

Halfway up the final hill back into Blockley