And we are off!
A beautiful day for the first part of the walk, bright blue sky while we are getting the car(s) in place, clouding over as we walked.
The start (or rather the end for this particular camera)
But wait - isn't someone missing from this shot?
The star, who was missed out of the first photo
Right - I thought they might have forgotten me but it seems I was just out of shot on the first photo, too eager to get going. We are marking all the walks from the worst bits getting zero muddy paws to the best bits getting five muddy paws, so let's see how we do. 
Off to Withcote
Off towards Withcote and what I am hoping will be the first muddy section through Owston Woods. For the first part of the walk up to Owston Woods, the ground was amazingly hard and dry; fortunately the legs and paws have had a bit of a trim so no problems here, although if it stays this warm I might need a bit more off all round.
Once we got to Owston Woods the going got a little sticky, so we sent Rob off as pathfinder working on the theory that we would walk where he went - unless of course he vanished without trace.
Muddy paws
And on from Owston Woods to Withcote Hall. Great fun here with plenty of interesting stuff to sniff. A score of four muddy paws for this part of the walk.
Err wrong way guys
No suprise that the Withcote Hall part of the walk was a real mess underfoot, with the exit from the farm ankle deep in mud (even if it doesn't look it here).
The camera does lie
The Leicestershire Round falls down on dog friendly stiles at this point.
Come the revolution...
Between Withcote Hall and Launde Abbey there is a stile that I could not get over or under and there was no dog gate; even so, I was not going to be put off by a little problem like that. A score of only zero muddy paws for this bit of the walk though.
And so onto Launde Abbey and a really beautiful bit of the walk. Here I am having a drink at the "pool" to one side of the Abbey before launching off towards Belton.
Bit to cold for a swim though
The rest of the walk into Belton (about 3½ miles) is through great, if unspectacular, countryside with a cinder path for part of the way - great for the humans but a bit sore for my tender paws.
Cinders
Eventually though the walk begins to drop down towards Belton with the Eyebrook reservoir and Corby just visible on the horizon.
Down to Belton-In-Rutland
So down a rather cut-up pathway we go - as you can see, once again I was having to lead the way while the rest just ambled and chatted. Didn't bother me though as there are some great smells around here too (especially on the corner of this path near a horse field). Three muddy paws for this bit.
Nice...and another camera breaks
Well, as you can see, insubordination had broken out on the final bit of the walk into Belton. A good straight road and a meeting with another spaniel made this another three muddy paws bit.
Look at the photo below and see if you can see any similarity with the one above. Art mirroring life I suppose...
Belton Church 13th C or earlier
And then we were into Belton and the end of our walk.
The end (and the beginning for next time), I think Rob has just spotted the pub.
All in all, a good start to our walk around the Leicestershire Round. Overall this walk scored three muddy paws (well, we don't want to go too mad too early do we?).And now the technical bits
Total Air Distance 10,303 m
Total DTM Distance 10,406.5 m
Min. Altitude 117.7 m
Max. Altitude 185.7 m
Average Altitude 153 m
Total Ascent 158.6 m
Total Descent -193.6 m
Total Ascent Distance 337.7 m
Total Descent Distance 428.7 m
Total Level Distance 9,640.2 m
% of Ascent 3.2 %
% of Descent 4.1 %
% of Level 92.6 %
caches on the walk 3
already located 1
found on the walk 2
Hmm, what's a cache without a biscuit?
Download the gpx track here (click on actions - export. Please scan with avirus checker before using)
That's all folks, until next time....
Stanley
