Day 8

The eight day of my Long Walk Home started from Frome about 9am and took me to The Courts garden in Holt. 

I had company today from Tim (a colleague from Castle Drogo who lives in Frome) and his two children. It was lovely to have some company after the last few days of walking on my own as it makes the time fly by! 

It was a very hot day and we walked along some lovely lanes a little Suffolkesque in places especially the arable fields. 

Castle's were a theme of the day and we walked past a couple.

Farliegh Hungerford Castle

 We continued walking through the rolling countryside and dropped down towards the Canal in Bradford on Avon. 

We arrived the 'The Cross Guns' pub for refreshment and shade (it was the hottest day so far on the walk!) and after a respite, continued along the canal to Bradford where Ice-cream was found. 

There I said goodbye to Tim and children and took the canal towpath towards Trowbridge where I escaped it at Staverton and took the road to Holt. I arrived at the Courts Garden by 5.30pm and it was still so hot! 

I met Paul, the head gardener, who welcomed me in to his home. A lovely evening was spent there looking at the beautiful garden and then a drink in the local pub with the other gardeners was a brilliant end to the first week and the first 100 miles. Thank you to The Courts team. 

The Courts garden - a haven in Wiltshire.

A drink in the local pub in Holt with the garden team from The Courts - thanks all for a great evening to the first week. 

Day 7 - to Frome.

Thursday 9th August.

Today took me to West Somerset. I was on the road by 8am and started off on the lanes towards Oak Hill. From there I took a B road and then noticed the 'Fosse Way' on my map which I decided to take (it wasn't as direct but I had plenty of time today) 

Fosse Way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I continued across some good footpaths and bridleways towards Frome. I was taking my time as I knew I didn't have a particularly long walk. 

I stopped off at Chantry village church where I rested and then I continued the walk along the road into Frome. It was only early afternoon so I had made good time.

I hadn't had any lunch so after buying a new map and posting some maps back, I found a lovely garden cafe and got a bite to eat and filled up on some nourishing greens! 

Well worth a visit!

Frome

 

 

 

 

Out of the levels at last

Wednesday 8th August

After a really good and much needed sleep at the hostel, I woke a little after 7, breakfasted and packed my bag and after some route planning with the warden, I was on my way after 9am. 

I walked down through Street, where I brought yet more blister plasters and on to Glastonbury. Due to low lying cloud, I didn't walk up the Tor but once I was on the road out of the town, I had a great view of it. 

Glastonbury Tor

I then took a road across the levels which seemed to go on forever! I then climbed up out of the levels and stopped for lunch where I had a great view of Wells. 

Wells

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunchtime stop

 

 After a quick bite and some map checking, I continued and it wasn't long until I reached the lovely village of Croscombe where I stopped for a orange and lemonade. The landlords were very chatty and made me very welcome and after telling them the story of my walk, offered a £5.00 donation. Thank you to The George Inn. 

I checked the map and I only had about 3-4 miles to go so I left the pub and slowly walked up the road towards Masebury Hill Fort. Once at the top, I had a maginificant view of Somerset including Glastonbury Tor. I enjoyed a chelsea bun and after a break, I walked back down off the fort into Binega where I stopped for the evening.

View from Masebury Hill Fort

Panorama View from Masebury Hill Fort

 

A very long day!

Tuesday 7th August

I was up just after 6am after a good nights sleep in a tent outside the ranger's hut at Fyne Court.

Home for the night at Fyne Court.

After a cup of tea, I packed up and I was feeling positive to attack today's 20 miles.

I was on the road by 7.30am and was aiming to reach North Petherton by breakfast. 

View towards North Petherton and the Somerset levels.

 

They seemed like long miles but I was there by 9.30am and sourced some provisions. I ate them in the church porch and chatted to some friendly ladies who pointed me in the right direction to the canal footpath.

I brought some more blister plasters first and then was on my way but oh did my feet hurt! I crossed the M5 and thought 'Hurrah I'm finally getting somewhere'. I slowly sauntered along the canal footpath only to be brought back under the M5! This did nothing positive for my mood which had been darkened by sore feet and a lack of anything interseting to look at! 

I continued (I was trying to reach Chedzoy where I knew there was a church I could shelter in) and walked around Bridgewater - I had seen a footpath whcih would take me towards Chedzoy avoiding the busy roads. I was using my Dad's 30 year old Ordnance Survey map but it was actually incredibly accurate - thanks Dad. 

I finally got to Chedzoy and enjoyed a much needed rest in the Church porch. Luckily too there was a tap outside where I could wash my feet before plastering on Compeed. 

I set off again just before 3pm, I met a man down the road who asked where I was going. After telling him Street was my destination, he said it was about 13 miles away! My heart sank, but between us we settled on 10miles as the Youth Hostel is situated a little out of the town. So I stomped on, knowing I had to get there! I walked a straight road across the levels and through some villages. 

At about 6pm, I had a further 4 miles. It started to rain quite heavily by this point! 

I finally reached Street Youth Hostel by 7.30pm very soggy and very tired! I was never happier to see the little wooden chalet building nestled in the woods and after a light supper, I quickly fell asleep- phew what a day!

Wiveliscombe to Fyne Court

After a good breakfast, I left just after 9am and stocked up on lunchtime provisions from Wiveliscombe. After reading the town map, I found the first footpath - the West Deane Way and started the day's walk of wich I had estimated would be about 15 miles.

I walked across farmland and rapidly got frustrated at the lack of decent footpath waymakers which made it hard to find routes and resulted in lots of map reading and retracing steps. So I abandoned the path and found a road!

After a couple of hours, sustinence was required, so I tucked into a danish pastry.

Continued the walk towards West Bagborough where I had arranged to meet two of the Fyne Court rangers at 2pm, however after another frustrating foopath and heavy downpour, I made it a little after 2 soggy and irritable! (sorry guys!)

The rain eventually stopped and Craig and Vicky took me across some excellent footpaths skirting under the Quantock hills.

Arrived at Fyne Court around 5pm and after some food (thank you Fyne Court NT) and rest, calm has been restored.

The last of Devon, crossed the border to Somerset!

Sunday 5th August - the third day.

The morning welcomed me with heavy rain, so got togged up ready as I was going out in it whatever! Alice kindly dropped me back of at Halberton so I could join the canal where I had left it yesterday.

I walked along the canal towpath for a good 8 miles. It was a good way to ease both my feet and legs into the third day of walking! I sheltered under some handy bridges for snacks and map checks (although it is hard to go wrong on a canal path).

I got to the end of the canal and this is where I joined up with Ruth and Hannah. It was lovely to have some company after the soggy trudge up the canal and we took the West Deane Way up towards Wiveliscombe where I was staying for the night. The footpath was very muddy at times but we chatted away which made the time and the dinstance seem to fly by!

At the Rock pub a few miles from Wiveliscombe, I said goodbye to Ruth and Hannah - thanks for joining me!

At the Rock, I met Clive and his wife Jenny who walked with me for the last few miles to Wiveliscombe. We finished the walk by 3.30pm and spent the afternoon, reading the paper and catching a bit of the Olympics before a heartwarming dinner of Shepherd's Pie and Lemon Steamed Sponge Pudding.

Day 2: Killerton to Halberton

After a very comfortable stay in the volunteers flat (thank you Killerton NT); day 2 came and I was up and raring to go by 8am. My friend arrived to join me for the day and after a couple of photographs, we were on our way.

After crossing the beautiful Killerton estate, the walk took us to Silverton. We walked past the street fair which was already in full swing.

The road out out of Silverton was very steep and we had to stop for a fig roll and banana stop half way!

However the climb was worth it, with views at the top back across to Dartmoor.

After the climb, the walk flattened off and enventually reached Manley Bridge where we joined the Tiverton-Taunton canal. It felt like lunchtime, so we tucked into a sandwich and slowly sauntered along the canal. We had made good time.

 

When we reached Halberton, we found a farm shop and finished the day with a cup of tea.

Alice from Knightshayes picked us up late afternoon and we spent the night there. Thank you to Alice and Ben for a lovely evening and for the delicious food.

The Long Walk Home Day One

After months of planning it was finally here. Day one of Eleanor's epic walk from Castle Drogo in Devon to her home in Suffolk. Eleanor is walking to raise money to save Castle Drogo which has been her home for the last year. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo/donate-now/
 Her target was to raise £1,500 which will restore one of scullery windows. She smashed her target on Thursday so a huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored her so far.  http://www.justgiving.com/Eleanor-Redgrave

A team of National Trust staff and volunteers joined Eleanor for the 17 mile first day walk from Drogo to Killerton. The day started with a huge breakfast in the Castle Drogo cafe before the first leg of the day from Drogo down the Teign Valley to Fingle Bridge and on to Clifford Bridge.






From there we walked up to cross the A30 at Pathfinder then though Whiptail Wood and on to Newton St Cyres and a much needed rest (and pint or two) in the pub there.



We then continued on with the last seven miles across country towards Killerton.
 







We arrived at Killerton at 6pm with aching legs and sore feet but very happy. Eleanor was still full and energy and ready for next 333 miles! 


We made it!

What to do at the last minute....!

It's just gone 2pm on Thursday 2nd August. I have under 24 hours until I leave and what I have I left until the last minute - the blog! I always rush technology always thinking 'that won't take long!'. Then I realise that these things take a long time when you are not tech savy as I am not. So I've been playing for at least an hour and this is the blog I seem to have achieved so far. Thank you Google Blogger.