Hallaton-Blaston- Nevill Holt- Medbourne-Slawston walk

 Another sizzling Saturday for this southeast Leicestershire walk. Surrounded by beautiful, if  a little parched rolling countryside.

Our starting point was the village green at Hallaton. A peaceful part of the world except on Easter Monday when all hell breaks loose. It is one of those old English customs 'Bottle Kicking'. A competition with neighbouring village Medbourne with little or no rules.
Each team tries a bottle (actually a a small wooden barrel)
over a pre-defined boundary.

It isn't long before we are crossing open fields.
Some inquisitive cows and then horses pay us close attention. We arrive at Blaston and go past a charming little church.

Church at Blaston

Our next port of call is Nevill Holt. Rather than carry on down the lane we take a detour around this strange hamlet.

The Hall is a Grade I listed building and quite spectacular. It is now owned by the billionaire Carphone Warehouse founder David Ross. Dating back to the 1300's it was once owned by the Cunard shipping family.  Nowadays it houses a theatre holding 350 people. But has previously been a private residence and a Prep School.

I don't think we saw one other person as we made our way back to the planned route away from the Hall.

 Moving on again we headed for the next port of call 'Medbourne'. On arrival we walk through the beautifully maintained churchyard in the heart of the village.Dating from the 12th Century there is also a brook crossed by a medieval packhorse bridge.The bridge connects the churchyard to a path alongside the brook to 'The Nevill Arms'. Just the place to enjoy a refreshing pint (Adnams Ghost Ship 4.5%) by the gently flowing water.

Something you don't see everyday is a 'Grass Snake' swimming in the brook.It was going to be a day for unusual sightings.

Church at Medbourne

View from the Bridge

View across the Welland Valley

It was on the return part of the walk somewhere  between Slawston and Hallaton that we came across a very distressed sheep that was hyper-ventilating. It had collapsed from heat exhaustion and in a poor state. I gave it the bottle of water I had left and then we found a drinking trough and soaked the poor animal with buckets of water. It did seem to help and with the help of a passer by the three of us managed to lift it to a shadier place. Hopefully it will recover ?

Heat exhausted Sheep