Last night at the pub I chatted with the bar lady who turned out to be the landlady. She very obligingly gave me a lift back to the b snd b in her brand new, shiny black Ford Mustang. When it started up I thought we were going into space. So my little bonus of walking the distance I missed earlier was thwarted.
Back at the B and B I sat and chatted with our host Kami and two other guests, one who was involved in the organisation of the Horse of the Year Show, and the other, a young a South Africsn cricketer over here playing for a local team" conversation majored on sport in general.
This morning I mad a quick visit to the Coop two minutes away while my phone was charging up - i had plugged it in last night but was still only at twenty five percent..
I walked down Red Lane, so marked on OS which was ok until the last hundred yards which were overgrown with nettles, brambles, and tthe ubiquitous Himalayan Balsam.
Coming out of Ashley in the road I met a guy high up on a grand, all white horse. He was a hunter and so was the horse. In a bit of subtle conversation I confirmed that the hunt is just carrying on as before.
Further on I met a couple unloading their two border terrier dogs and we had a good chat and they refilled my water bottle. I was offered a cup of te Gsyle, but declined - once again time was an issue.
I had understood I could get a lift to the pub and my host booked me in for 7:00 then told me she was going out and would have to take me at 6:15 so I had a hurried shower. I had further learned she could not pick me up and she would not be able to pick me up - the pub is a miIe and a quarter away.
I have had some pâté and a decent fish pie and am now willing myself to set off on the trek back.
I am now struggling beyond to put up photos but Blogger seems to have changed its mind again about how it works.
I will have to pack in this not very interesting post and get back for a rest.
Nice to meet you today on your way to Eccleshall. You stopped and had a chat with us as we were getting our dogs (Border Terriers) out of our car. After hearing about your epic walks we felt rather guilty that we had used the car to drive probably 1 mile to walk our dogs in our local woods. You also told us about a local track that we did not about and we have lived in the area a good many years.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with the rest of your journey. J&R
Not such a good day, Conrad, but at least you met some nice people. Hope you got back to your B&B safely, got your phone properly charged, and can enjoy some nice Staffordshire countryside tomorrow. We will be in the area so could help if you need a lift anywhere.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly *is* an interesting post Conrad - keep them coming!
ReplyDeleteI'm slightly familiar with the area you're walking in - in fact I'll be around Eccleshall next weekend.
I hope your next day is less taxing.
"Ubiquitous Himalayan balsam" Wow! Is it truly ubiquitous? Am I surrounded by it, all unaware? A truly arresting and wholly unexpected phrase. More please. Less of the unexpanded "chat".
ReplyDeleteLucky you getting a lift in a Mustang. I'd love a go in one of those. There's one in a garage not far from our house, bright yellow. I look at it when ever i pass.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to have bumped into a good crowd if nothing else but at least its nice weather for you. What more can you ask.
Not very interesting post? Not so from my point of view! There's so much upon which I could comment that I don't know which to choose.
ReplyDelete- The story of being given a Mustang as a hire car for 3 weeks in California, only to hand it back before driving anywhere as I didn't like the driving position (Mick hasn't yet forgiven me for that).
- the unfortunate need to turn down a cup of tea (the only time I recall doing that was when the offer came a couple of minutes after restarting after a break), but the fact you got the offer still counts.
- The fact that I've lost at least a couple of hours of my life over the last two days in trying to post to Blogger with photos. (Fingers crossed, my last test of trying to fix it resulted in a successful post - let's see if it holds).
Anonymous - welcome to my blog. New commenters are like gold. Meeting people like you along the way is what makes these trips worthwhile,and thanks for your u tweest and filling my water bottle.
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Phreerunner - looks like I need a guided tour to find the more interesting parts of Staffordshire? Thanks for your support.
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JJ - I was sorry you couldn’t join us the other day. I hope you are recovering from your shin things. Everybody is going on at me for doing too much, you have certainly gone in that direction recently but no criticism from me - bash on and do what you can when you can.
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RR - countryside lovers, botanists and many others are in fear of Himalayan Balsam taking over the world. You may Google and find out more but maybe it’s better left as a little mystery. It is difficult to expand inconsequential chat. I do try to catalyse my interlocutors into revealing something interesting. The border terrier people yesterday told me one of their two was rejected by the breeder they bought it from because it didn’t have quite the correct alignment of its teeth. They also compared the characters of the two dogs, one outgoing and friendly and good with the strangers, the other retiring and shy.
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Alan R - even that short journey was impressive. The interior was luxurious, all black and silver with obviously many gizmos and just verging on the vulgar, but hey, I have to say I was a It envious.
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Gayle - I think having to handle so much tech on this trip with doing the blog and researching ahead for accommodation and communicating with Air B and B has weighed things down quite a lot. I had intended to read my books on Kindle but I have had no chance.
not a dull post at all - fancy getting near to Eccleshall - I've seen signs to this place so many times up and down the M6 but have never met anyone from there nor indeed ever met or known anyone who has ever been even 'near' it - it always sounds as though it must be a mistake - a bit like Eccleshill but marginally posher - actually, I don't think I've ever been to Eccleshill either, and as for Eccles itself, I think it is actually a figment of a goonish imagination although its denizens might differ . . .
ReplyDeleteGimmer - perhaps that's why she never took me there for my evening meal because it doesn't exist?
ReplyDeletewell, you will have to check it out - maybe a secret place full of wonder that would be ruined by mass tourism (or weary walkers) and she wanted to keep it just that (improbable I know but let's be charitable) - just like those places one keeps secret for fear of their being overwhelmed - restaurants, hidden valleys, secluded bays in Sutherland - only to find that some cretin has made them the centrepiece of their Daily Beast travelogue or , worse, their idiotic television 'leezure' programme 'Secret hideaways you will love to discover' etc etc .
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