I got back to Littleborough on Friday evening after two glorious days walking from Edale. Back in the North! How do you tell? Curlews on the moors, walkers who ask if you are 'reet', the first cotton grass and then the distant sightings - Joddrell Bank, Manchester's towers, Blackstone Edge. Good to be home and good to be about halfway (580 miles)- spent a fair bit of yesterday in an armchair so a bit slow to get this post up.
To fill in the story from my last post. The previous Friday evening, I reached Abbots Bromley where, on the Monday following the 4th September, the men of the village put antlers on in a 1000 year old custom of dancing round the village. On a sunny Friday evening in the pub garden, today's villagers were so keen that I learn about this that they set off to show me the antlers in the church. Unfortunately, the church was locked, so I will have to wait for another day. This is England! The next day I was still heading through some tricky field paths in hot weather and due to divert several miles to a campsite near the gate of Alton Towers. That seemed a rather bad idea and, having also had some difficulties with the Uttoxeter bypass, the A50 and the Clay Sports Shooting Centre, I decided it was better to make an epic day and get through to the Peak District. So Saturday night found me camping in a farmer's field on a glittering evening just south of Ilam. From there, paths were good and I moved along nicely, able to rest up on the hot Sunday afternoon on the pretty village green at Alstonefield. Over the next couple of days, I followed the course of the Dove until close to Buxton - brilliant scenery.
Very pleasant evening trips on Monday night to Hillary and Charlie's at Stanton-in-the-Peak and on Wednesday to Ian and Letty at Chesterfield.As long as I walk the route, stay overnight on the route and carry my gear, the 'rules' (self made!) let me have an evening out!
On Friday, Teddy (my brother-in-law) met up with me on the Marsden road, the last moorland miles were looking magnificent and what a brilliant evening to arrive back home. Thanks for the encouraging messages from near and far, including those at Milnrow Parish this morning - very appropriately on 'walking Sunday'.
I am sorry to say that Jack, Jane's dad, has needed hospital care today - please be thinking of them and the rest of the family.
So a few days rest at home now and next Saturday it will be time to set off northwards........ I'm looking forward to it! For friends planning to join me at any stage, please do get in touch if there are arrangements that need to be made.....
Andrew, I am glad you are still going strong. You must be glad of the rest. we are currently doingabout 50 miles a day on our bikes (with a half day today to rest and do the washing.). So far so good. However the French wwind has been prverse and seems to choose which way to blow depending on the direction we are choosing to cycle (i.e.dirctly into our face). Only one mishap so far - a minor accident in Toulouse has left me with a healing gash in the leg. but 600 km done - 900 more to do.
ReplyDeleteMeg,
ReplyDeleteThat's tremendous! Keep going! I bought the train ticket home from the north of Scotland today, so now I've just got to get there to catch it!