Saturday 31 December 2011

LeJOG 2004 - My Notes on a trip of a lifetime - Part 3

A few more typos and miss-placed fingers but ... onwards.

14 April 2004 To Chipping Campden (day 21): Left pub at 0740 - no breakfast. great day for walking but with a cooling breeze. great views from the tops of the hills. Not too difficult walking. Got to Chipping Campden at 1745 and met Barbara great!
Took an hour to drive back. great to be home (Kingsbury).

15 April 2004 Thursday (Day 22 -21 walking): Rest day. great!

16 April 2004 To Alcester (Day 23 - 22 walking): Walked from Chipping Campden to Aklcester. Showers but not too heavy. Great to be walking with a lighter (day) pack. Barbara met me at Alcester.

17 April 2004 To Chadwick End (day 24 - 23 walking): back to Alcester. Left there at 1030 - same time as yesterday's start. A dry day, bright and fairly sunny, but not too warm. Finished at Chadwick End where Barbara picked me up.

18 April Sunday (day 25 - 23 walking): A rest day. Sunday lunch!

19 April To Whittacre Heath (day 26 - 24 walking): Walked from Chadwick End to Whiteacre Heath - the Railway pub. Dry and mainly sunny day. Took Barbara 50 mins to reach me (a couple of miles!).

20 April To Kingsbury (day 27 - 25 walking): A very short day from Whiteacre Heath to Kingsbury. Home.

21 April 2004 To Cannock Chase (day 28 - 26 walking): Poured down in the afternoon. Barbara picked me up and we went to see hers cousins. Had jalfezi in afternoon.

22 April 2004 (day 29 - 26 walking): A rest day.

23 April 2004 To Abbots Bromley (day 30 - 27 walking): Barbara dropped me off at Cannock Chase campsite and I started off at 0930. A warm, sunny day - fairly easy going to Abbots Bromley. Got Mr Hill's permission to camp in his field - just 10 mins walk from high street. Arrived about 1630.
It was hard leaving Barbara and I was tempted to be asked to be picked up again - but it wouldn't be fair. Rang just before 1800. Dinner in the Goats Head - fully booked for meals but got an early slot. Roast beef + veg - very good.
Got back to tent after 2100. Someone had pulled out all the flysheet pegs but left them in situ. (Terra Nova Solar 2 - self standing). No harm done and nothing touched - lucky!
Good nights sleep.

24 April 2004 To Thorpe (day 31 - 28 walking): Very misty first thing - but sun soon burnt it off. It was a very hot day. Route finding on Staffordshire Way did require close attention to maps as well as signs - but it was ok. Had pub lunch in Rochester. On Limestone Way route finding was very interesting! But, got to Thorpe ok.
Knocked on door of house to enquire about campsites. ( It was a Bank Holiday - as I remember and I didn't really want to camp on a proper site). Sue Smith answered the door. I explained my reason for knocking. She sent me up through some fields to meet William, her husband. He was attending a cow which was about to give birth and he was very stressed, but really helpful. I helped him get the Cow and newborn into a shed. He then found me a spot to camp in his field - putting electric wire round to stop the other cows getting to me!
I was the first end-to-ender he had ever met and he gave me £10 towards St. Giles (that makes £30 cheque + £20.35 cash since start). really nice guy - has lived all his life in Thorpe. Pub was only 5 mins walk.
Jodie and Fabian (grandchildren) listened to cows mooing very loudly! on mobile. Told them about the calf being born.

25 April 2004 To Blackwell (day 32 - 29 walking): Left at 0810 and decided on Tissington trail. Another very hot sunny day. Covered over 20 miles, but, only reached Blackwell where there is a campsite. Fees were waived - thank you. Pub is about 1 mile away but it should be a good dry evening. Millers dale is 1 mile from here and Edale a further 9 miles, but too much to do in the heat.
Had a shower and washed clothes. decided on a lazy day tomorrow - just the 10 miles to Edale - and why not!
Pub meal was good - steak pie and chips + veg. Stayed dry all night.

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