A very good turnout today, everyone coming prepared and to give testimony to the accuracy of the sometimes, much maligned weather forecaster. As they say, ‘it did what it said on the tin’. We left, walking through the village, towards St. Mary’s Church, passing by to the east end, to make our way through the well cared for graveyard. Then to make our way, via field paths to Plaistow Grange, to pass by Glebe Farm, eventually to enter onto Shuckstone Lane. A short road walk, tuning left by Shuckstone Fields Farm, over a stile into a muddy field (pictured) and on to view the Shuckstone, now in fairly poor condition, due to weather erosion. We paused in the next field to view the Shuckstone, (pictured) all that remains is the base, presumably for a cross, as it is sited on the intersection of five footpaths. The etching on the stone, not visible now, but there is photographic evidence, of earlier times, showing the top sides of the stone etched with the letters, A, C, M, W. and a date 1799 or something near, the last digit not quite readable. We now made our way to the hedge to the south, as shelter for our morning break.

We now continued south to Wakebridge, joining the road just below the farm of the same name. We walked the road as far as Cliffside, turning on to the path, going by Coddington Farm and up onto the lane above it. A short walk down the lane, followed by a climb up to Benthill, passing the reservoir on our way back to Crich. The last bit downhill on Coasthill and so a return to the market place, having completed just over five miles, the last two in quite heavy rain, most making their way to their parked cars strewn around the village.