Sunday Walk
Originally uploaded by flickrkw
OK, this is an attempt to use flickr to blog straight to my Wordpress blog. Here goes…
After a week in the office I was really looking forward to stretching my legs from Branston to Woodhall Spa, last Sunday.
Not only that, I need the exercise to aclimatise my legs for the Coast to Coast walk Clive, Neal, another Richard and I are doing in mid June.
Only Clive and I could make it. We set off about 11:30 and round about Washingborough Clive just happened to mention the tea rooms we were aiming for in Woodhall Spa would close at 4pm, not the usual 5pm. From then on I really became focused on that cup of tea.
We stopped for a quick break at Bardney Lock, consumed some delicious oatmeal biscuits - thanks Clive - and pressed on round the back of Bardney sugar beet factory.
Before, when we’d done this walk in the summer we’d stayed on country tracks and passed through the village of Stixwould. But this time we decided to stick to the Sustrans route, which took us through, or should I say past, Southrey and Stixwould stations. Each time on passing through it reminded me that this part of the Sustrans route follows one of the many disused branch lines in Lincolnshire.
By now I could feel the blisters developing and I cursed the fact that I’d forgotten to buy/try a different pair of socks. Still, I focused on that cup of tea and put up with the pain, no choice really. We made good speed into the head on wind and before we knew it we’d reached Kirkstead Bridge.
I have to admit as we passed the Railway Hotel by the bridge I was very tempted by the warm glow of the interior. And since weren’t going to make it to Janet’s tea room by 4pm I would’ve stopped, but Clive insisted on pressing on as he now admitted he wasn’t totally sure it would close at 4pm.
Hobbling the rest of the way into Woodhall Spa we made it by 4.25pm - 5 minutes before closing time. Two cups of tea and a piece of chocolate gateaux and I was feeling almost human again!
17.1 miles in 5 hours. If I’m going to be fit by June I need to be doing that sort of mileage every week. Now where are those compedes.