Leader: Roy Carter

Highlights of our last day on the Jurassic Way:

• The attractive village of Barrowden, our starting point; the village pond with lilies.
• Welcome shade in the woods, and a cuckoo cuckoo-ing.
• Our morning breather at the café in Fineshade Wood.
• Lunch stop at the Royal Oak, Duddingon, where we ate our lunch at shaded tables.
• Crossing the River Welland over the lovely Duddington bridge, and the nearby former mill.
• The old Collyweston Bridge
• Paths along the Welland and through wheat fields.
• Our second pub, the Blue Bell at Easton-on-the-Hill wasn’t open when we got there, despite Roy having rung and checked the closing time. Never mind, we had our afternoon break in the shade of the pub garden.
• The view of Stamford as we approached from the river meadows.
• The ice creams Roy had promised to celebrate our final day.
• Certificates for everyone who had completed the JW; some folk had gone back between times to walk sections they couldn’t walk with the group.
• A lovely sense of satisfaction at having completed the 88 miles from Banbury to Stamford, walking through attractive countryside and picture postcard villages - fine views and beautiful cottage gardens. Also walking through the seasons, from February daffodils, Spring blossoms and fields of buttercups to Summer roses.
• Roy, with the promise of a café, two pubs and an ice cream to celebrate The Finish, made our last day very light-hearted and enjoyable. A jolly good day out, thank you Roy.