Titchmarsh Parish Boundary Walks
The boundary walks were conceived some fifteen years ago, following my reading of an old Parish magazine, where it was reported that two farmers and a dog completed the circuit in a morning. The dog returned exhausted!
In that first year I walked the complete boundary alone gaining permission for access from farmers and landowners. It is a stunning walk, following field boundaries, hedges and ditches and, crossing the A14 twice, it skirts Skulking Dudley Wood and passes close to the atmospheric Kitty Grey’s Cottage – approximately 18 miles.
The following year I expanded the theme so that others might enjoy our immediate countryside. With permission, two groups – one completing a full boundary of Titchmarsh and the second (catering for family members) to walk a section of the route – left from the church gate. Both groups were led, to avoid anyone becoming detached, ‘as fast as the slowest’ was the byword.
Setting off at different times from the church gate, the 18 mile walk starts at 7.30am and the shorter 4 miles walk at 10.30am, they nevertheless finished at roughly the same time. Light refreshments of homemade cakes and soft drink were provided, and an added bonus of a glass of Schnapps or apple brandy for the early starters before setting off was popular. The pattern had been set for this annual event.
Since that first walk we have been blessed
mostly with good weather for the event. Held close to Rogation Sunday
our ‘Beating the Bounds’, with origins in pre-Roman pagan times in Britain
today, aids our local church by a small charge being made for the walks.
Alan Powell
