After a tour of many roadworks 12 of us met outside the old church at Ayot St Lawrence. We started off by walking past the new church which was open and some went inside.
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The interior of the new church
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This "modern" church was built as the lord of the manor didn't like the view from his residence blocked by the old church and therefore ordered its demolition. This was eventually stopped by the church authorities but he was made to build a new church.
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The walkers in front of the new church
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We left the church along its approach road at the rear of the church to briefly join Bibbs Hall Lane. We then followed a track round the back of Shaw's corner where we saw an old garden shed where GBS used to write his novels inside. After crossing Codicote Road we continued south east until we crossed over the Ayot Greenway. We stopped here for a coffee break on a very uncomfortable ledge to the bridge.
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The coffee break
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We then joined the Ayot Greenway before turning off past Saul's Wood to Ayot St Peter.
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Ayot St Peter church
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Here we stopped for another break in the shady churchyard where benches provided a welcome relief to the heat.
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Hilary & Debbie plus Wendy & Tony in Ayot St Peter churchyard
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After leaving the shade of the churchyard we walked along Ayot St Peter Road for a while before turning off at a sharp bend to follow a bridleway back to Ayot St Lawrence. Here we found some benches outside the old church where we had our picnic lunch.
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Track of the 6 mile walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction
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