Nene Way 8 - Barnwell to Wansford

With Marta. Weather fine, not sunny but warm. 14.44 miles, including short detour to Fotheringhay Church and shop in Nassington.





We started from Barnwell Country Park, crossed the old road opposite Oundle Mill and followed the Nene Way, which is pretty well marked, along past the marina, and locks, through some wide meadows, and over a footbridge into Ashton. The first part of the walk overlaps with this walk from Thursday, Aug 18,







Through the village and after a while we turned left at the 'Entrance Lodge' to follow the road which turned into a track, past a Rifle Range, past Tansor Lodge on an old Roman road and into Warmington. Coffee break (from a flask), part way along here.

When we reached Warmington village we turned right, then left coming out at the church, which is a big one.











































and on to Eaglethorpe with its 17th century limestone dovecote







After this we made our way under the A605, through a decorated underpass







and over the fields to Fotheringhay. We climbed up the castle mound

Two boats below Fotheringhay Castle mound

The pub does a good lunch, then we wandered around the church - there's an impressive historical exhibition in there, and it's much lighter than many churches.










The prospect of another six miles was a little concerning, but we've done over 12 recently. We left Fotheringhay on the Apethorpe road. The turning to the right is just before the speed limit sign, but easily missed. A track leads to Walcot Lodge, where we turned right again. About two thirds of a mile later, we were almost tempted to keep following the wider track which veers to the left, instead of going straight ahead. There is a Nene Way sign, but it's not immediately obvious. There's a short turn to the left, then right a little later, but once all this has been negotiated, the route leads down towards Nassington. We needed something to drink, so detoured to the local shop.

Back to the route proper, and onward to Yarwell Mill, with its boats and caravan site. These millstones are on the road leading out of the Mill.







We should have taken a path across a field at this point. Instead we continued to the road, and turned right towards Yarwell. Not much difference in the distance. From here it's about a mile across fields - lots of horses grazing,



and Wansford Bridge soon comes into view.










































Phew, Wansford Bridge - that's the Northants Nene Way done and dusted.

Crabtree Falls in North Carolina

Today we drove on the Blueridge Parkway, and got out to hike to Crabtree Falls.

This was Aric's first waterfall, which was really special. I think he was impressed. Nathan and I were too!

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir

The poetry of the earth is never dead. ~John Keats

The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man. ~Author Unknown

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein



I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. ~e.e. cummings

The ‘Hoogtepunten’ or the Blue Route

Last September Dutchman and I did a 12-kilometre hike in Doorn, in Kaapse Bossen which is part of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug forest.



We went to our current favourite starting point, the Heleneheuvel, and this time we took the Blue Route or the Hoogtepunten Route (which means: highlights). We liked this route because we walked on different types of terrain through the forest and across the plains, and we saw a variety of scenery.



Normally it takes 3 hours to finish this route but we did it in 2 hours and 15 minutes. We barely stopped to rest, although we slackened our walk in between inorder to take fotos and appreciate nature’s beauty around us. Because of this my knees were slighting a bit. Lesson learned, take some rest at least after an hour of non-stop walking.



At the end of the hike we had pancakes, scone with jam and clotted cream and fresh mint tea at the Heleneheuvel Chalet. Dutchman had pancakes while I chose to try their home-made scone which was delicious paired with the clotted cream. It was quite timely as by the time we sat down at the terrace of the chalet and ordered our food, it started to rain. We had to quickly move indoors.



Anyway, I now have a very good reason to come back to this place. Enjoy their scone and clotted cream once again and do the Brown Route or Hoog Moersbergen Route. In other words, the 14-kilometre hike =)



The route we took was supposed to be a 3-hour hike.



Stiltegebied means Quiet Territory.



These looked like lean fir trees and the beetle, always fighting for his life.



Pretty house in the forest. Not sure if I would feel safe living in the forest. I always hear about scary stories, as simple as thieves visiting at night!



We came across a field with a children's playground and saw droopy mushrooms.



This is the view from the Helenaheuvel Chalet. Very relaxing.



Cheese and ham pancake and a scone with jam and clotted cream.



The chalet and its terrace. The Heleneheuvel chalet is located in the middle of the forest (Kaapse Bossen).



Walking Period: September

Destination: Doorn (Utrechtse Heuvelrug - Utrecht), The Netherlands

Switzer Land :: Jacob buys it back from Daniel and Susan Deemer

On February 10, 1847 Jacob Switzer and Catharine, his wife, sold their property in Salem Township, situated in the South ½ of the Northeast ¼ of Section 33, to their son-in-law Daniel Deemer, with certain provisions.



Catharine Switzer passed away on March 6, 1852 and just over a year later, Jacob married Leathy Bricker, on March 10, 1853.



A month later, on April 11, 1853 Daniel Deemer and his wife Susan, sold the same land they had purchased in 1847 to Jacob Switzer for $2200.



Did Catharine's death and Jacob's subsequent marriage null the original contract, which provided certain benefits to the survivor of them including the house where they lived? Perhaps Daniel (or more likely his wife, Susan) decided that they didn't want to provide for a step-mother? Regardless of what the reason was, which we will never know, the land returned to Jacob in a rather straight-forward transaction.





Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 48, bottom of page 251 (FHL Film 926951)



Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 48 page 252 (FHL Film 926951)

Monahans Sandhills State Park

Wednesday, April 5th - - Just off of I-20, about 30 miles west of Odessa, Texas lies the Monahans Sandhills State Park. When I arrived here early this afternoon the temperature was in the upper 80s and the sun was shining. There was a little wind, but nothing like it had been the previous three days. Although the campground is just a mile and a half off of the Interstate, the traffic could not be heard. It was peaceful and quiet with only four other campers present.











It never ceases to amaze me how life can get a foothold in such arid conditions. There were signs of several different critters in the sand along with these small trees.