This turned out to be the second longest walk of the trip so far, though as it was not in a heat wave, nor involved crossing a high range of hills (see day 17) it was not so taxing. However I was walking from 8.20 until 5.00 and was definitely exhausted.
Nigel kindly walked with me to see me out of Shrewsbury itself and the rest of the walk went exactly as planned – clear and well-marked footpaths and some minor roads. Only one bit of traffic dodging – on a bendy road where divers were driving at 60 in a 40 limit!
Today the views were of distant hills – Snowdonia, the Black Mountains and way ahead the Lake District. Good weather all the way.
I arrived in Ellesmere to find another reasonably priced and good hotel (I have been looking forward to playing this game again). The Ellesmere Hotel is the cheapest so far. It does not do breakfast, but in every other respect it scores very highly – coffee stuff WITH biscuits, chair and desk, working wifi – just about: my phone is speaking to the wifi, but not the laptop. Very friendly welcome from the landlady who could see how tired I was, and apologized for the fact that the single room was on the top floor (‘a garret-room away upstairs’…who knows where that song lyric comes from?) It now sits at the top of the list of 14 hotels so far.
I went to another pub – the Black Lion – for an excellent supper – where for the first time I was engaged in conversation by a stranger, who then asked how he could sponsor me.
All being well, tomorrow should only be 15 or 16. I am realising that it would have been sensible to restrict all days to 15 or so – but that would have lengthened the trip prohibitively.
I had a message to say that had I been here in Ellesmere a day earlier I would have coincided with ex-pupil and West End MD Phil Bateman – pity.
My missing sunglasses have turned up in Church Stretton and will be forwarded on.
The pains in my legs seem to have a rotation system (still no blisters by the way) – first it was my left knee, then my right calf, then my left ankle. Today my left foot has started complaining. I hope it sorts itself out because I could not walk a day on it at the moment!
(The red building pictured is a Methodist Church by the way!)
Today's route
Something went wrong with Strava today - if you believe it then I walked nearly 30 miles. So the map is not shared.
Donate to the charities
Daily Data
Days left until John O’Groats | 44 |
Route miles walked | 469.74 |
Route miles missed | 12 – Bridgwater to Highbridge 6 – Richard’s Castle to Ludlow |
Estimated miles until John O’Groats | 591 |
Evening and rest day walking | 8.9 |
Counties walked through | 11 |
Ferry miles | 0.4 |
Number of walking companions so far | 8 |
Number of stiles crossed | 75 |
Current sponsorship total | £12,860.85 |
Cast of characters (Bold = walking companions) | Jeremy Pemberton, Laurence Cunnington, Brad Poulson, Adele Poulson, Graeme Parkhill, Andy Hellwig, Patrick Lynn, Esther Lynn, Emma Rayner, Quentin Rayner, Sara Low, Robbie Low, Christopher Darwin, Heather Darwin, Christine Hytch, Chris Hytch and Annown, Hilary Edwards, Richard Edwards, Rachel Robbins, Mark Robbins, Ben Turner, Bart Day, Cristina Dorador de Los Santos, Ruth Sharville, Adrian Sharville, Jill Turner-Webb, Lisa Turner-Webb, Crispin Pemberton, Suzannah Pemberton, Jane Mortimore, Peter Mortimore, Ian Howarth, Barbara Howarth, Sue Welch, Bob Welch, Lynda Gray, Jim Gray, Nigel Pursey, Gill Pursey |