With my bag packed and with a last minute change of plan, I threw my pack in the van and headed off to the start point...
My route would be a circular one. The initial plan did include my wife dropping me off and then picking me up again the following day, but plans change so now I was self sufficient.
Arriving at the village start point, I found a parking spot and shouldered my pack. My fully loaded pack, including food, water and phone weighed in at a rather nice 6.7kg. Its the lightest pack weight I've ever carried. With the sun shining, I hit the first footpath across the fields....
As I walked, the light breeze kept me cool. I had shunned the usual camping clothing and opted for running shorts and a synthetic wicking tshirt. Footwear was a pair of trail runners with light wool socks. I had still to replace my trusty Fjallraven cap so I felt the sun in my head the whole day. Fortunately, that breeze kept me cool. Before long, the lovely clear path across the fields turned into a jungle...
I pushed through, feeling the scrape of dry grass against my shins. It didn't last long, and upon crossing a style into a grass field I was met by some really very friendly little sheep, one of which relaxed her chin into my hand for a tickle...
The sheep cheered me up more than I expected them to and I moved on with a smile on my face, happy to have spent a brief moment in time with those friendly little ladies. Some distance on, the fields ended and I took to the tarmac for a kilometre.
The wind abated and I felt the sweat on my back. With my pack being so light I realised that I was coasting along at a fair pace and enjoying myself. I rejoined the fields not long after, heading for a canal path. Once on it, I really felt myself moving. So much so, I genuinely contemplated breaking into a little jog!. But then I reminded myself that I was only an hour or so into a 25km day, so I checked my enthusiasm and let my natural walking pace continue.
Walking alongside the canal was easy walking and I took the time to look about, taking in the nature. This route isn't heavily used and the wild life was carrying on with life without the usual flutter and panic when I passed by. Everything looked vibrant in the sun.
This little family drifted with me for a hundred yards before taking shade under the bushes that overhang the far bank.
Feeling the sweat on my forehead, a bench looked inviting, so I sat down to take a slurp of water and have a snack.
The convenient gap in the reeds gave me a nice calm view of the canal as I rested. I carry a small Patagonia hip pack, in which I keep my phone, bank card, van keys and trail snacks. So there's no need to open up the pack to get at stuff I need to hand.
This cheap little pack felt like almost nothing on my back, and fitted really well. I changed out the nalgene bottle for two, 600ml smart water bottles, which slipped nicely in a side pouch and were at hand all day, albeit with a little wiggling to get them out...
My break over, I loaded up and carried on down the path. As the day warmed even more, the activity in the water slowed and I paused every now and then to see what I could see. My interest was rewarded more than once.
Right at my feet I saw this little fella waiting in ambush.....
I'm not sure if you can see him very clearly, but I could. It was awesome to see this young pike in the clear water. This canal is being slowly opened up again by the Canal and Rivers Trust and the nature is doing well. The canal certainly looked very healthy, with fish along its length and easily spotted from the bank.
After following the canal path for some considerable distance, I came to the locks. I love lock gates. I'm not a boating man myself, but the engineering of these things always amazes me. The locks aren't in use, but I think the canal will be opened to leisure craft in the future, so they may relive their glory days soon enough.
At the head of the locks, the ubiquitous pub was open, and with it being about lunch time, it would of been rude to pass by without contributing to the local economy. So I ordered an orange juice and lemonade and sat down to rest.
The pub was quite busy and the beer garden was filled with the quiet chatter if people enjoying the sun. A cheeky little terrier got told off for pinching food off its owners plate, and I chuckled to myself with how happy that little dog was, gulping down its prize under the table. With the drink drank and after refilling my waterbottles, it was time to move on.
Passing through a traditional English village, with the union flag flying of almost every other house, I was bouncing along. Unburdened by a heavy load I had a real spring in my step. Leaving the village behind and heading into the fields again, the sound of a posh female voice drifted to me from over the hill. I wandered what was going on, but somebody was being told what a wonderful little boy he was, and with the sound of much clapping, clearly a lot of people agreed..... ah, I spied the tops of tents and gazebos in yonder field.... a dog show was in progress!
I boxed round it by some distance and carried on. From field to to forest I went. The terrain changing from gently rolling hills to enclosed, steeply wooded path. To be out of the sun was nice, and with it being more than an hour of walking since my pub stop, cross country at a good pace, I took a rest under a yew tree. While I drink and eat as I move, taking the time sit for ten minutes is always a good thing.
Moving on, I headed uphill deeper into the forest. The path was easy going, but steep in places and I enjoyed this section a lot.
Before long, I came across this beacon monument, overlooking the Vale. What a view! I could see for miles and miles.
Continuing on my way, I was almost through another bottle of water, so I refilled at a grave yard tap. Having sweated a fair bit throughout the day, I took on an Electrolyte drink as well. I drank that pretty quick and moved through my second village of the day.
It was a shame to see this pub, long closed down now looking dejected. A victim of covid maybe?
I left the village behind and went back into the fields. It began to rain. I stopped to don my Marmot goretex jacket. Within a few hundred metres, the rain stopped and out came the sun again! I took the jacket off and repacked it.....
By now I into the mid afternoon. I still felt really fresh. No heavy legs, no sore back or shoulders. I still had a fair distance to go before my planned camp site and was happy to continue. My pace had been a fair clip the whole day and I had been able to enjoy the walk without suffering.
Soon enough, I was through the third and final village. A pretty little place with old houses, built in a needs must way, quirky and chocolate-box-like.
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
My route would be a circular one. The initial plan did include my wife dropping me off and then picking me up again the following day, but plans change so now I was self sufficient.
Arriving at the village start point, I found a parking spot and shouldered my pack. My fully loaded pack, including food, water and phone weighed in at a rather nice 6.7kg. Its the lightest pack weight I've ever carried. With the sun shining, I hit the first footpath across the fields....
As I walked, the light breeze kept me cool. I had shunned the usual camping clothing and opted for running shorts and a synthetic wicking tshirt. Footwear was a pair of trail runners with light wool socks. I had still to replace my trusty Fjallraven cap so I felt the sun in my head the whole day. Fortunately, that breeze kept me cool. Before long, the lovely clear path across the fields turned into a jungle...
I pushed through, feeling the scrape of dry grass against my shins. It didn't last long, and upon crossing a style into a grass field I was met by some really very friendly little sheep, one of which relaxed her chin into my hand for a tickle...
The sheep cheered me up more than I expected them to and I moved on with a smile on my face, happy to have spent a brief moment in time with those friendly little ladies. Some distance on, the fields ended and I took to the tarmac for a kilometre.
The wind abated and I felt the sweat on my back. With my pack being so light I realised that I was coasting along at a fair pace and enjoying myself. I rejoined the fields not long after, heading for a canal path. Once on it, I really felt myself moving. So much so, I genuinely contemplated breaking into a little jog!. But then I reminded myself that I was only an hour or so into a 25km day, so I checked my enthusiasm and let my natural walking pace continue.
Walking alongside the canal was easy walking and I took the time to look about, taking in the nature. This route isn't heavily used and the wild life was carrying on with life without the usual flutter and panic when I passed by. Everything looked vibrant in the sun.
This little family drifted with me for a hundred yards before taking shade under the bushes that overhang the far bank.
Feeling the sweat on my forehead, a bench looked inviting, so I sat down to take a slurp of water and have a snack.
The convenient gap in the reeds gave me a nice calm view of the canal as I rested. I carry a small Patagonia hip pack, in which I keep my phone, bank card, van keys and trail snacks. So there's no need to open up the pack to get at stuff I need to hand.
This cheap little pack felt like almost nothing on my back, and fitted really well. I changed out the nalgene bottle for two, 600ml smart water bottles, which slipped nicely in a side pouch and were at hand all day, albeit with a little wiggling to get them out...
My break over, I loaded up and carried on down the path. As the day warmed even more, the activity in the water slowed and I paused every now and then to see what I could see. My interest was rewarded more than once.
Right at my feet I saw this little fella waiting in ambush.....
I'm not sure if you can see him very clearly, but I could. It was awesome to see this young pike in the clear water. This canal is being slowly opened up again by the Canal and Rivers Trust and the nature is doing well. The canal certainly looked very healthy, with fish along its length and easily spotted from the bank.
After following the canal path for some considerable distance, I came to the locks. I love lock gates. I'm not a boating man myself, but the engineering of these things always amazes me. The locks aren't in use, but I think the canal will be opened to leisure craft in the future, so they may relive their glory days soon enough.
At the head of the locks, the ubiquitous pub was open, and with it being about lunch time, it would of been rude to pass by without contributing to the local economy. So I ordered an orange juice and lemonade and sat down to rest.
The pub was quite busy and the beer garden was filled with the quiet chatter if people enjoying the sun. A cheeky little terrier got told off for pinching food off its owners plate, and I chuckled to myself with how happy that little dog was, gulping down its prize under the table. With the drink drank and after refilling my waterbottles, it was time to move on.
Passing through a traditional English village, with the union flag flying of almost every other house, I was bouncing along. Unburdened by a heavy load I had a real spring in my step. Leaving the village behind and heading into the fields again, the sound of a posh female voice drifted to me from over the hill. I wandered what was going on, but somebody was being told what a wonderful little boy he was, and with the sound of much clapping, clearly a lot of people agreed..... ah, I spied the tops of tents and gazebos in yonder field.... a dog show was in progress!
I boxed round it by some distance and carried on. From field to to forest I went. The terrain changing from gently rolling hills to enclosed, steeply wooded path. To be out of the sun was nice, and with it being more than an hour of walking since my pub stop, cross country at a good pace, I took a rest under a yew tree. While I drink and eat as I move, taking the time sit for ten minutes is always a good thing.
Moving on, I headed uphill deeper into the forest. The path was easy going, but steep in places and I enjoyed this section a lot.
Before long, I came across this beacon monument, overlooking the Vale. What a view! I could see for miles and miles.
Continuing on my way, I was almost through another bottle of water, so I refilled at a grave yard tap. Having sweated a fair bit throughout the day, I took on an Electrolyte drink as well. I drank that pretty quick and moved through my second village of the day.
It was a shame to see this pub, long closed down now looking dejected. A victim of covid maybe?
I left the village behind and went back into the fields. It began to rain. I stopped to don my Marmot goretex jacket. Within a few hundred metres, the rain stopped and out came the sun again! I took the jacket off and repacked it.....
By now I into the mid afternoon. I still felt really fresh. No heavy legs, no sore back or shoulders. I still had a fair distance to go before my planned camp site and was happy to continue. My pace had been a fair clip the whole day and I had been able to enjoy the walk without suffering.
Soon enough, I was through the third and final village. A pretty little place with old houses, built in a needs must way, quirky and chocolate-box-like.
Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk
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