Day 1 - Saturday, 26th May 2018 - A Short Stroll Round Wing
After keeping a very close eye on the weather forecast I tried for a last minute booking at Wing Hall Campsite and got in! I was amazed given that it is a bank holiday weekend and school holidays to boot! £18 for 2 nights which I don't think is at all bad.
After a pleasant enough 2 hour 30 minute drive over the Humber Bridge and down through Lincolnshire, I arrived mid-afternoon to find the place, unsurprisingly, absolutely heaving. After some initial confusion over which pitch I was supposed to be on I started to get set up. A group of ladies came over and offered to help me put my tent up and I gladly accepted so, in no time at all, I was all set up and had the kettle whistling away.
I had a lovely south-facing spot at pitch number 472 which apparently doesn't exist according to the staff's list but it overlooked the rest of the camping field and the sun was out and it was nice to just sit and watch the comings and goings of everyone else for a while.
To be honest, I was a bit reluctant to take a pic of my view from the tent due to the squillions of families and small children around, which was a shame as the view was lovely across a valley to the rolling hillside beyond. Plus, I seemed to be on slightly higher ground than the rest of the site!
I decided, seeing as I'd got set up quicker than usual thanks to the help of those ladies, that I'd do a little walk around the village and surrounding fields - I did Walk 2 from this leaflet.
I soon discovered that the Kings Arms (the start of the walk) was literally a short walk down a footpath behind the field I was in and so started a lovely, peaceful walk in the evening sunshine down quiet country lanes and across buttercup filled meadows 
Now, although the walk says it's 2.8 kilometres, my ViewRanger track clocked it at 2.35 MILES!
Now, although the walk says it's 2.8 kilometres, my ViewRanger track clocked it at 2.35 MILES!
Some pics:
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| Looking down Bottom Street from Middle Street |
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| Crossing the River Chater |
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| Lovely yellow buttercup meadow |
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| Leafy path behind the Kings Arms leading to the campsite |
I returned to my tent and started making my evening meal - salad with new potatoes, pastry-less quiche and coleslaw, with a rice pudding pot for desert. Washed down with a cup of tea, of course.
ViewRanger Track
ViewRanger Track
As dusk descended the campsite settled down and I was surprised that, despite it being rammed to the gills, all was quiet by about 10.30pm. I sat and watched the storm across the valley - the lightning put on quite a good display. I went to bed not long after - this time with a hot water bottle and 2 sleeping bags to try and avoid that "always cold the first night in a tent" feeling. Needless to say, I was too hot so the hot water bottle got chucked out of the bed and I unravelled myself from one of the sleeping bags 
Day 2 - Sunday, 27th May 2016 - Hambleton Peninsular Circuit
My tent survived the storm and torrential downpour and I remained snug and dry inside. I had a surprisingly good night's sleep considering I usually struggle to drop off on the first night and there was a storm going on. Maybe I'm getting used to this camping malarkey! Up at 6.30am and kettle on. The site was still quiet and I enjoyed the views with my morning cuppa
After a lovely, lazy start to the day I got my rucksack snacks sorted out - some sausage rolls bought at a charity sale in my local petrol station. That and a few pieces of fruit and an "Amy Egg" (one of the women I work with has chickens and brings their eggs in for us from time to time). Snibbles (snacks and nibbles) sorted, I decided to take lots of water and give the flask a miss - it was already humid and warm and it wasn't even 10am yet!
I arrived at a parking spot on the road into Upper Hambleton, donned the rucksack, and set off.
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| View of Rutland Water and the North Shore beyond |
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| Signpost OCD |
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| The first two of many swans on this walk |
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| Welcome respite from the sun in Armley Wood |
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| Forget Me Nots |
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| Red Campions |
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| Not sure yet what this is! |
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| Wild Pansy |
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| Add caption |
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| Add caption |
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| Speedwell |
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| Views towards Whitwell |
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| More swans shade-bathing at a little inlet to the west of Barnhill Creek |
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| View from Barnhill Creek |
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| A very black caterpillar |
As I headed onto the southern shore of the peninsular the wind dropped - I think the land was blocking it. The temperature seemed to rise a couple of degrees as a result and I took advantage of a bench in the shade of some trees:
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| View from my bench |
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| Zoom in on some sailing boats racing each other. |
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| Cardinal Beetle on Cow Parsley |
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| View of Old Hall from my latest bench |
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| Signpost OCD at the other end of the walk |
I was running low on water by now and what I did have was warm from the heat of the sun so I took it nice and steady for the remaining mile back to the car.
I returned to my tent hot and sticky and looking forward to a shower. But first, a cuppa. Despite the heat, I'd missed having my "brew with a view" moment on the walk.
The shower was a disappointment to say the least. I think demand outweighed supply and, whilst I appreciated the fact the water was cold, I didn't appreciate the fact that the water came out in a rather pathetic trickle, making it difficult to feel like I'd had a proper wash. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt here and assuming it was quite simply due to it being a very busy Bank Holiday weekend.
Back at my tent and it was time for my meal. I was treating myself to a meal at the on site cafe/restaurant.... only, apparently, I wasn't. Nobody told me you had to reserve a table and they were fully booked
I googled the pub at the back of the campsite and discovered that a meal and a drink there would cost more than I paid for my two nights camping! So I drove into Oakham and got Cheeseburger and Chips. It wasn't what I fancied and I didn't really enjoy it.
After returning to my tent I sat and listened to the live musician who was playing at Wing Hall - apparently they do this from time to time - provide free music nights. The musician wasn't bad and it passed a pleasant enough hour.
Later in the evening I sat and listened to the rumbles of thunder in the distance.
The drive home was a little busier than the drive there but it was nice to get home around 3pm rather than the usual after 5pm sort of time.
Officially, I did 9 miles, plus a bit round Oakham, plus a wander around the campsite. This all probably totalled up to over 10 miles and, thus, I've "bagged" Rutland. However, I feel like that's cheating and I do have a couple of other walks I'd like to do.
The shower was a disappointment to say the least. I think demand outweighed supply and, whilst I appreciated the fact the water was cold, I didn't appreciate the fact that the water came out in a rather pathetic trickle, making it difficult to feel like I'd had a proper wash. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt here and assuming it was quite simply due to it being a very busy Bank Holiday weekend.
Back at my tent and it was time for my meal. I was treating myself to a meal at the on site cafe/restaurant.... only, apparently, I wasn't. Nobody told me you had to reserve a table and they were fully booked
I googled the pub at the back of the campsite and discovered that a meal and a drink there would cost more than I paid for my two nights camping! So I drove into Oakham and got Cheeseburger and Chips. It wasn't what I fancied and I didn't really enjoy it.
After returning to my tent I sat and listened to the live musician who was playing at Wing Hall - apparently they do this from time to time - provide free music nights. The musician wasn't bad and it passed a pleasant enough hour.
Later in the evening I sat and listened to the rumbles of thunder in the distance.
Day 3 - Monday, 28th May 2018 - Packing up and heading home
Wide awake again at 6.00am I sat in the peace and quiet enjoying my cuppa. There was a low cloud/fog in the valley and everything seemed eerily quiet. As people started to wake up I began to get packed away. I was surprised to find my tent was bone dry yet again, despite the fog. Surely my luck will run out and I'l have to pack a soggy tent away one day! The groundsheet didn't fare so well though and I had a good collection of slugs and slimey things on the underneath of it. I didn't fancy packing that in the car as it was so I wrapped it in my bath towel and vowed to make a little storage bag for it rather than spend time wiping and drying it off.The drive home was a little busier than the drive there but it was nice to get home around 3pm rather than the usual after 5pm sort of time.
Officially, I did 9 miles, plus a bit round Oakham, plus a wander around the campsite. This all probably totalled up to over 10 miles and, thus, I've "bagged" Rutland. However, I feel like that's cheating and I do have a couple of other walks I'd like to do.
I will be back ....
