day 2- Time slips!!

There are about 5 of us in the dorm no one talking, I thought I'd change that with a few cheery hellos-bonjours etc! I broke the ice! Suddenly a full conversation between myself an Italian chap (Marco)and a Portuguese! - nice! 🙂 

Off to breakfast and I'm stood there looking at the continental breakfast like it was the alien that I patently was! 

Cucumber, tomatoes, ham, cheese croissant, cereals,bread and I'd not only made breakfast I'd cheekily knocked together some sandwiches for lunch! 😁

Now out and off into the wilds of Paris a strange man in a strange town..... Something I'll be getting used to! 

Off to the nearest metro(underground station) at Laumier and I bungle my first metro ticket thinking it hadn't worked as the gates hadn't opened! Things work differently here! 

But they work! And with the aid of a metro app on my phone I'm soon travelling to I'l de la Cite station in the heart of Paris, leaving the station I pass through the most beautiful art neuveau signs

and out into the city much quieter than the insanity of London and considerably nicer as are the people! They actually talk!!!

I wander from here easing into my new life of wanderer , yesterday I'd said to Lisa that from here on in there would be no rushing, I like this approach. 

It has it's benefits! Cycle paths and road crossings are pretty different to those I'm used to at home, the wander approach saved me from getting run over a few times! 

Wandering to Pont au change over the seine I pass the Conciergerie a 14th century palace and prison!

Before retracing my steps and finding my way to Notre Dame!

Beautiful! 

Nice statue of Charlemagne here too!

Free entry into Notre Dame, beautiful beautiful building, wish I'd seen it before it was burnt down!

so nice to see so much colour in a holy place! 

Along with the grim...

and the bizarre!

Ruth would have loved it here🥲

I can't fit enough images of Notre Dame here! Stunning will have to do as a description! 

Away I wander and stand on a bridge looking back at the construction work still going on to repair the cathedral I'm joined by the expected flock of pigeons as I munch my stolen sandwiches!

southwards from here I walk heading towards the catacombs, en route I pass the Pantheon 

and unexpectedly the service to mourn the passing of Jean Marie Le Pen! 

Lots of gendarm here tho it appeared to have been a peaceful ceremony....... With some nice light hearted display.....

Continuing my wander to the catacombs and in, I find strange and disturbing underworld!!!!

Where the bones of countless Parisians had been moved to allow for construction or buried during the French Revolution! 

what a bizarre thing to do to the dead!!

Oddly very much worth the visit! 

Following the time on my phone I head to the nearest metro and head back to Laumier and the hostel.... It's at this point I realise that I'm in a different time zone!! I'm effectively back on British summertime!! Not that my watch agrees!! It's in need of adjustment!..

day one- leaving blighty

After crashing at my brother's the night before leaving, I walked with Mary (his lady) to the station, a bit of fun getting through the barriers there as the inspector hadn't seen an interrail (three month unlimited travel in Europe) pass before!

But get through we did! 

In time to catch an earlier train to St pancras station, Mary filmed me leaving to make sure I'd gone 😁

The train south was a direct journey so I was in London really quickly! 

I decided to go straight through customs (first time in years for me!) which went off without a hitch thankfully! 

Sitting with my pack waiting to board a young lass also travels came and sat down with her pack.... Like attracts like I guess! 

We were chatting away for about an hour like we'd known each other for years, such a nice start!

one quote from her employer 'there's only two things you have to do in life shitting and dying'!!! 

For two people on the roads it was a true statement of freedom! 😄😄

Onto the Eurostar and an uneventful trip towards Paris through the foggy french winter countryside, interrupted near the end by bark from a dog I didn't even know was sat behind me! A cute little dog that an autistic kid had to help him keep calm, naturally a chat followed! 

Into Gard Nord station and I decided to walk to the hostel only about a mile or so away, different architecture inevitably and cold but a pleasant enough wander through the streets and along the banks of the canal to the hostel.

Settled in and my kit locked in a cage below my bed(glad I brought a padlock!) I went down to the bar in the hostel for a pint and a pepper pig pizza! 😄 Ok just peppers on pork sausage but I liked the silliness! 

I also liked the pizza. 

Of to bed for an early night in the nice clean bedding on the bunks.

moving on.

Last year was an awful year! 

The trek ended early, but I came back in time to spend my free months looking after the love of my life as cancer took her.

So glad I was back to be there for her. Yes it nearly killed me, my health plummeted but I wouldn't have been anywhere else. 

A terrible terrible year in far too many ways. 

But it has lead to what follows, and that is the biggest adventure of my life, not hiking great distances but travelling the world. 

So the following blogs will be dedicated to Ruth in my heart always.

in the shadow of angels and footsteps of legions!

Rested and feeling fed and able to continue the route north again, I head out of bath against the pedestrian flow as they go to town to work. 

Reasonable weather to start as my path takes me under the hill made famous by Peter Gabriels Solsbury hill iron age fort on top!, gentler scenery down here soft underfoot pastures leading to a nice chat with a lady called Charlotte, who mentioned Jane Seymour used to live in this area back in the 60's.

Onto a b road and a slow ascent uphill through woodland thick with wild garlic, and the occasional mediating local..... Nice place to find your zen! 

The road uphill naturally steepened onto a flat plain, here an RAF base with signs saying 'Prohibited place' due to the official secrets act high security fencing being only scrubby hawthorn bush hedges.... High security indeed! 

At this point I'm now walking in the footsteps of the Romans along Fosse way and I was to do that for the rest of the day! 

Largely flat and easy walking got me to the pub at a place called The Gibb.... Place of hangings presumably? 

Nice bar maid paid for my coke! 

And off I went on the Fosse again, unlike rather north the Fosse is quiet here alternating between B road and by way just easy walking! While I dodged the rain 😎

It's on one of the Byway sections that I'm now camped, some interesting comments from dog walkers but I doubt I'll upset any farmers just here! Night all!

Roman around Bath

Extra rest day .... Totally needed and deserved.. .. Being a tourist a massive bonus in Bath I finally get the chance to see the Roman baths! Not to mention the beautiful mix of Victorian and Georgian architecture! 

And to top it off today the sun was shining really bringing the local limestone of the buildings to life with a beautiful warm glow! 

The baths.... I can't go into enough detail on this short blog, but between the Roman title Aqua Sulis(Minerva was added later) meaning waters of the Celtic/Brittonic god Sulis this being the only hot spring in the UK it was deemed magical at least! 

 I have a bit of a link to this area, in my metal detecting, the first Celtic coin I found was a silver unit from Antedios of the Dobunni tribe who controlled this area and up into Warwickshire.... Nice to see a similar coin on display in the museum to! 

The hot springs are indeed nicely warm and ignoring the rules I did of course test the temperature! I wouldn't fancy a bath in the stagnant green waters tho!, gifts to the gods were made at the springs mostly coins but one stunning gold Penanular brooch has been found(pic!) jaw droppingly beautiful!

To any metal detectorist the small finds here are pretty familiar fibula of various types and even Roman curse tablets were deposited... Nice to know what one looks like.... It's going to save me unwrapping no end of lead trash now 😄

I don't want to go into great length because the Baths are well worth a visit and I encourage anyone to visit! 

A wander around town for provisions for the next few days and meths for my stove and I'm back to the hotel to rest .... By evening I'm feeling back to normal! 

Lots of eating going on will fatten me a little.... But I'll soon burn that off. Happily the roads ahead are much more civilised!

unexpected Thunderbolt!!

The chewton wood wild camp worked out well, only slightly damp this morning! 

As it's Saint George's day I've carried a small flag to wear in celebration!

Weather is starting dry but the air feels heavy with possible rain.... Glad to say it didn't arrive while I walked! 

Dry as it was I wandered through pleasant pasture and the usual sticky crop fields to Farington Gurney quick stop at the co-op for a second breakfast and through the village as the kids go to school, car dodging reaches a new skill level as I dodge the frantic mum's dropping the little ones off!..... Passing the church and into the fields gives respite before I again hit the B roads through Paulton and Radford to Camerton , hopping onto the limestone link long distance path here I meet a local walker who told me about the local mining history here ... I never expected to be walking through an abandoned coal field here!! The chap used to be a GP and told me of his predecessor "Berty Crook awful GP great surgeon went down mines to free people by amputation!!!" I love local stories!!!

Through the old mine workings now lush greenery, over the high waste piles and down rickety steps at crazy angles!

Safely through I met the local postman who once again was a natural story teller! Notably for me was that an old favourite 1950's movie "The Titfield Thunderbolt" was filmed along the dismantled railway track I was walking! , further along at Dunkerton one scene where a train v train tug of war was filmed for the movie was visible! .... A bit of nerd heaven! 😄

Here I leave the level trail and unsurprisingly find a hill to climb.... Yep another killer! But vastly nicer than the alternative of an A road, I'm feeling the preceding weeks of waking today! So as I'm heading into Bath I decide to take an extra day off, with a premier Inn booked for two nights in the middle of town this makes for a great place to visit the Roman baths and a gentle mooch around town!.... Plus food food food! 😁

Avalon in the mist

Yesterday's blue skies and sunshine have been replaced by good walking temperatures and very misty rain, no great need for waterproofs today, a need for a better sense of direction tho! Or more accurately more attention to the map when I plotted the route north months back! An extra kilometer or so finding a route through the local paths back to the road I'd followed back in 2010 when I first walked north and my way was sorted happily! 

Through the levels here I can see hundreds of Egret's! (Small White heron's for descriptions purposes!) at home your lucky to see one! 

The first hill of the day and the path leads to Yarley then into Wooky, and find an open cafe! Full English thank you!!!

I didn't realise how much I'd need this yet! 

On into Wooky hole and a nice reminder of the state of mind I'll need to complete this endeavour, talking with strangers can be enlightening..... I'll claim re enlightening!  

Onto the monarch way out of Wooky hole and the path is the sharpest longest ascent of the walk so far easily 60° up to 260 meters with the isle of Avalon (Glastonbury) disappearing into the mist behind me, what this view must be like on a clear day!!!

A memorial on a stile on the way up seemed rather apt for me... See pic!

The usual flat topped hills here, I'm at the top of the Mendips with a mixture of heathland, woods and farmland and a gentle descent to Litton for about 4pm and a pub bar snack and a tester of a cocktail! First and last of the walk I imagine! Free was a bonus!! 😁 

From here it was a short walk on level country lanes to the woods I'm currently wild camped in with birds singing away as I write this .... I think an owl at one point to! 

A pleasant way to drift off!

rest day 2

Spent the morning with Tracey and Darren wandering around  Glastonbury, ate a damn fine fry up bought shopping, went back to the campsite to chill out! 

Sunny and perfect rest day! 

To the pivot point!

Curry mallet, it was sad to leave this charming village this morning and it's oh so welcoming people! 

But no choice the trek continues, and today has one very sharp reminder for me....

After leaving the pub last night I took a doggy bag of food I couldn't eat, so cold chips and veg was my meagre breakfast thinking I'm passing a few villages and towns today I'll miss my porridge for once, lovely clear blue skies but still that chilly wind, and the winding roads and farm animals were my company . Up onto my first A road walking towards Curry Rivel, stopping here for a treat if bypassed twice so far on the trek... Milkshake from an automated Moors milk dispenser! Lovely!!

On again and feeling tired, (a sign I should have picked up on) into Langport sweating now (another sign) really not feeling good but then I realised what my body was telling me I needed something sweet and some food I was having a sugar low! 

Into a little cafe where a pretty waitress was constantly messing up orders and the till, funny to watch until my order came without the tea, one pot and and the sugar going in in heaps and I'm feeling better , it's easy to forget how food is just fuel on these expeditions miss it you grind to a halt... Lesson relearned!!!

Off to the till to pay and yes another problem for the waitress! 😁

Munching on jelly babies to reinforce the sweet tea I head off out of town over one hill and down into the Somerset levels, very pretty! Passing a pond with geese and about 20 gosling sunning themselves, the trail here is straight and the distant hills ahead pull me along over the rutted party still flooded from last week's rain , glad to have not been here last week! 

Sharply up the wooded hill from the levels over an A road and soft grassy fields are underfoot to Walton, A roads to Street and through to Glastonbury, taking the back roads to the campsite turned into a battered Victorian industrial site going under renovation, weirdly interesting tho passed a gypsy camp I chatted to one lad there were both travellers after-all! He seemed impressed and shouted 'Bridies blessing to you' as I walked off nice 🙂 (I'm assuming 😁)

Into the campsite and Tracey and Darren (her fella) were still in residence after a day enjoying Glasto.

Foot still not good so I'll be carrying on alone after my rest day.

As for the title of today's blog 'The pivot' Glastonbury is for me traditionally where I stop walking east and actually make progress north! 

Only a few days ago we were only 61 miles north of the latitude lands end is on! 

blown away.

The title of today's blog is not related to weather you'll see why tho...... 

Bit cloudy as I start from the eyri like wild camp of the night before and a chill is in the air, cold I wasn't tho the path was soon going uphill a long old drag from the village of Beacon, that certainly kept me toasty!

Hills in Devon couldn't be more different from their Cornish neighbours unlike Cornwalls sawblade hills and valleys these go just as high but once you're up it's a long long flat hilltop so progress can be really good! And good panoramic views pretty much wherever you look! 

An old abandoned second world war RAF base had been converted into a race track very reminiscent of the shale way on the old training walk in Northamptonshire.

A shop stop at Churchinford supplied me with coffee and snacks and a chin wag with the locals before heading on reaching the northern edge of these Black down hills I enter the woods of the Neroche estate(?) and skirt along east with views through the trees to Taunton and off to the distant Quantock hills, where I descended the view north is so flat after the preceding weeks of hills and Moors and valleys the going will be much easier now! 

After rerouting so I'm following a string of villages I pass through Staple Fitspaine with it's intricate church tower, Hatch Beauchamp and enter Curry Mallet a small village that's been around since the writing of the Magna carta!

This next part is what blew me away ....

The village pub The Bell Inn more importantly Sheree,Eloise and her team what incredibly nice people!! 

They bent over backwards to help, finding me a pitch for the night as well as offers from the locals of a flat and other lands to camp on!! 

Then they did a whip around for the charity!!!! Before giving me a sizable discount on my dinner and drinks!!!

This exceeds any of the kindness of strangers I've ever encountered on a trek!!! Just incredible!!!

You know where to come if you're in the area!! 

Above and beyond! 

🥰🥰🥰🥰

thurs18, A 30 flirty followed by a nice Fort'y

Leaving Tracey to begin her recovery, I leave the travel lodge, straight onto a roundabout and head off in the wrong direction..... Cracking start! 

Turned around back to the roundabout and under the M5 I'm quickly off into into a protected area .... Pretty country pretty villages nice people! 

Then the practicality of today kicks in, I'm flirting with the A30 all the way to Honiton!! Straight level road walking easy but boring! It does mean I can start to get the milage back that had been lost in navigating the moors, all good then! 

At one point a lady pulled over and asked if I wanted breakfast! That doesn't happen every day! 😁

The lady was a long distance walker and being exceptionally kind! Sadly I couldn't take her up on the offer with my zero vehicles while trekking policy.... It's a harsh approach but I'm a purist!

The A30 blur continued to a monument at an old junction comemerating the death of a Mr John Coleridge Pattison a missionary bishop who had been killed at Nukapu near Santa Cruz in the 1800's.. not your average monument! 

Apart from a pub stop at lunch time(exquisite timing!) the journey to Honiton was otherwise uneventful, into the town and good long break drinking tea at a cafe before heading off into the country pretty lanes led steeply up to Dumpdon hillfort spectacular views back to Honiton! 

Then on to settle for the night

Out of the moors.weds17

Waking amidst bluebells, orchids and ferns with trees catching a slight wind after a dry night... Sounds idyllic and other the last bit of sharp ascent from the valley lustleigh was situated in it was! 

It continued through gently rolling hills to our first inland reservoirs Trenchford then Tottiford, the water was undulating slowly and smoothly... Fishermen dipping their rods and birdsong from the surrounding woodland, a calm start 🙂

Small b roads again start to take us down the long descent from the moor tops through more wooded valleys, before we start to enter more agricultural land amidst alpacas chickens donkeys and of course young lambs! busier B roads and

traffic dodging begins again in Ernest! 

Tracey is struggling badly with her foot and decides to leapfrog from Longdown to Exeter and an early rest for that foot!

I push on and down down and under the A30 before I discover that although Exeter is right on the edge of flatter land it's far from flat itself!

And not designed for walkers.... More traffic dodging, another long descent through the suburbs and over the river Exe , round another busy roundabout I enter old Exeter via the remains of the old Exe bridge ruins! Health and safety thankfully hasn't shut these off from the public!.... Continuing the idea of entering the city via the old ways I ascend Stepcote hill a narrow cobbled and worn stepped steep (seriously!) route into the centre. Passing a small church for Saint Olave (a Viking king converted to Christianity) I find tea and another pastie I sit and watch the world scurry around! 

Rucksack out with our hiviz sign visible I receive another donation from a passerby! Wasn't expecting that! Nice! 😊

On through the city I find the cathedral, incredible statury at the entrance! I don't enter as time is pushing on, but in leaving the cathedral surroundings I pass a beautiful ancient door.... Must be medieval!.... Then on through a grand and very wealthy Georgian street now accountants..... What else! 

Heading out through the college zone and more suburbs and finally to the ringroad I

meet Tracey at the Travelodge where she's resting. 

Seems her foot is worse than I expected the wound is deep. 

She's made the toughest choice to pull out of the walk for now and get it seen too!

One of the hardest choices when you're committed to this sort of challenge. 🫡

The trail will continue tomorrow just me now until Tracey chooses to return.