The Rob Hearnden Page
Tales Of The Man Of Stratford
Walk1 - September 2019 - Rollrights Hills
The Good Doctor spake in August 2019
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Around the Rollrights in Warwickshire
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Around Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire
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Walk2 - November 2019 - Chipping Norton
Visit House Of Bread Christian Conference Centre - November 2019
Sadly this Christian meeting place had been flooded over night.
We then went to Paul Clarke’s house - wow whatta DJ !
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Walk3 - May 2020 - Snitterfield
A beautiful walk from Stratford to Snitterfield
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Walk5 - July 2020 - Aston Magna & Blockley & Moreton-In-Marsh
Great views overlooking verdant valleys.
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Walk4 - July 2020 - The Lenches
Exploring The Lenches.
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Walk6 - August 2020 - Alcester & Cookhill
Fields of corn may not sound spectacular but these were.
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All of Rob’s friends are grateful for the walking treks that he has organised around the Stratford-upon-Avon area.
Below are links to Dropbox collections of photographs of each trek in reverse chronological order. Below is a link to a folder containing all the treks.
Click here to go to a folder containing all collections in one place.
Treks Around Stratford
Walk7 - Sept 2020 - Darlingscott
A jolly adventure at the height of harvest led by Tassie.
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Walk8 - Sept 2020 - Alcester & Morton Bagot
Starting by the River Arrow and passing Coughton Court.
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Walk9 - Sept 2020 - Worcester
Bill led us from his house, idyllically situated just moments from the powerful River Severn, to this enthralling city. Not only known for the bloody Battle Of Worcester at the end of the British Civil War but home to such a peaceful composer as Edward Elgar. Our favourite part, as you’ll see, was the magnificent Worcester Cathedral that hosts staggering architecture, a vast organ and the Tomb Of King John the author of the Magna Carter. Full of life the city is the seat of such world beating companies as Lea&Perrins Worcester Sauce, Royal Worcester Bone China, Fownes Gloves etc.
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Walk10 - Oct 2020 - Alcester - Inkberrow
We got up fairly high to see those landscapes on the very beautiful Warwickshire-Worcestershire border.
Early on we passed the renowned Ragley Hall once taking architectural advice from the Scientist & Astronomer Robert Hooke and the sumptuous landscape abilities of Capability Brown. There they regularly host very posh weddings, very posh music festivals and a balloon race to beat all others - even in America. Not to be missed.
Having been on top of the rolling hills the panoramas across the Arrow Valley were stunning.
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Walk11 - Oct 2020 - Burton Dassett - Claydon
Starting at the renowned look-out and beauty spot of Burton Dassett we set off for the picturesque village of Fenny Compton. Not even a couple of hours later we stopped for lunch beside the Rosie & Jim boats of the Oxford Canal.
For a kilometer the waterway seemed unbelievably narrow. We learnt later that this was all that remains of a huge tunnel with passing places. The land above was purchased and a significant portion dug out in 1838-40. It proved such a massive task that work wasn’t restarted until 1864 but not completed until 1870.
This proved an efficient route to Claydon where turned to lift our eyes upon the ironstone rich walls of possibly the most beautiful village not in the Cotswolds: Farnborough. We reached Kineton and were ready for final refreshment at the renowned Gilk’s Garage Cafe. This village is near the vast Compton Verney stately home and art galleries.
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Walk12 - Oct 2020 - Alcester River Arrow, The Lake & Weethley
As we walked South out of Alcester we passed Oversley Mill (in the bushes and now a private house) and Arrow Mill. This had almost been the route of the old Evesham-Redditch Railway (1863). We followed a tiny bank path in the undergrowth by the side of the winding petite River Arrow almost as far as Wixford. As we turned off we gained height towards Dunnington at Hillers Apple Farm where there is the Avondale Miniature Railway. Passing a their huge reservoir, imaginatively called The Lake, we skirted Weethley to admire stunning panoramas to round off in the sunshine.
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2020
Walk14 - Jan 2021 - Brailes & Stourton
A winter walk through woody valleys and across many farmers fields filled with views as there were few leaves on the few trees.
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2021
Walk13 - Dec 2020 - Dorsington - Long Marston
A short walk round the countryside villages. This includes a large number of pictures of Felix Dennis, highly successful magazine and book publisher, who used to live in Dorsington (see his Obituary).
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Walk15 - Jan 2021 - Henley-Tanworth In Arden
This winter walk was particularly boggy but we were both in the mood and it wasn’t cold. It was punctuated by the sweet villages of Tanworth and Ullenhall where the people and horse-riders were happy to stop for a chat.
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Walk16 - Jan 2021 - Wixford
The band of three, Hana, Rob & Matt ventured out on a long skinny trail south following the River Arrow downstream on one side and back up on the other side We encountered the site of a historic castle at Oversley (since gone), many historic buildings and the site of a tragic steam lorry accident in 1915.
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Walk17 - Feb 2021 - Ilmington
Rob & I agree that what we saw from the road crossing Foxcote Hill were the finest views that we’d ever experienced. The air was crystal clear and sky azure blue. Really the best views.
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Walk19 - August 2021 - Tysoe - Shenington
Rob, Matt, Mike & Julian ventured out to experience full summer during the harvest and again there stunning panoramas interspersed with the beautiful ironstone houses of North Oxfordshire. What lovely pubs punctuate life there too. Beware of the great ugly squirrels in the trees though !
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Walk20 - November 2021 - Clifford Chambers - Milcote
Rob, Matt & Hugh took in the sights of broad uninterrupted panoramas and a 1000 resplendent autumn trees. Then finished with such a tasty coffee in a railway carriage converted for the purpose.
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2022
Walk21 - February 2022 - Leamington Spa - Warwick
On our trek in the back end of two theoretically pleasant town Bill & Matt risked being near Rob and the edge of the water of the Grand Union Canal. There was no incident. However, as we breathed our sigh of relief, nothing had prepared us for the danger of going to Rob’s favourite café ! During the onslaught of wild behaviour, and even performance singing, we noticed that patrons were struggling. To the crescendo of his slurping habits eventually they could take no more and they exeunt stage right...
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Walk22 - March 2022 - Illmington Loop
Eventhough just within the Cotswolds National Park the village of Illmington boasts some of the loveliest buildings anywhere to be seen. The ancient St Mary’s Church being particularly worthy. We started off at the coffee shop (a converted village school) with generous portions of delicious homemade cakes and took the border road towards the painfully named Compton Scorpion. With the sun shining in our eyes we then turned sharp right, past the farm, up a seriously steep hill. Then the breath-taking views started -I’ll shut up: you ought to be admiring them ! We did, of course refresh ourselves by a log fire in the Howard Arms Pub
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Trek Round Borrowdale in Lake District
Rob and friends went to the Lake District their pictures are here...
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Walk23 - March 2022 - Wootton Wawen - Henley-In-Arden
This was not the longest, nor the most strenuous, stroll ever undertaken by a long chalk but Rob, Andy and Matt were all in the mood for a fun walk -and that’s what we got.
Of course we started right by stocking up our bellies in the Cowshed Coffee Shop who let us park our car safely. Inbetween vast stately homes, like Ragley Hall and Coughton Court etc, this part of Warwickshire’s splendor is renowned verdant and it didn’t disappoint. From stunning canal scenes to hilltop views we came back uplifted by God’s stunning year-round workmanship. Refreshed we could’ve gone for twice the distance (Couldn’t we Andy ?).
Only one slip-up..
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2023
Walk24 - May 2023 - Stratford - Snitterfield Fruit Farm
This was not Rob’s first of the year but the first that I’ve been witness to. Sunny views; nice company (mainly !)
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Walk18 - Apr 2021 - Ilmington - Compton Scorpion
We needed to get out and Hana joined us on a modest tour. On our way up to Matt’s favourite view we cut ivy that was seriously strangling all the local trees. There was a lot of dead wood about so we set that aside and collected in the car on the way back to Stratford. It was so nice to chat and breathe and let our minds be refreshed.
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Walk25 - May 2023 - Stratford - Milcote
Today was merely a long stroll for a coffee at the continuingly improving Railway Coach Café at Milcote two-thirds the way down the old Stratford-Cheltenham railway now The Greenway. Whilst the summer isn’t at full intensity yet the conversations were - where is this world going to ? The season’s not late -look the harvesting has started.
This is the first time Matt and Sung Man had met -let’s hope that it’s not the last. There was insightful conversation about Korean society. It’s all about respect for your elders - but golly their language ageist. Not to worry the people are very homely.
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Walk26 - October 2023 - Stratford - Snitterfield
It was tme to enjoy the last sunshine for a while before the rain sets in later this week. As it happened we found a prodigious number of pumpkins pouncing passers to the now renamed “Cobbs” Farm/Shop/Restaurant. However we were there for the apples, lovely moist air and panoramic views.
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