Record numbers joined the long walk today including the rector, Simon and his wife Heather and another new walker, Peter. So twenty of us set off on the Kings Sutton Loop. We were delighted to see how much Green Lane had dried out during the week and this proved true of all the paths. We continued past Lower Walton Grounds farm buildings and over the footbridge. Once past the cottages we took the path along side them and into the fields. The rape seed had grown and flowered so much more than a week ago. The path that crossed the next field diagonally up to the copse was not reinstated and nor was the one that led down the next field. We took the field edge until we reached the route that many local dog walkers use and crossed from there to the path into College Lane and Kings Sutton village centre. We wound through the village and the new housing estates and emerged by the station. From there we climbed the path up to the field usually populated by sheep, followed the edge until the gate onto the track which emerges onto the Aynho Road. By now we were really quite hot in the bright sunshine. We crossed the rape field towards the sewage works turning to catch the wonderful view of the church spire rising above the yellow rape seed. We crossed more fields to reach Lower Walton Grounds again and continued across newly ploughed fields up to the Charlton Road and back to the pavilion. We were certainly ready for a drink and a sit. Just over 6 miles in 1hr 50mins.
