Flecknoe and Shuckburgh Park are a delight

Lower Shuckburgh to Nr Nethercote, Oxford Canal, 1.75 miles 0 locks

I was really looking forward to wakening to the sun this morning, and sure enough there it was.. There was also ice on the canal, a very cold night last night it was.  We had stoked the fire up well though, and this morning got up to a warm boat.

It was one of those mornings after days of overcast cold weather when the sun cheered.. one of those days when I look at the brasses and threaten to do them.. well it was only a threat, I looked across the fields and decided that today I would definitely take to the footpaths for a few hours.

I had always wanted to go see Flecknoe.. so many times I had been by this bit of canal but never stopped.. It has a pub does Flecknoe, obviously very much a local, it didn’t seem to be attractive enough to attract outsiders, although there are a couple of signs on the canal welcoming boaters to walk the threequarter mile up the hill for refreshment…

There are some very big houses in this sleepy village and of course there is the Manor House.. even bigger than the rest.  The lanes around the village are very narrow, and I walked round the whole lot.  Not one car did I see on the road, and the only people I met were workmen building another large house… from here I took a footpath across country to Shuckburgh Park.  It said on my map ‘deer park’ I had hoped…. and wasn’t disappointed!..

A wonderful sight, and even better later when the footpath that led back to the canal passed straight through the ‘deer park’ with a fabulous view of the manor house of the estate of Shuckburgh..

A wonderful day today, when all that is beautiful in England showed itself… and the sun made it all just that much better still..