conradwalks

The benefit of a good night's sleep.

Yesterday included a fairly strenuous walk (by my present standards), and a lot of intensive driving, and by the time I landed back at the van I as tired. The problem with the water pump loomed larger than it should have, and time spent trying to sort it cut into time I reserve for writing up the blog, preparing my meal, and planning next days activity, and I was decidedly ratty.

I slept more soundly, than for many a month. This morning dawned with a more positive attitude. I arranged a 9:00am appointment tomorrow with a caravan servicer in Exeter. The site owner put my battery on charge which later this afternoon proved to operate the pump again so the problem is narrowed down to failure of the battery to be charged from the mains electric when hooked up on site. I have also provisionally booked on a site near Yeovil, central for Area 41 Marilyns.

That last snippet should tell those who have been following closely that I finished Devon and Cornwall today with an ascent of High Willhays (SX 580 892). This has been the best hill day so far, a bit like being back on the Munros. A pleasant contoured path above the reservoir was a good start until it was barred by an impassable padlocked, deer fenced gate, necessitating climbing a barbed wire fence and earthen banking. Further on the footbridge was similarly barred at one end, but this had been fairly ruthlessly dismantled, but still difficult to negotiate with my dodgy knee.

A pleasant ravine lead to a strenuous thrash up pathless tussocky grass to Black Rocks and upwards again to High Willhays. Good ridge walking followed to Yes Tor with its trig point and remnants of military installations - this area has been used for military training.

A descent to the starting point ended a satisfying circular walk. For anybody interested, High Willhays at 621 metres or 2038 feet, is the highest point in England south of Kinder Scout.

Looking back to start

Black Rocks

High Willhays summit