Distance Walked: 28km, Time Taken: 6h 30m, Avg Walking Speed: 4.3km/h
Official distance was 23km but that was from the top of Leckhampton Hill above the Devil's Chimney. It took me an hour to walk from the B&B to a point where I could easily rejoin the way. I didn't try climbing up to the peak since I wasn't sure where the path started and it was drizzly so it would have been slippery. Plus it would have been bloody steep. Instead, I just followed the road around the western curve of the hill until it sloped down to the south and met the Way coming down.
I was mostly mobile this morning. I could raise my right knee to a 70 degree angle. I had wrapped my big toes entirely in extra large, extra cushioned bandaids and wore two pairs of socks so my feet couldn't slide around in my boots. Apparently you can pop blisters if they are large and causing you grief, but at the edge not in the middle. I might leave them alone. They don't seem to be getting any worse. On the other hand, they are painful so I might do surgery on them tonight. I'll see how I go walking to the pub tonight. They don't hurt when I don't have shoes on to squish my toes together.
For something new my left knee started to complain. Felt like I'd wrenched it although I haven't. It was okay going up hill or on the level but definitely hurt going downhill. Will see how it is tomorrow and buy a knee brace from the chemist here if it is still sore tomorrow. Tomorrow is an easy day. Only 15km but nowhere to stop for lunch without going off-piste so I'll buy a sandwich from a shop here.
The weather today was actually quite pleasant for walking. Overcast and drizzly but never actually raining and walking kept me comfortably warm. There was also very little wind. The mist made it seem as if you were looking at the countryside through a soft focus lens which was actually quite charming.
Most of the walk was through woodlands and definitely always took the scenic route rather than the direct one. A bit tedious given I was anxious to keep moving and there wasn't much of a view. I've definitely tackled too challenging a walk. I realised I'd missed a view of a Roman villa down in a valley after going about 1km past it but couldn't face going back so I've missed it. Also missed the chance to have good look at a neolithic fort - the Painswick beacon. Just wanted to arrive.
Got to one possible lunch stop, the Air Balloon pub, by about midday but still not yet halfway and wasn't hungry so pressed on to Birdlip. Got there around 1pm and ate at the Royal George. Had a big slice of steak and ale pie, with seasonal veg (broccoli, parsnips and carrot but not peas for a wonder) with mash and onion gravy plus a half of Spotted Ale bitter. All very good. Didn't stop long as anxious to press on as had 14km more to go to get to Painswick.
Got here without drama and managed to find the B&B without hunting about. However, they were having a "thing" so I'm staying next door instead. Have a huge room but still just a shower with a low flow shower head. The woman who runs this place is very pleasant and they have a large friendly, but not bouncy dog. A very agreeable place.
Breakfast was bran flakes with grapefruit pieces and milk (the yoghurt was all in tubs) with a glass of orange juice. I then had scrambled eggs (for a change), mushrooms, tomatoes and bacon, followed by toast and marmelade with quite decent plunger coffee to drink.
Meet a couple of men going to same way as me but they fairly quickly outpaced me. Was also outpaced by a man who got a lift to the bottom of Coopers Hill where the cheese rolling competition is held. I cannot believe people run down this slope. I'd be nervous about climbing down it on my hands and knees. It is all but vertical. Some people are just insane.
Haven't encountered many other hikers, just lots of dog walkers. This is a very doggy country. I like it. Haven't meet any hikers in the pubs either. They are all much more hardcore than me and eat sandwiches while perched on drystone walls. Just about the only people lunching in pubs, besides me, are OAPs. Some of them gossip scandalously which is very entertaining for me.
I had dinner at the Royal Oak. It was recommended to me. Also, the landlady recommended going early as the chef gets drunk and the quality of the food becomes rather hapazard. Had steak and ale pie again, this time with chips (good - he must of still been at the tipsy stage) and peas plus a pint of the local tipple. It was a lovely pub with a cheery landlady who teased everyone and lots of nooks and crannies. Would definitely make it my local.
Got back, limping horribly. My landlady, a former nurse, wouldn't hear of me popping the blisters and insisted I take her bottle of surgical spirits and apply this liberally to dry them out. This, of course, meant taking off the bandaids I'd put on. As some of the gum had stuck to the surface of the blisters this was very unpleasant. Fairly useless too, as no amount of surgical spirit is going to shrink blisters this size over night.
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