The day started well...

Sun is shining and the lunches are packed as we set off for a day in the country to dive the byways and country lanes of Northamptonshire. Our starting point was close to Naseby and a quick stop to take a look at Fairfax's viewpoint and take in the wonderful scenery was a reminder of our past and the Battle of Naseby.

We pasted over tiny bridges and saw lots of pretty thatched houses, it was easy to imagine how people used to live in the narrow streets and country lanes.

A stop for lunch in a remote field with only the birds for company, we were in high spirits.
Apart for reading the maps we were making a note of the condition of the Byways for Chris's future reference. He has taken on a role with LAF, I've no idea what it stands for, but it is something to do with keeping the lanes we travel safe and available to all.

One such lane is a very short byway with gates at both ends, hardly worth travelling, but in the scheme of things we decided to survey it. The gate is SO overgrown with lots of stinging nettles so I let Chris open the gate! It is such an overgrown route, we were probably the last ones to use it sometime last year.

Then disaster, a few yards in the car just slid into a very large unseen soggy hole, and there was nothing Chris could do to get it out. With great difficulty I managed to climb across the seats and get out of the car, with Chris practically dragging me [ not a pleasant sight!]

Out came the winch and tidied to the metal gate post eventually after a huge amount of effort the car was out, back through the gate and home for showers and a cuppa.. What a day.