Thursday, May 16, 2013

Day 7 Another day on the Cotswolds

Friday 17 May

Coaley Peak to Wotton-under-Edge (13 kms)
Forecast is for rain around 10 a.m.

.........

Nice breakfast, although the young couple running the Rose & Crown are clearly "under the pump" (with 3 young kids including baby) - especially at breakfast time - getting kids ready for school, etc.



I set off walking about 8.45 a.m. - as soon as I could - so as to make the most of the weather which started cold and with a light mist. Still, it was a lovely morning's walk to Dursley where I arrived as planned about 10.45 a.m. which I think was about 6 kms. 

Some nice walking along the escarpment from Coaley's Peak (after a lift up by My Friend to where I left the trail yesterday, the Rose & Crown being off the Cotswold Way); then through woods, across fields and a steep climb up to Cam Long Down; descent through fields to Dursley. Noting now that rain seems not far away...



My Friend in the meantime had a relaxing morning, leaving the Rose & Crown about 10 a.m. The idea was to meet at Dursley for coffee - which is really a bit of a joke, as you are flat out getting a decent coffee in the UK.


My Friend has a sinus infection now.

My small mobile pharmacy had only one Roxithromycin tablet when I opened the pack ... the result of rushed packing (I hadn't check the contents; also, dated 2009 which won't surprise Alison). 

Plan A was that My Friend was supposed to charm his way into getting more antibiotics at a pharmacy in Dursley but when I arrived, he thought we were onto Plan C (using other, not so appropriate antibiotics in my kit) - basically bypassing Plans A & B as had been discussed.

So, after unsuccessfully co-opting assistance from two pharmacies, I charged him to undertake Plan B whilst I continued walking.

He consequently spent the remainder of the morning experiencing the National Health Service: being firstly re-directed away from the large medical practice in town (where do ALL these people come from??? - the place was FULL of patients) to a day-duty clinic in another town called Uley. He saw a doctor here and because he is over 62 (yay! ONE advantage of being older) he was seen for free as an overseas visitor AND because Uley is regarded as a 'remote' location, the surgery has dispensing rights so he got his medication there as well - free! But they don't have Roxithromycin so he got Clarithromycin (this is just for any pharmacists reading this).


Meanwhile, I continued walking to Wotton-under-Edge (a further 7 kms): a small market town nestled at the foot of Nibley Hill (hence the term "under-Edge").

Along the way, I chatted to a couple of groups of other walkers heading in the same direction with whom who I have been alternating ahead or behind over the past couple of days - a sort of casual camaraderie develops along the way, sharing updates on exciting stuff like ailments, etc. (it makes for a bit of fun).


In fact, earlier today, I had a small niggle on my big toe which I planned to look at once I arrived in Dursley; however, erring on the side of caution, I stopped in the middle of a field to inspect this more closely and was amazed to see a blister had developed between the big toe and the next. I wacked on a Compeed blister plaster and at Dursley, on closer inspection, I worked out that there was a sharp corner on the nail from where it had somehow broken and I reckon this has rubbed on the skin of the adjoining big toe. Damn!

I must say, every little niggle focusses the mind somewhat and you spend a deal of the walk wondering if something dire like a blister is developing.

From Dursley, there was a long steep climb followed by a steep descent through woods then fields, emerging into North Nibley, a really pretty little hamlet. 

The sun was out and I was into sun cap and removing layers! I had expected the weather to deteriorate as the day progressed so the hot sun took me by surprise. Well, it didn't last long! By the time I climbed up to the Tyndale Monument, which is in a huge field (on this occasion with swarms of children running around flying kites!) and only accessible on foot, the clouds had moved in and it became bitterly cold: so, back into multiple layers and beanie.


The Tyndale Monument is a tower built on a hill above North Nibley in honour of William Tyndale, a translator of the New Testament, who is believed to have been born at North Nibley. The tower was constructed in 1866 and is 111 ft (34 m) tall. 

There are good views from here, especially looking across to the River Severn.

I continued walking, musing (as one does, especially when you are on your own) on the vagaries of navigating. Often I would come to forks in the trail which offered no signage at all which meant much serious examination of the maps. Furthermore, the public paths which criss-cross or divert off are marked often with the same yellow arrows as the Cotswold Way ones - this is very irritating; a unique colour system for the arrows on the Cotswold Way would go a good way in minimising navigation errors.

More walking and I arrived finally at a collection of trees planted in the 19th century to commemorate the Battle of Waterloo - and overlooking Wotton - when the rain came in.


My Friend had started walking towards me up the hill as I was descending. I was just taking a photo of the path lined with white flowers as he walked into view!

We walked together down - sharing an umbrella (mine disintegrated days ago) - to The Swan Hotel (a 17th century coaching inn) where we are staying.

After settling in, we had a walk around town. Some of the gardens were very pretty.


It was still raining on and off so we sheltered in a cafe and had a "coffee" and read the paper.


Back at The Swan, for dinner, we shared a haddock cake for starters and I had the most delicious 'bangers and mash'.


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