Today's squad. Grace (Martin's mum) who accompanied support driver Gina to today's pick up point, Martin, Gina and me.
Today I started a less intense regime of 15 miles a day with a rest day every 6 days. I am also planning to walk slightly slower in an attempt to put less stress on the shins. The walk was from Knowle to Kingsbury Water Park. Martin was a great help especially in keeping my mind on things other than the process of walking. I was not however sure about the merits of his singing when he was explaining that I should have some Morrisey music on my ipod!
We made steady progress through some pleasant Warwickshire countryside, but which lacks the grandeur of many of the counties that I have already walked through. The theme of the day was golf courses as we passed next to a total of four (fore?) - North Warwickshire, Stonebridge, Forest of Arden and Maxstoke. I think that this is a record for one day on the walk.
In terms of wildlife- I have now seen a total of 75 bird species with Gadwall being added today. The wildlife highlight today was however seeing what I believe are Small Copper butterflies on some of the meadows that we crossed. They are really pretty little things. On a somewhat more morbid thought I saw the first dead hedgehog today - do you remember when you would see squashed hedgehogs on the roads all the time?
Tomorrow I hope to walk to Lichfield in Staffordshire, which will make a total of 9 counties if we include the imposter that I consider the West Midlands to be. Martin passed his own fitness test today and I am delighted that he will be joining me again tomorrow.
The KBW's for today are :-
Martin - For services to walking and conversation
Gina - For services to transport, coffee buying and owning a furry toy ginger cat (it can just be seen on my right shoulder in the team photo!).
"It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." - Edmund Hillary
Cheers Keith
