Twelve of us set off in warm sunshine to walk the Kings Sutton Loop. It was lovely to welcome Emma, a very fit young woman, training for her Duke of Edinburgh Trek in the Forest of Dean. We walked down a dried out Green Lane to Lower Walton Grounds. The horses hooves had left deep holes during the wet period and these had now dried into quite a hazard for unwary walkers. We crossed the stream by the footbridge, ducking under the low hanging branch, and continued round to the row of farm cottages. The narrow path into the fields has dried out as have the fields beyond. We climbed up to the copse, avoided the mud that always remains there and descended to College Farm in Kings Sutton. from the College Lane we emerged into the village, crossed the green and took the path out to the fields beyond, noting a fine magnolia tree in full bloom. As the building works continue to stretch along this area we had to divert into the lower roads of the current estate before reaching the Banbury Road. The path along the stream by another new housing development has now been restored so we continued along here into a further field and eventually emerged by the scrap yard a short distance from the railway station. We crossed the fields to the west of the village and reached the road that leads out to the B4100. From here we took the path across to the sewage works, identified by their distinctive smell, and followed the field paths to Lower Walton Grounds. We climbed up to the stone stile by the Dad’s Army hut and thence back to the pavilion for the usual refreshment and chat. Just over six miles in two hours.
