Adam Bede Country

We started our walk in the village of Ellastone. It is the real village for the fictional one of Hayslope from the novel Adam Bede by George Eliot.

We continued through Calwich Park. Calwich Hall once graced this estate. It is believed to be the place where Handel composed the Messiah in 1741. 

From there we headed to Wootton Park where another stately pile still stands - Wootton Lodge. (see extra) It is currently owned by the Bamford family of JCB fame, and was once the home of British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley and his wife Diana Mitford in the 1930s.

The last leg of the walk was along a track that is used to test JCB vehicles!