On a dry warm morning, 28 members did a 5 mile walk from the village of Badminton in Gloucestershire. After leaving the village, the route was across the grass landing strip, past the plaque explaining the Plague Cottage and onto the permissive woodland path along a small part of the Seven Mile Plantation.

After a refreshment break in a clearing, the route was right, going across several fields, with extensive countryside views, and then a short section of quiet road walking. Here we saw a cavalcade of tractors from Sodbury Vale Tractor Club, raising funds for the Sue Ryder Hospice. This was quite a coincidence, as the same thing had happened on a walk at Andoversford in 2019, with the same walk leader on both walks.

We did a circular walk through the hamlet of Little Badminton, passing the Dovecote and the small church and returned on the path through the Badminton Estate Park, passing Park Pond with a glimpse of Badminton House beyond.

Some interesting buildings in and around Badminton

Far ranging views across the farnland

The sun was trying to break through as we crossed the fields

Just some of the tractors on parade

Walking through Little Badminton

Just a glimpse of Badminton House