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We meet again 'Bidford on Avon'. We were last here in September 2022 walking the 'Shakespeares Avon Way'. Today we will be heading North towards Alcester, walking in a clockwise direction. Leaving the urban sprawl we head towards the river, where a crowd has started to gather.
The reason for the crowd soon becomes clear. A 'Uber' Driver has somehow managed to get themselves wedged across the bridge.. The Grade I bridge is rendered totally impassable. There are a lot of concerned and puzzled faces. It doesn't look good for anyone wishing to get across the bridge.
A man in a fluorescent jacket seems to be in control. An enterprising cyclist manages to lift his bike over the bonnet and slides himself over in similar fashion. There is no sign whatsoever of the driver. I get a sense that this matter is not something that is going to be resolved any time soon. There may well be some structural damage to the bridge too. That will complicate matters even further. We enjoy some views either side of the bridge before departing. A couple of Paddle Boarders pass underneath blissfully unaware of what is going on above.
I will provide a full update at the end of this blog write up.
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We are walking in the direction of Broom, known as one of the Shakespeare villages.(Beggarly Broom and Drunken Bidford"). We pass a free flowing weir , very tempting on a warm day.Reaching Wixford we pass the Church of St Milburga of Wenlock. In the churchyard there is a thatched 'Horsehouse'. The Grade II building dates from the 18th century. Provided for the mounts of the visiting clergy from other parishes. We are also very close to the site of Oversley Castle. The current 1930's hilltop house is all set to be demolished! Planning permission has been obtained to build a modern new home shaped like a castle. The house will be ‘as near to net zero energy’ as possible, according to planning documents.In the distance it is possible to see the Palladian splendour of Raglan Hall. Set in 450 acres of parkland,with 26 acres of gardens it looks very impressive. 
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| The Horsehouse Plaque |
We get a sighting of The 'River Arrow' a tributary of the River Avon that flows through Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The Arrow flows through the small Market town of 'Alcester'. Which is where we will start our next walk from. In 1998 the river flooded for the first time since 1956, spilling over its defences and flooding a large part of Alcester.
We pass by 'The Stratford Road' Ground, home to Alcester Town FC.Nicknamed 'The Romans' they play in the Herefordshire Premier League.
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Crossing over the bridge we head towards Oversley Woods. We are just skirting the far edge in the direction of Exhall. Oversley Wood is bursting with wonderful wildflowers. In spring, a carpet of bluebells that cover the woodland floor and in autumn, take in the rich colour of the ancient trees.
Exhall is another of the 'Shakespeare Villages' 'Dodging Exhall'. The name may have arisen from the fact that the village was not, at any rate in the 18th century, directly approachable either from Alcester or Stratford.
It has been a really enjoyable walk , coming in at 11:48 miles (23,342 steps).
Now as promised, an all import Bidford Bridge update. For those who want the full update I have included the link from the Stratford Herald web page.
https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/wedged-car-damages-bidford-bridge-9378434/
For those who can't be bothered I will briefly summarise.
The County Council are asking the public to bear with them. A previous planned diversion is postponed. This is seen as good news somehow? Surely they will have to divert now anyway? Significant structural damage has occurred. (To the bridge, as well as the car I would say). The best news is that Sunday’s duck race will go ahead at 3pm as planned. May the best Duck win!
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