Skip to main content

Day 17: Brightlycott CS to past Wood and Chains Barrows (17.8 miles)

I set off at 9:30 later than intended but I’d forgotten the clocks changed overnight so hadn't actually slept longer. It was a cold night but peaceful. The stars were great. The tent and sleeping bag are 3 seasons, with the temperature dropping below 3 it’s right on the limit. As I write I’m huddled in my sleeping bag with lots of layers hoping for a better night?

Shortly after setting off I had a slight alarm when I saw the was road closed but fortunately the track went off at that junction . Phew! I caught the fresh smell of pines just as I noticed chiffchaffs all around. The trail was largely following the course of the river Yeo, and crossed some lovely old bridges. There were Roosters calling along the valley making me wonder if our chickens had survived suspected invasion of a mink or polecat- our bantam had mysteriously disappeared with a small burrow discovered under the wire...

I stopped for elevenses and a rest - water and date slice - the backpack was not my friend this morning. I repacked as I had put food in the bladder sleeve but they had made the pack fat and pulling it away from my body. Now tall and slim as advised I hoped it would be better and with a few adjustments of straps I settled into it again.

I saw lots of buzzards soaring and mewing overhead today. I wasted some time trying to find an exit to a field above lockers mill bridge. I should have believed the signposts rather than the OS map in this case. Point to be remembered. I’ll take it as a reward for that struggle that I then heard the first blackcap of the season - known as the northern nightingale for its beautiful, fluting warbling song. Followed soon after by the similar but more raspy whitethroat.

I was thrilled then to see a pair of possibly goshawks, one chasing the other which was making a staccato medium pitched call swooping past me twice at low altitude through the trees. The warmth of the day brought out a Brimstone and orange tip butterfly as I came down to Loxhore mill. I have seen painted ladies and peacocks in the first couple of days of the trip and then during the last week

At 12:30. I Stopped for hot chocolate and would you believe it, a pack of Quavers! at Bratton Fleming - the shopkeeper donated £10 - more than I’d spent in the shop! At 14:30 I stopped for lunch at the remains of a medieval village site overlooking a deep valley I was about to cross. I wondered what had happened, I suppose most likely the plague.

I was pleased to arrive at Challacombe at 4pm, starting to think I might be able to go further than originally planned. There were lots of young recently born lambs coming up from the village, a charming sight but the ewes were very very cautious of me passing by.

After a section just below wood barrow which was a bit tricky to navigate, a stone track appeared. The route certainly requires some map reading and there is a lot of bog up here but I’ve managed to find a flat spot with lots of dead moor grass which I have used to fill up the gaps between the fly of the tent and the ground to minimise the draught, I hope.

There has been a stunning sunset and a couple of herds of roe deer have been looking at me suspiciously with the stag giving out a warning bark and leading them away. Time to settle down to sleep now hopefully a bit warmer than last night!

















Comments

Post a Comment

Please do leave a comment

Popular posts from this blog

Choosing the Route

  Since I was first diagnosed with CLL, and started long distance walking, I've been fortunate enough to walk the North and South Downs Ways (2018), the Norfolk Coastal Path (2019), Coast to Coast (2021), the Menorcan Coastal Path and the Ridgeway (2023), the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, the Dales Highway and the Cotswold Way (2024). In amongst those, I walked the Pennine Way (2020) and the South West Coastal Path (2022) for charity.   In walking these routes, I realised that I love walking on my own, enjoy being immersed in the surroundings around me, able to go at my own pace, stop, observe, and simply be. I love the high moors and mountains but also our beautiful rugged coast - especially the north Cornwall coastline. I very much wanted to re-walk that part of the South West Coastal Path but extended to Penzance - a stretch with which I had been particularly taken.  I also wanted to re-walk the Pennine Way - eventually postponing this so as to incorporate it into t...
2 comments
Read more

Ready, Steady, GO!

On Saturday 15th March I started my big adventure! 2 days in and I have completed the first 32 miles from Penzance to Botallack. I had planned to walk 12 miles each day but my phone says I've done more like 16. The weather has been fantastic but I am very tired. Clearly I am still building my fitness up after the op but I  a sure I will get there step-by-step! The scenery is everything and more than I remembered. This part of the South West Coastal Path is so beautiful but it is certainly tough walking. Tomorrow is planned to be a difficult stretch from Botallack to St Ives but Martin will come and see how I am doing at Zennor and we will go from there. I'm going to have a break from the backpack tomorrow to help me along as it felt very heavy today.
Post a Comment
Read more

Planning

Whilst I've been recovering from the op, I've had plenty of time to plan my walk.  I had originally intended to simply stop when tired, camping most of the way and booking a bed and breakfast once a week or so. My nerve has deserted me!  I have now broken the walk down into roughly 12 mile days, and I've booked campsites, bed and breakfasts, and ear-marked possible wild camping spots. For much of the time, this tent (Durston Xmid Pro 2P) which I trialled on the Dales Highway in July, will be my home: I have to say, getting stuck into the planning has made me more and more excited that the walk is possible and will actually happen now, with renewed determination to get myself fit and well for the start of the walk. I'm currently walking about a mile a day - sounds awful considering where I was before the op, but never mind.  The target is to increase that over the next 8 weeks to 12 miles, gradually adding weight to the backpack as I fully heal and gain strength. ...
2 comments
Read more