Following our release from lockdown on 29 March, the Lichfield and District Ramblers Group had our first walk together since last September, on a sunny but chilly Sunday 11 April . The seven mile walk around the Hoar Cross district was led by our Chairman, Tony Grady. The village of Hoar Cross was originally sited in the Needwood Forest, in the lands of the 11th century Earl Henry de Ferrers. By the 19th century the land was in the ownership of the Meynall-Ingram family.
Starting from the Jackson’s Bank National Forest car park 
eleven of us – who had not been deterred by the early morning’s snowfall – set off in bright sunshine down Brakenhurst Lane, which bisects, appropriately, Brakenhurst Wood
Unfortunately, we had to walk past the Meynall-Ingram Arms as we were a day too early for the 12 April easing of the lockdown!
Continuing the walk past Brakenhurst Farm 
we could just see the tower of Hoar Cross church across the field to the left.
This church of the Holy Angels was built for the Anglo-Catholic Emily Charlotte Meynall-Ingram as a memorial to her husband Hugh Meynall-Ingram and opened in 1871.Before long we turned left up the lane towards Hoar Cross Hall 
which is now a well-known health spa; it was originally built for Hugh and Charlotte Meynall-Ingram in 1862
.We cut through a pleasant little wood 
and picked up the lane again, which took us past Hoar Cross Nursing Home
, a building which goes back to 1794 (although it has been greatly modernised). Soon afterwards we found ourselves in open country, with views across miles of beautiful Staffordshire countryside.
After a mile or more of field walking we passed by this stand of old oak trees 
followed by a view over to the four cooling towers of Rugeley Power Station.
For many years , these cooling towers have proved to be a useful landmark on some of our countryside rambles, but not for much longer; they are due to be demolished on 6 June 2021.We came across a small Staffs County Council-owned tenanted farm
which was right next to a pleasantly situated pond 
Soon, we were back on the road again 
eventually passing by Yoxall Church, somewhat outside the village it serves
Turning off the lane, we crossed a bridge over a pleasant, well-maintained stream 
After quite a while we reached Lichfield Lodge 
and then walked over more clearly marked fields towards Slade Covert.
This wood was really pleasant to walk through, with hosts of bluebells and daffodil
being a really good way to end a lovely walk.