Just back from doing the Ridgeway (Overton to Streatley).
After a really hectic term at school I felt I needed some solitude and quiet to decompress and get the kids ot of my hair.
however due to a schools out for summer hangover I left packing till first thing in the morning - bad idea.
I had already decided to go self sufficient and rough it. So tarp (first time), all my food, clothing - basically everything except water. All packed into an untried rucksack. Of course, in my bleary haste I packed the kitchen sink, seriously.
So about 1/2 mile into my walk (and my lift long gone) I realise what a catastrophic walk this is going to be. My pick up is in 42 miles and 4 days. I decide to just hunker down and test myself - add some kind of spiritual flagellation to the solitude.
by day 2 I decide to just hack it through the pain barrier and make up enough ground to turn it into a 3 dayer - I feel I have now got all the solitude I really need.
Ironically a tubby git like me has by now lost appetite (on reflection I think I bought enough food to last 8 days). All I really wanted was my comfort food (bread, cheese and peanut butter) and a cocoa in the evenings.
Water became my primary concern - particularly how to get it without doing a 3 mile round trip off the path to buy it. The kindness of strangers is a wonderful thing indeed.
the morning of the last day saw me rubbing cream into my shoulders to sooth the pain from the, frankly quite crap, shoulder straps and strapping, taping and moleskinning up my battered feet.
One final heroic blast and I reach Strealy almost 30 hours ahead of schedule (sod solitude, I want a sofa).
I call SWMBO, who after all has claimed she is missing me, but she can't pick me up as she is clothes shopping with a friend!!!!! Why don't I make my way home by public transport!!! Where is the love, where is the humanity.
Luckily saved by a mate.
Some morals:
- don't use an untested rucksack, it almost sawed through my shoulders;
- For heaven's sake leave all the food and cooking equip at home;
- Did I really need 4 changes of clothing?????
- pack the week before and do a day trial with it at full weight, remember how incompetent you can be with a hangover.
However, despite being a battered wreck I do feel quite proud (although somewhat foolishly). I can still just hunker down and get on with a really arduous task.
Bugger is, now I have to go and do it again so I can revel in all the wonderful scenery which I completely failed to appreciate this time - hey ho.
Alex
After a really hectic term at school I felt I needed some solitude and quiet to decompress and get the kids ot of my hair.
however due to a schools out for summer hangover I left packing till first thing in the morning - bad idea.
I had already decided to go self sufficient and rough it. So tarp (first time), all my food, clothing - basically everything except water. All packed into an untried rucksack. Of course, in my bleary haste I packed the kitchen sink, seriously.
So about 1/2 mile into my walk (and my lift long gone) I realise what a catastrophic walk this is going to be. My pick up is in 42 miles and 4 days. I decide to just hunker down and test myself - add some kind of spiritual flagellation to the solitude.
by day 2 I decide to just hack it through the pain barrier and make up enough ground to turn it into a 3 dayer - I feel I have now got all the solitude I really need.
Ironically a tubby git like me has by now lost appetite (on reflection I think I bought enough food to last 8 days). All I really wanted was my comfort food (bread, cheese and peanut butter) and a cocoa in the evenings.
Water became my primary concern - particularly how to get it without doing a 3 mile round trip off the path to buy it. The kindness of strangers is a wonderful thing indeed.
the morning of the last day saw me rubbing cream into my shoulders to sooth the pain from the, frankly quite crap, shoulder straps and strapping, taping and moleskinning up my battered feet.
One final heroic blast and I reach Strealy almost 30 hours ahead of schedule (sod solitude, I want a sofa).
I call SWMBO, who after all has claimed she is missing me, but she can't pick me up as she is clothes shopping with a friend!!!!! Why don't I make my way home by public transport!!! Where is the love, where is the humanity.
Luckily saved by a mate.
Some morals:
- don't use an untested rucksack, it almost sawed through my shoulders;
- For heaven's sake leave all the food and cooking equip at home;
- Did I really need 4 changes of clothing?????
- pack the week before and do a day trial with it at full weight, remember how incompetent you can be with a hangover.
However, despite being a battered wreck I do feel quite proud (although somewhat foolishly). I can still just hunker down and get on with a really arduous task.
Bugger is, now I have to go and do it again so I can revel in all the wonderful scenery which I completely failed to appreciate this time - hey ho.
Alex
