Distance Walked: 29.5km, Time Taken: 7h 15m, Avg Walking Speed: 4.1km/h
Official distance was only 22km but this does not take into account the new "improved" route around the edge of Cleeve Common rather than across it. The distance also includes about 1.5km of backtracking when I got lost or thought I was lost. Means tomorrow with an official distance of 19km, including the off-route bit to get to the B&B, will be a stroll in the park.
The weather for walking today was okay, although not as good as yesterday. Clear and sunny but with a bitterly cold wind. I wore the down vest and stuffed my hands in the pockets.
Was fairly miserable in the morning. Felt okay while in motion. The blisters and muscles were merely sore rather than painful. However, I expected to reach Winchcombe by about middday but didn't get there until closer to 1pm. On checking my GPS it turns out I had walked more like 16km than the 12km I was expecting, hence the extra hour. Armed with that knowledge, plus a half of the local bitter and two of the strongest over-the-counter painkillers available I set off for the afternoon leg in a more cheerful mood. That turned sour towards the end as it also took me an hour longer than I expected and the instructions for coming down off the Common to get to the hotel were as clear as mud.
Feeling very stiff and sore now. However, I know won't need to walk this far again so life should be easier from here on in. Even the last two days of the trip, which I thought would be the hardest, will be less effort than today.
Had a pleasant breakfast at the B&B in Stanton. I appeared to be the only guest. There was one other person staying there but she seemed to be a friend of the owners. They had dishes of fresh fruit out, including raspberries. If I'd know how few people were there for breakfast I would have eaten more of them. Breakfast was a very restrained amount of fresh fruit with yoghurt, then the fry up - 2 eggs, 3 rashers of bacon, 1 tomato, mushrooms and half a slice of fried bread. One of the cats kept me company while I ate. From the beady eyed stare as I ate every mouthful it is clear that guests, such as myself, have been feeding her (him?) pieces of bacon and sausage from their breakfasts. It wasn't my cat so I had no qualms about encouraging it in bad habits. It was the friendliest thing in the place.
Lunched at the Corner Cupboard Inn according to plan. If this is a recommended pub then I'd hate to eat at an unrecommended one. Admittedly, it was recommended more on the basis of its beer. Had a cheeseburger, which was exactly that, a meat patty with a slice of cheese in a bun, along with chips and a bit of salad. It was all edible but that is about all you can say.
My welcome here at the Cleeve Hill hotel was everything that was lacking at Stanton. I was sat down in the living room and feed tea and cake before being shown to my room (which has a lock on the door). The room is in much better shape. Clean and well maintained in comparison with shabby and a bit rundown. I get a double bed but no bath, just a shower. I do get my own teddy bear though.
Had dinner at the Rising Sun pub, which is a short stagger down the Common from here. Had duck breast in a red wine sauce (tough but tasty) with potatoes dauphinois and steamed seasonal veg (carrot, snowpeas, cauliflower and, of course, peas). Washed this down with a glass of Rioja which was drinkable. Had a slice of chocolate cheesecake for dessert which was too rich.
No wireless here but I found a open router at the pub. Checked the footy scores before someone switched it off. I got only 4 right. Wonder how well Jenny did?
Discovered I'm being to be able to identify fields of sheep from those of cows or horses by smell alone. Whoever babbles on about fresh, clean country air doesn't know what they are talking about.
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