Total miles: 13.1
Elevation gain: 384 ft
Time walking: 11am – 5pm
Miles to date: 234.6
And so, the aches and pains that I’ve been expecting to hit at some point have finally struck! I was expecting them earlier, so I suppose I should be thankful that I’ve managed to get a few miles more under my belt before they came, but even being prepared for them it’s still a bummer when they hit!
I woke up feeling surprisingly good after yesterday’s mammoth day, and walking around the house my feet and legs didn’t feel too bad. Even after getting the bus back to where I left off last night and starting the walk knowing I had a few extra miles to cover than originally planned, my spirits were high and it was a beautiful, if hot, morning.
Taunton looks like a nice town and it has the river running right through it. Even though I’m a Somerset lass I think I’ve only actually been to Taunton once, and the brief glimpse I had made me think I should come and check it out properly!
My route took me along the Taunton and Bridgwater Canal for the first few miles and once I’d negotiated a new housing estate which wasn’t on the map and found my way to the right side of the canal it was easy going. However, it only took a couple of miles until my legs started to tire, yesterday’s marathon making itself felt. I decided to use my poles, which I usually save for ups and downs, to take a bit of weight from my hips and tried to walk on the grassy verge where possible to save my feet. Oh but it was muggy! Sweat was dripping off me and I started to worry I wouldn’t have enough water. I tried not to stop too much as every time I stopped my feet really began to throb, so I tried to power on for a couple of miles then stop for a 5-10 minute rest, and this seemed to work fairly well, even though I hobbled like crazy every time I started again! I also had the prospect of seeing my nephew at my brother’s house if I got there by about 5, which kept me focused, otherwise I think it might have taken me a lot longer!
After a few miles on the canal I came off and joined the River Parrett, which winds its way imperceptibly slowly through the Somerset levels (it’s mostly indistinguishable from the hundreds of drainage channels, with the only obvious differences being that it is a bit wider, has bigger banks and winds about a bit!). The walking is a bit same-y as it is flat, and it’s just a series of banks and gates which become quite irritating when your feet hurt! But the wildflowers were pretty (I tried not to get too frustrated when the footpath was overgrown…kept telling myself it was better for the wildlife!) and I saw some more swans, a couple of herons with their slow honking flight and even disturbed a buzzard in the grass only a few feet in front of me. The path alternated between nice short grass and long and overgrown and it felt surprisingly tiring, so much so that I had to take a break and put my feet up for a bit. I lay on my back with my feet over my bag and it felt good!
A little further on and I came to my least favourite part, where the footpath disappeared into a long patch of stinging nettles. I looked ahead, dismayed. The road I was aiming for was tantalisingly close but seemed like miles when blockaded by 100m of knee-high nettles. I’d already been stung a few times as I was too tired to avoid the odd nettle, but this was almost despair-inducing! I took a deep breath and got busy with my hiking poles-come-nettle-bashers and made slow but steady progress. I noticed a woman walking on the other side of the river on lovely short grass, looking at me a bit strangely, and as she got closer she told me, in a somewhat confused voice, that I couldn’t get through to the road that way. But the path goes to the road, I said. Yes, she replied, but it goes around the other side of the property! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Relieved I didn’t have to fight my way through the rest of the nettles, but frustrated that I’d already wasted energy in return for plenty of stings.
Still, I made it to the road and the footpath the other side was much better. I was headed towards my only hill of the day, up to Moredon which looked to be some sort of former stately estate and farm or something. The hill wasn’t a big one, relative to hills of earlier days, but it was a bit of a shock to the system! Thankfully as I walked along the ridge the climb rewarded me with super views of the Somerset Levels and it was nice to have some elevation and views after a day and a half of flat walking. I was aiming for a promising-looking “V” marked on my map near Stoke-St-Gregory which indicates a visitors’ centre – I was hoping they’d have cold drinks, toilets and an opportunity to refill my near-empty water bottle. I just hoped they were also open! It turned out I was headed for the Willows and Wetlands centre, which is a lovely little spot and ticked all of my boxes. I had a lovely pink lemonade and took my boots off, part of me wanting to put my head on the table and fall asleep! I looked at the map and estimated I had another 6 or so miles to go and judging by the current time and the state of my feet I wouldn’t make it to Langport before 6, which was a shame. But I chatted to my brother and we came up with a plan. I’d walk another 2-3 miles which would take me to 5pm and he’d come and pick me up, then drop me back tomorrow to finish off the last 3-4 miles without my pack. Part of me was tempted to finish it all today so I didn’t need to walk at all tomorrow but the prospect of getting in earlier and having a leisurely, packless walk tomorrow was very appealing, so that’s what we did. I’m really glad too, as just before I reached the designated pick up point my left buttock decided to cramp horribly and I wasn’t sure if I’d have been able to walk the last few miles. I was disappointed not to finish the day as planned but I know I need to look after my body as best I can, I have a fair few miles to go!
It was great to have a whole evening to rest up. I spent a while lying on the floor with my legs elevated up against the wall, then had a lovely soak in the bath and was stuffed full of homemade curry and rice (and wine!). I even watched some trashy TV! I am so pleased I have a rest day tomorrow, and am going to look very carefully at my dates to make sure I don’t leave it so long til the next one!
