The forecast was again not promising. Rain for much of the morning but brightening later. And this time the forecast was right - except it brightened earlier than expected! So within half an hour of starting the rain stopped and it remained dry overhead for the rest of the morning - the same could not be said for underfoot though and by the end of the walk shoes and trousers were sodden. In the light of the weather it was just Jean and I walking - our previous companions proved to be fair weather hikers.... We were starting from Sandon which like many of the villages around has been there since norman times.
As we continue north the countryside continues to open out - lots of large fields - across many of which we had to create new paths through the freshly ploughed earth - and hedgerows still laden with berries. The number of birds seems to increase as well - still plenty of yellow buntings, but many meadow pipits and skylarks in the fields too - and blackbirds beginning to gather on the berries. We had our first red kite of the trip - and a very smart hare in the middle of one of the fields. Jean liked the cows and we found a field full with small calves.
Most of the footpaths are very little used, even when not walking across ploughed fields - though a section of the Icknield Way today seemed a little more popular - though no other walkers sighted today. Many of the ploughed fields have been sown and are bursting into life again.