tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post640269112217422209..comments2024-03-28T11:16:38.801+00:00Comments on SWC - This Week's Walks: Saturday Walk – The Cathedral of the FensAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11395064086819994526noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-36833768228666426712017-07-09T12:23:47.546+01:002017-07-09T12:23:47.546+01:00N=10 on a day that w=started-cool-and-cloudy-but-g...N=10 on a day that w=started-cool-and-cloudy-but-got-warmer-muggier-and-sunnier It’s the second time Ive done this re-jigged walk and I have to say that apart from the big open skies and the occasional drain, the fens seemed a tad featureless today. It may have been the heat, but I found myself hankering for the old Witchford loop. The church in Stretham has interesting windows and The pub there is probably slightly more amenable than the one in Witchford but I wouldn’t make a special trip to find it. Don’t go there looking for beer, there was only one on offer. Ditto cider. People seemed to like the food they got, though. Salmon and mashed potatoes but it probably had a posher name. And back along the Burying Way. From Little Thetford, the walk picked up a bit, a bit more variety, past a village fete, through a endless succession of gates, an interminable golf course and finally the highlight of this walk, Ely itself. Just a shame we had to walk 11 miles to get there! Despite having led for some sections of the walk, the others raced ahead on the approach. I finally tracked them down, stuffing cream and scones into their fat little faces in the Almonry. I, however, had another destination in mind – to fulfil a longstanding ambition to visit The Drayman's Son, a micropub on Forehill. It was a bit stuffy, being crammed with Morris dancers thanks to Ely Folk Festival being on somewhere They offer about a zillion types of real ale and cider – vanilla porter, anyone? Anyway, I picked a pint of Pickled Parrot perry. Very nice, 6%. Truly one of the wonders of Ely. I must have looked festive when I left because someone with a flowery hat and bells on asked me where to pick up the shuttle to the festival. Then a quick visit to the cathedral, Ely’s other wonder. Some stayed there to listen to singing but I was off, downhill through the park, back to the station. A better walk might be to do the shorter loop, have lunch in Ely then visit the water meadows (fitting in at least two visits to the Draymans Son on the way round).<br />Ian Tnoreply@blogger.com