Oh, to be in the West Country when the weather's good!

An interesting weekend centred on two walks in support of charities.

St Samsom's, South Hill

St Melor's, Linkinhorne

The first was on Saturday in aid of the Historic Churches Trust, a charity charged with maintaining the focal points of so many villages. It was a 7 mile linear walk starting at Upton Cross on the eastern fringe of Bodmin, thence across countryside unknown to me to St Samsom's at South Hill and St Melor's at Linkinhorne. After that it was back to Stoke Climsland church for a cream tea along with a group that had been having a Toddle Waddle around the churchyard - further details can be provided upon request! The weather was glorious and the sky was blue and clear. Our route was predominantly off road and took us through fields, across streams, up and down a few walker-unfriendly stiles and past some very old farms. All that and good company so the walk was really a 7 mile conversation with friends. What better way to spend a September Saturday?

Looking across the Tamar into Cornwall

Food, glorious food!

For Sunday's walk, we ventured over the border into Devon for our Annual Amnesty International Autumn Walk. The money raised goes to support our group's activities and allows us to make a contribution to AI UK's funds. We are a small group but we do what we can to raise the awareness of AI locally and, by the support we had for this walk (about 45 turned up), I think we are doing a pretty good job. A shorter one this time, with a 4 mile circular route starting and finishing in Bere Alston on the Bere Peninsular. We dropped down to the River Tamar, walked along it through fields for a while and then climbed back up to the village. Guess what? We finished with more food! All home-made and ranging from scones and cream, through tray bakes to clafoutis aux prunelles. Probably more time was spent eating than walking but who cared?  And we raised more money from this walk than any other we've organised. What better way to spend a September Sunday?

Between 1972 and 1974 my IBC and I lived just down the road from our meeting place in our first property (Cost to buy? £4995! Cost now for same property? Circa £160,000!). Who would have thought we'd be back in 2012 doing what we did? Strange how things turn out, eh?