The Meandering Sow #01 - Peppa Pig
Peppa is a loveable, cheeky little piggy who loves playing games, going out for walks and jumping in muddy puddles. Her adventures always end happily with loud snorts of laughter. Peppa is only a little pig so this geocache is quite little too - see if you can spot it hanging there!
Yes, no, ah, yes there!
Oink oink!
He he heehehehe!
Walking Notes:
At certain times of year you may encounter calm livestock, and at such times the electric fences may be on and could give you a tingle, so be careful. The walk is alongside the River Sow, which at this point is a small, calm stream meandering through a lovely meadow. Because of both of these, keep an eye on small children and pets. The route follows a "permissive path" along the riverside - the land owner's preferred route for us all to go, and it's a much better route that the "definitive" path. If your map doesn't show the riverside path, just keep heading for the next geocache - that'll set you straight. There are three stiles and a couple of gates, and you may find a horse in one of the fields! Also, it is a meadow so obviously may be damp and squishy after heavy rain - that's the point of keeping meadows, so they can slow the water down and help save the towns downstream!
Historical and Natural Notes
Eccleshall is built on the westernmost meadows of the Trent basin - water from here flows to the Humber! In ancient times the main North-West Road went up the Trent Valley but in the 17th Century Eccleshall became the preferred route thanks to a new toll road - you can see the tollhouse on this route before cache #1. Eccleshall became a major provisioning point, and these meadows and the surrounding landscape (and renowned fisheries) would have fed the travellers well. The area prospered until the main transport routes of the canals and then railways took the market away from here. The Bishop of Lichfield eventually sold Eccleshall castle, quoting the lack of railway as a major reason to leaving a town that the bishops had resided in for over a thousand years.
Today we are left with a lovely meandering stream and some geocaches to find!