Total miles: 15.5
Elevation gain: 2,008ft
Miles to date: 276.6
Time walking: 10am – 5:30pm
Wet!! I can’t complain, given my luck with the weather to date, and actually I won’t anyway because I quite like the rain! Not that I want it every day mind you, but it does give everything a rather atmospheric air. The main downside is walking in waterproofs – hot, sticky and rustly! Oh, and cows like to chase things in bright red….!
It looked like rain all day so I figured I’d start as it meant to go on and go for full waterproofs from the off. Halfway up the big hill out of Wells, with no sign of imminent rain I changed my mind and gratefully stripped off the jacket. It was a bit of stop and start morning. Stopping for waterproofs on or off, stopping for a stone in my boot (which, incidentally, disappeared the moment I took my boot off before reappearing the second I started walking again), stopping for a loo break and coffee (Wookey Hole! I didn’t visit the caves sadly – you can’t buy a ticket for just the caves 🙁 ), stopping for several breathers up the very steep hill out of Wookey up onto the Mendips and, finally, stopping to admire the views from the top!
Glastonbury Tor looked quite small from up here, and rather far away. It was weird to think I was there less than 24 hours ago. It’s quite amazing how much distance one can cover on foot. Barely anything compared to in a car, but once you slow down to walking pace for a while, and look back at the hills and landmarks you’ve come from, distance takes on a different meaning!
Across the top of the Mendip hills the rain finally started to come, albeit in fits and bursts. It was quite satisfying for it to finally start, as walking in waterproofs when it is not raining seems like an unnecessary hardship. As I already said, I also like the rain. There’s something about being out in it, especially when you’re up high (and knowing you’re safe), while everyone else is tucked away indoors, that is incredibly liberating! There may have been a few “whoops” into the wind and the rain today…!
Passed through a fair few fields of cows today, all resulting in different reactions from said creatures. The only one that was somewhat nerve wracking was the field of young bulls who saw me from across the field and came over fairly rapidly to have a look. A few of them skittered as I waved my arms and whooped at them, but a couple were quite insistent and headed straight for me, only stopping at the last moment. Of course, the worst thing you can do with cows is run away – they’ll only chase you – so every couple of steps I had to turn and wave my arms at them again. Thankfully they didn’t come too close, but I was definitely very firmly escorted out of that field!
After that field I was following the Monarch’s Way for a while (said to be the route that King Charles (I or II, not sure) fled from his enemies). It takes quite a wiggly route and he seemed to favour hills – I’m not sure whether for the views or for drier ground. Either way it makes for some undulating walking and, thankfully, is graced by the associated views, at this point of Chew Lake stretching out below (fading into the rain). It was a satisfying view, due in part because my stop for the night was at the other end of that lake, so my target was in sight!
My route doesn’t take me the quickest way but it does avoid the main road, and as the rain has started in earnest – proper, constant rain – I determined to make speedy progress. I lost my favourite hat on the way, but I couldn’t face retracing my steps up the hill so I guess it’s farewell to that one 🙁
Not much to report for the last few miles other than lots of rain and having to squeeze into a hedge to let a massive camper van past, oh and a hare and a deer! My feet were starting to ache a fair bit as I hadn’t taken a proper break for a while because of the rain and my feet were a little damp – no matter how good the boots, wet grass always gets through eventually! I was very glad to make it down into Chew Stoke and to Kim and Ann-See’s, at the reasonable hour of 5:30pm, arriving dripping wet but still smiling. Eunice (my housemate, dear friend and healing worker of magic) is coming down tonight too, so I get a big hug and some more sports massage and rock taping, yay!
Tomorrow I walk to Bristol and am excited to cross the Clifton Suspension Bridge. I just hope it isn’t too windy and it’s a little drier!
Then on Sunday I cross over the Severn Bridge (who’s joining me?!) for my fourth county, second country, second leg AND the 300 mile mark! Wow!
xx
