Thursday, 20 May 2010

Days 15 and 16 - 250 mile service

This is me on my rest day. I am sure that you can come up with some interesting theories about what I am doing! The sad truth is that I am using ice packs with my feet up in an attempt to cure my shin problems.


Norman Pilgrim with the patient.

After a rest day my shins felt slightly better. I therefore set out intending to reach Chipping Campden - a walk of just over 18 miles. I managed this in reasonable time although by the end my shins were fairly painful. Norman has very kindly been checking on my condition every day, and he still does not seem overly concerned about the prognosis. It may however be necessary to scale down the daily mileage and build in more rest days. Any of you who are planning to join me later in the adventure please contact me so that we can discuss when I might reach the various locations.

Tomorrow I plan to reach just north of Stratford on Avon. This is in Warwickshire which I regard as my home county , even though some bureaucrats think that Coventry is in the West Midlands. This has made me think of the number of counties that I have already walked in during the last 2 weeks. This is not such an easy task as it may seem at first thought. For instance does Avon still exist? Is South Gloucestershire a separate county or is it simply part of Gloucestershire? My research on Google suggest that the answer to both questions is no. The list of counties that I have visited so far is therefore Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire (6 in all). Sounds a long way doesn't it!

Further use of google has helped me identify the deer that I saw on Dartmoor - they were Roe Deer. I was inspired to research this as I saw another Roe Deer in the Cotswolds today. The scenery was again stunning - I am running out of adjectives to describe the wonderful English countryside!

After spending even more time on old Roman roads today I am able to report the breaking news that 'Adrian's Wall has been finished! You may think that this news is 2000 years or so out of date - however Adrian (remember the superb support driver for a week in the south west) has confirmed to me today that their new extension has just been finished. By the way He also tells me that the correct spelling of the old Roman is Adrian and not Hadrian - any comments?

Today's KBW's are:-
Graham and Judith - Services to Transport and moral support
Norman - For expertise and friendship

"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus

Cheers
Keith

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