Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Wednesday 6/9/17: 14-16km 5hr 45min
We left Swan Cottage this morning about 9.30am with sunshine tempered by wind.
The traffic was whizzzing by on the main road but fortunately our way led up a quiet lane, across another busy road and then into Dyrham Wood. The path wasn't clear but after consulting the GPS on my watch and some discussion, we found the right path to Dyrham. We were keen to visit Dyrham House, famous for its role in the film "Remains of the Day" and so turned off our route. After walking uphill along a long entry road we were disappointed to discover it was closed for the morning as they were culling deer!
Simon the Parrot was happy to ride in a pocket on the side of Sezza's pack most of the day. When we stopped he had a bit of a fly around before perching on Joepie's walking pole. He didn't say a lot apart from, "Are we there yet?" However he liked the chickens in Old Sodbury and sat on the fence trying to talk to them. Unfortunately his clucks didn't seem to mean much to them so I guess he isn't fluent in the Chicken language?
The sky was grey and in places black and threatening as we cracked along under pylons and past a wind turbine, pausing for a break on the edge of a field. Having sat down and taken off our boots, a very large, fast moving tractor came over the hill towing a large green trailer or spreader that was throwing what looked like brown dirt far out to either side. Scooping up boots and packs we scrambled back from the field but were still peppered by brown dirt that we figured was fertilizer! Deciding to move on after that, it felt like he was following us, with wind blown fertilizer whipping by us. We even ducked down behind a new dry stone wall trying to avoid the fusillade. Finally clear of the mad fertilising farmer, Rowan discovered he had dropped his guide book while taking evasive action. Rowan walked back and found the book about where we had first taken cover! I figure Rowan probably walked sixteen kilometres while we did fourteen?
Finally arriving in Tolmarton we stopped for a coffee at the "The Major's Retreat" a fairly ordinary pub. Outside the pub, the wind was making things a bit colder and we trotted along across green fields and rolling hills and black faced sheep, stopping to talk to other walkers heading south. Once into Old Sodbury we found "The Dog Inn" and sat down for a beer about 3.15pm and checked out the dinner menu for later.
Now a bit more relaxed we crossed the road to Rock Cottage and Joan who was very welcoming. She showed us our respective rooms and once more the Davidson's scored a bath, while we had to make do with a shower again! Is there no justice in the world? Joan made us a pot of tea with scones and jam and cream and then offered to wash our muddy walking trousers!! She is a very good hostess who apparently ran the pub also up until recently.
It's now time for dinner across the road at the pub. The sun is shining in our window but there is talk of rain tomorrow! It is a longish day of about 19 km so hopefully the rain will stay away.
- comments