Rural stroll turns into epic trek for Roy Edmonds

Lovely Singleton village seemed safe and idyllic in sunshine, if not exactly ‘sleepy’ - thanks to speeding traffic and annoying leaf ‘hoovers’ of landscape gardeners at nearby homes.

Still, we relaxed by the village hall watching veterans bowl, then set out on our stroll over ‘well-mapped’ footpaths. It was only meant to take an hour, so we’d booked a table at the nearby inn where our route finished – or so we thought.

Whoever creates these map displays, with attractive pictures of wildlife and landmarks, should be force-marched over the routes! For company, they could drag along farmers who allow hedges or brambles to cover signposts; fail to maintain dangerous styles, then herd lively bullocks close to public paths.

For, far from our signposted starting point, we ended up adrift - struggling through threshed fields with hidden potholes, before emerging, more by chance than guidance, on to a busy highway called Mile Road. There brambles and nettles overgrew a narrow pavement.

“This should be renamed Ten-Mile Road,” muttered She Who Knows, who coped like a trooper on our almost three-hour hike. Fortunately, the Miller Arms kept our table and welcomed us, late, dehydrated and exhausted.

Next time I won’t walk further than I can see or, better still, take a seafront stroll. Blackpool North Promenade’s colonnaded middle and lower walks have received conservation status and, should you tire on the main Prom, its Edwardian shelters are now Grade II listed.

A walk in the country, or one at the seaside – isn’t it nice to have the choice? But, please, let’s keep our rural retreats also up to grade!

(Roy’s books are published by FeedARead.com Publishing sponsored by the Arts Council. Also available on Kindle and from Waterstones.)

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