We had a slow start deliberately as this was going to be a short walk today and of course it was Easter Sunday.. and Barney’s first birthday. No longer a puppy, as though Georgie would let us forget it! They dropped me off back at Mitton after 11 and the plan was to meet half way at the Boat Inn, Penkridge at 1ish.
The sun may have made the difference as well as wearing “civvie” clothes i.e. not my walking ones but I had much more of a spring in my step today partly because I’d see the girls more today. More butterflies were out as well - some orange tips and meadow browns.
I had a long talk with a lady at a cottage by the path with a red fox, rather vocal, Labrador about her father in a fairly early stage of dementia. It’s hard knowing what to say when you’ve experienced the later stages - what comfort is there to offer apart from empathy?
There were some beautiful if modern agricultural scenes - hedge laying, sheep, and wind turbines - to be seen as I went forward. I arrived early at the pub by the canal and enjoyed watching the canal boats queuing to get through the tunnel and lock over a cappuccino. I spent the time researching bivvy bags to supplement my rather cold and draughty tent and went forward an Alpkit hunka. This may give me more confidence camping out.
The girls eventually arrived at 13:45 - I’d obviously set them a longer walk and they’d also gone to by supplies for the night. We had a super roast lunch - veggie for the girls - at a first rate price £12:95 …. Certainly not the Surrey prices we are used to!
The girls didn’t lie when they told me this was a really nice walk - woodland, country lanes and easy paths through farmland. I was absolutely thrilled to hear the sound “pee-wit” - a pair of lapwings/green plover/peewits doing their aerial court ship display in the field alongside the path as goldfinches flew out from the hedge.
Barney enjoyed the streams along the path but we had a momentary scare when he started limping badly - it turned out he’d picked up a couple of thorns so quickly sorted. At over 30kg this gorgeous golden, soppy golden retriever would take some lifting.
The highlight was still to come. A steady walk upslope brought us to the heathland of Cannock Chase in glorious sunshine - a superb ending to today’s walk. As heavy rain is predicted tomorrow unfortunately I was keen to get some good pictures of this lovely area. It also turned out that the girls had had to walk 12 miles to my 9 ….. the pub hadn’t been quite the half way mark I’d said, but all were pleased with how the day had turned out.
When we got back to camp, the girls took me through some pre- and post- exercise stretches. They’d spotted I was starting to have problem with my right hip. You can imagine this caused some hilarity as we felt the hold campsite watching us. This was followed by foot masks although we stopped short of face masks …. I’m to do that tomorrow night when I stay at a B&B at Colton.
It’s been a great couple of days with a Georgie, Maria and of course Barney. I will be sorry to see them go.
thank goodness that Barney does not have any geography qualifications, so he can now be blamed for misreading the map... ;-) But he looks very happy in his ignorance.
ReplyDeleteDelighted at your progress but you will have to watch that hip. As you are reaching an appropriate place-name tomorrow this is time for a first stage donation to the cause. Please add a thousand pounds. You will soon have Martin as a welcome support.
ReplyDeleteMuch love Dad xxx