The Duke's Head - Walton the Heath

Tuesday  8th January 2013

Are We Organised? - Of Course Not!!!!

Walkers: Farty,T.B, 4 Legs, Windy, Lil and Clat,  Sally unable to make it.
Trish neither - she has been with Polly Possibly.  P.P.'s husband is very poorly - and we all send our love, thoughts and best wishes.

Distance:  6 3/4  miles - nearly 7 and not quite 8
Find:  a golf ball with its guts ripped out, and a plug-in light, but it didn't work in T.B.'s ear - don't ask.

Well, a Happy New Year to one and all and please do a lot of carpe dieming as we really don't know what's round the corner, do we?
Our first walk of 2013 and funnily enough we chose this same venue for our first walk last year.  We set off at 1030 as planned - good, cos prior to our meet-time,  Farty and T.B. were being seen-to by Simon the plumber's son, and I think the words cock and stop were mentioned.  Hey ho, there's mud to be encountered and we certainly found plenty of that.
Over the common area (dahling) and to the Blue Ball pub which has been boarded-up - strange, as it had recently been re-furbished and seemed to be doing well, but what do we know? Our journey continued past the duck pond and onwards from the Bell p.h. before entering the woods - gossiping merrily on our way, which is usually why we get mislaid or lost sometimes.

We eventually arrived in Headley and to the Cock stop pub (see what I did there?).  It was open, we sat outside and had coffees in paper cups.  The loos were hazardous due to men working on them - not a nice smell and no cold water, so a hot flush was well out of the question.  Just before this, though, we mislaid T.B. again and he was seen heading off in the wrong direction, and had to be shouted at - all was not lost and he returned to the fold.

Refreshments over, we headed back to Headley church and came across a large gathering of ramblers munching on b-ramble jelly sandwiches and the such-like.   This is when we were asked if we were organised and of course we gave them the negative reply.  Loads of them to behold and at first we wondered if they were coming to a ramblers funeral or should i say a ramblers rest?  A few minutes later we came across another herd of them and quickly got out of their way - just imagine it, a convergence of two rambling groups at once?  and with us in the mix, it would have caused total confusion - we scrambled and got away.

We headed eastwards towards Headley Heath, and turned-off ready to go under the M25 but first a field of frisky horses had to be dealt with.  As it happens they were very friendly and nuzzly - but soon left us alone when they realised we had no food. Onwards, downwards, underneathwards, and upwards again, and we were in the village of Walton on the something or other.  We now did a bit of urban alley-way walking, noting how crammed-in some of the properties were, but Spring is definitely in the air, and the sound of birdsong was very welcome.  The bulbs are pushing through, and so were we.

Eventually we were back at our hostelry and received the usual right-royal welcome from Wendy, the landlady.  The food and service were the same high standard, and we agreed that we need to meet here more often, considering how many of our other usual haunts have gone down in our estimations.

However, next week, we are going to Holland, to meet at the Diamond and to meet the geezer properly this time.  Danku velt and watch your tulips xxxxx