June in England

Tuesday walk with Sunday Club (confusing I know!) LtoR: Jackie, John, Brian and Brian

We did decorate the third bedroom, though it seemed to take an awful lot of paint, it was just so hot, it was drying too quickly, but it’s done.

Changing trains at Sutton Coldfield. There's a plaque at the top of the stairs dedicated to the memory of the 17 people who died on 23rd January 1955 when a train, travelling too fast derailed and crashed on the curve you can see behind John

Before really starting though we went for another Tuesday walk with John and Brian (see our short Relive video with more photos: click here). Meet at 08.00 to walk to Barnt Green for breakfast, hot sausage sandwiches from the butchers, and onto the platform to catch the train to Lichfield. The first train doesn’t stop here, so we’ll get on the next one, and change. The next one that came through Alvechurch! Nowhere for breakfast here apparently! Changed trains at Sutton Coldfield for Lichfield, where we eventually started walking just before 11.00 to our destination of Tamworth 10 miles or so along the canal and river, before sampling two pubs, the second of which, the Tamworth Tap is the 2023 CAMRA pub of the year. Back to Barnt Green where it was decided it was quicker to walk back, than wait for a train! Another full day out!

We walked 10 miles from Lichfield to Tamworth (before beer!). Here's Brian in Tamworth standing by the statue of Sir Robert Peel, famous UK Prime Minister and, in 1829, created the Metropolitan police force (leading to the nickname for them of Bobbies) 

We then knuckled down to the painting, though I did pop out to see Alex and Rob, as Al and I haven’t had a girlie chat for ages! We did let Rob stay for a bit as I wanted to know, what he knew, about his knee operation the following day. It’s a whole new one, before they do the other one, and then a hip. Will the house ever get finished? He was very good and pottered off to leave me and Al for a bit! Brian and I popped in again on Thursday to see how the op had gone. A week in and obviously it’s stiff and sore, though at least his leg is straight for the first time in years.

Walking the canal section towards Tamworth

The weekend was a group weekend in Chipping Norton, Helen and Ian, Manu and Crystal, Phil and Sue, Iain (without Bev) and Mike and Ella. We used to do this once or twice a year, but for one reason or another it hasn’t really happened since we went travelling. We had a lovely weekend, lots of drinking, talking and laughing, with a bit of eating and a couple of walks thrown in. 16km on Saturday and 9 on Sunday. With a group this big eating had to be planned, so Brian had booked the Blue Boar for Friday, which was very good, he’d then tried to book Whistlers, as suggested by Iain for food and live music, for Saturday. They already had a big party in, so if we could split, and come in half an hour apart, that could work. This wasn’t ideal, but hey. On messaging the group it turned out the big party was us already, Iain had booked it when we were on Hadrians Wall! The band were great, a couple from Birmingham who did all sorts, a few folky things but then more everyday stuff that we knew and could sing and dance along to. I think they were glad we were there, we certainly interacted!

Sunday Tea Club weekend away in Chipping Norton. LtoR: Crystal, Mike, Ella, Jackie, Brian, Iain, Helen, Ian, Sue, Phil and Manu

The last carpets were fitted on Wednesday, hurrah, while we started on the inheritance tax form, that had finally arrived. We had sat down to make a start a fortnight earlier, assuming you did it online only to find it would be much easier if we ordered the pack and guidance notes to be posted. We didn’t know this was a thing, so on the phone, yup, it’ll be a week, they hadn’t turned up so I rang again just before we went away and reordered, as they have no way of knowing if they’ve been dispatched! Only one set has arrived, and they appear to be the second set, so jolly glad, I reordered, and the extra schedules that we needed that weren’t included in the pack haven’t arrived, so one out of three! It’s all pretty rubbish. Thankfully John has printed those out for us, as it’s enough to drive you mad! Wednesday and Thursday were therefore spent on paperwork. Both of us sitting there trying to make sense of it all. We think it’s all there, with just a few additions left to do , so we can meet Jonathan and Lucy, with Charles on Sunday as they drive from Sheffield to Edlesborough, so he can sign the form.

Saturday mornings walk line up. We're ready! See a short Relive video of our walk with more photos: click here 

It’s a very slow process, with lots of steps seemingly designed to trip you up and slow you down. So in case it helps anyone else I’ll make a quick list, not of notifying banks, pension, library etc, but of the inheritance tax and probate procedure.

Apply for an inheritance tax number, three weeks before you want to do anything else

Apply for the IHT 400 inheritance tax pack, should be with you in a week, ha!

Go through to see which schedules you require and apply for any that are missing.

Fill in the IHT 400. This requires the balances from all the financial institutions which will have taken months to trickle through.

Send off the IHT 400 NOT recorded delivery, apparently this will slow it down!

IF you have calculated the tax payable, just pay it. Nowhere on the form does it say to just do this, but that is the case.

Wait 20 working days from the day it goes in the post, before applying for probate. If you apply too soon the form that you send in with the tax form won’t have made it to the probate office, which will delay the process.

Fill in the probate form online (yup, no consistency) but then send the original copy of the will and death certificate, so recorded delivery as this is probably the only version of it!

Wait 16 to 20 weeks for probate to come through before you can actually distribute the estate!

It’s a slow process! Hopefully we’ll send it off on Monday and the countdown will begin!

Walking through 'Chippy' at the start of our walk

Alms houses in picturesque Chipping Norton in the heart of The Cotswolds

Walking towards the village of Salford

It was a hot day and, here we are not yet halfway. LtoR: Brian, Crystal, Manu, Ian, Phil, Iain, Ella, Jackie, Helen and Sue. Mike didn't come on this walk, his hayfever was too bad

Making our way through the fields

Manu trying out a childs swing. He's the right size for it! 

A welcome break in a cooler woods

Through very tall crops on the last bit of our walk

Mike wanted to be on the security camera at the Premier Inn

Saturday night in Whistlers

Helen and Phil are outside dancing!

And now we're all dancing!

Go Iain, give it all you've got!

Sunday morning waiting for a bus to Long Compton for a walk back to Chipping Norton

On the bus. We didn't want to go all the way to Long Compton, so Brian tried to sweettalk the bus driver to drop us off at the start of the footpath we wanted on a main road where there  is no bus stop. Initially he said no, but with virtually only us on the bus he eventually relented and stopped where he shouldn't to let us off

A very short walk along a main road and Brian found the obscure steps up through woods to the footpath. Crystal was amazed we found it and everyone was very grateful. Thank heavens for phone GPS location! See our short Relive video with more photos: click here

First stop The Whispering Knights. Erected about 3800BC it's an old burial chamber

Reading the information board and enjoying the view and a break

Second stop, Rollright Stones, known as the Kings Men. 74 stones erected in a circle around 2500BC. Helen being Helen had to go round and count them. She got to 72. Well, you must have miscounted or not seen a couple of them. It says there's 74, but it also says that anyone who thrice counts the same number will have their hearts desire fulfilled. Perhaps you should have counted them twice more Helen

Stop three, the Kings Stone, erected around 1500BC and built on the top of a hill with 360 degree views all around. It's a peculiar shape as it is said, ancient cattle drovers chipped off small pieces to act as lucky charms to keep the Devil at bay. Later 19th century souvenir hunters caused damage that led to it to being legally protected in 1882, being one of the first monuments to be put under the guardianship of the state 

Enjoying the views at the top. I waited until everyone was sitting comfotably then told them this legend: Once upon a time a local warlord led his army up to this high ridge when up popped a witch. She challenged him: "Seven long strides thou shalt take And if Long Compton thou can see King of England thou shalt be" But as he strode forward a mound rose up to hide his view. She laughed: "As Long Compton thou canst not see King of England thou shalt not be. Rise up, stick and stand still, stone. King of England thou shalt be none! Thou and thy men Hoarstones shall be, And myself and eldern tree." And so the King became the King Stone, his men the Kings Men in a stone circle, and his treacherous knights petrified as the Whispering Knights. And the witch turned herself into an elder tree, to keep an eye on them

We retraced our steps and then headed for the village of Little Rollright and the tiny St Philips Church

A couple of things to see in St Philips Church, apart from escaping from the heat. This is a statue of a knight using his helmet as a pillow. There's another showing a knight praying between his two wives (but surely he wasn't a bigamist?)

Relaxing in the church next to the other sculpture

Little pigs in a wood came by to say hello

After balancing round this stream Phil lead the way by just walking through it!

Almost back in Chippy, we stopped for a sandwich which we ate back at the Premier Inn before saying our goodbyes and heading home. Another great weekend - must do it again soon!