It is worth clicking to enlarge to see a typical example of some of the stuff I have had to battle through.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, 4 August 2013
Jungle
I wanted to put this pic on the last post, and have now made use of the hotel's free WI-fi which has made things a bit easier.
It is worth clicking to enlarge to see a typical example of some of the stuff I have had to battle through.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
It is worth clicking to enlarge to see a typical example of some of the stuff I have had to battle through.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Severn Way - day 7
Upton-on-Severn to Tewksbury - Sunday 5th August
Today I am a wimp.
From Upton I walked on easy going field paths for an hour. As on every day there was a testing section of more than head high jungle well laced with nettles, and then the rain, and then more flat boring fields with jungle to the left preventing views of the river. After a total of four hours walking, three of which in fairly heavy rain, I arrived Tewksbury and installed my dripping self into a café.
I was aiming for a non-accommodation pub with campsite another eight kilometres away out in the middle of nowhere. Locals told me the rain was forecast to continue heavy for the rest of the day. I felt indecisive and guilty at the thought of packing it in for the day, but I was not relishing pitching the tent in the rain. The Tourist Info. Is always closed on Sunday, and I was not getting enough signal to research on the Internet for accommodation alternatives. I prized myself out of the café and set off without having made any decision. It was only 12:30. I came across The Bell Inn, entered, bartered them down by £10 on their opening offer for a double beded room and here I am with a bath in the en-suite that I have taken advantage of. Now, as I look out of the window at 3:15 it has stopped raining, and I am even more overwhelmed with guilt.
I have really got my teeth into this walk and am ambitious to see it through to Bristol, but today's performance is just not good enough.
I have now been walking for seven days and have hardly, at any time, had a decent Vodafone signal despite being in sizeable towns and cities like Stourport and Worcester, and here in the centre of Tewksbury, but I can't even send an email. goodness knows when I will be able to post this write up. I reckon V are getting money under false pretences.
Today I am a wimp.
From Upton I walked on easy going field paths for an hour. As on every day there was a testing section of more than head high jungle well laced with nettles, and then the rain, and then more flat boring fields with jungle to the left preventing views of the river. After a total of four hours walking, three of which in fairly heavy rain, I arrived Tewksbury and installed my dripping self into a café.
I was aiming for a non-accommodation pub with campsite another eight kilometres away out in the middle of nowhere. Locals told me the rain was forecast to continue heavy for the rest of the day. I felt indecisive and guilty at the thought of packing it in for the day, but I was not relishing pitching the tent in the rain. The Tourist Info. Is always closed on Sunday, and I was not getting enough signal to research on the Internet for accommodation alternatives. I prized myself out of the café and set off without having made any decision. It was only 12:30. I came across The Bell Inn, entered, bartered them down by £10 on their opening offer for a double beded room and here I am with a bath in the en-suite that I have taken advantage of. Now, as I look out of the window at 3:15 it has stopped raining, and I am even more overwhelmed with guilt.
I have really got my teeth into this walk and am ambitious to see it through to Bristol, but today's performance is just not good enough.
I have now been walking for seven days and have hardly, at any time, had a decent Vodafone signal despite being in sizeable towns and cities like Stourport and Worcester, and here in the centre of Tewksbury, but I can't even send an email. goodness knows when I will be able to post this write up. I reckon V are getting money under false pretences.
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Severn Way - day 6. Worcester to Upton-on-Severn
Saturday 3rd August
I was told at The Farriers where I stayed that a nearby café would be open at 7:30am. When I went out to dine I looked at the door and it didn't open until 8:30 - I was booked at The Farriers without breakfast.
The recommended Talbot was mediocre with poor service, and ONCE AGAIN, loud music.
At home, and almost everywhere, at night, I hear that wretched repetitive cooing of the pigeons or their near relations. In my room at The Farriers this was replaced with endless seagull squawking.
At 7:15 am I was asking the bin men if there was a café open. They told me of one that opened at 7:45, but slightly in the wrong direction. Off I went, and at 7:40 the lady told me she could serve nothing until 8:00. A nearby ambulance driver told me about a Texaco station a kilometre down my route with a bit of doubling back - all that took a lot of faffing, but I needed breakfast and liquid to carry.
Enjoyable walking followed with one five hundred yard exception of total jungle considerably taller than me and completely overgrown - this was without doubt still part of the SW, and apparently in situ to avoid a crop field close to the river. Further on the path doubled back on itself for half a mile to avoid another crop field which was irritating, but i suppose you can't perfect a whole route like this without some refusal for permissive paths. There were no places of refreshment for the whole day, but I had biscuits, almond slices and Fanta.
A noticeable feature today, and yesterday, was that almost everybody encountered averted eyes and failed to pass a greeting. Overall I reckon ninety percent of people, out in the country, over many years experience say hello - strange?
The Tourist Info office at Upton-on-Severn was open! It does close on Thursdays. Upton is a one hundred percent foreign tourist, English history attraction, as well as being an active boating centre. The TIO's fist attempt sent me to The Star Hotel where a huge base-beat speaker on the pavement was blaring out rap, with an attendant crowd of drunken, low life, twenty odd year olds smooching, screaming and shouting, and being generally vulgar. I turned and went back to the TIO.
I am now booked into a quiet and peaceful b and b at the other end of the high street, and close to The White Lion, " where the locals go when they want to eat out".
Despite all my moans, which are the items which create interest for readers I am enjoying this trip.
Sent from my iPad
I was told at The Farriers where I stayed that a nearby café would be open at 7:30am. When I went out to dine I looked at the door and it didn't open until 8:30 - I was booked at The Farriers without breakfast.
The recommended Talbot was mediocre with poor service, and ONCE AGAIN, loud music.
At home, and almost everywhere, at night, I hear that wretched repetitive cooing of the pigeons or their near relations. In my room at The Farriers this was replaced with endless seagull squawking.
At 7:15 am I was asking the bin men if there was a café open. They told me of one that opened at 7:45, but slightly in the wrong direction. Off I went, and at 7:40 the lady told me she could serve nothing until 8:00. A nearby ambulance driver told me about a Texaco station a kilometre down my route with a bit of doubling back - all that took a lot of faffing, but I needed breakfast and liquid to carry.
Enjoyable walking followed with one five hundred yard exception of total jungle considerably taller than me and completely overgrown - this was without doubt still part of the SW, and apparently in situ to avoid a crop field close to the river. Further on the path doubled back on itself for half a mile to avoid another crop field which was irritating, but i suppose you can't perfect a whole route like this without some refusal for permissive paths. There were no places of refreshment for the whole day, but I had biscuits, almond slices and Fanta.
A noticeable feature today, and yesterday, was that almost everybody encountered averted eyes and failed to pass a greeting. Overall I reckon ninety percent of people, out in the country, over many years experience say hello - strange?
The Tourist Info office at Upton-on-Severn was open! It does close on Thursdays. Upton is a one hundred percent foreign tourist, English history attraction, as well as being an active boating centre. The TIO's fist attempt sent me to The Star Hotel where a huge base-beat speaker on the pavement was blaring out rap, with an attendant crowd of drunken, low life, twenty odd year olds smooching, screaming and shouting, and being generally vulgar. I turned and went back to the TIO.
I am now booked into a quiet and peaceful b and b at the other end of the high street, and close to The White Lion, " where the locals go when they want to eat out".
Despite all my moans, which are the items which create interest for readers I am enjoying this trip.
Sent from my iPad
Friday, 2 August 2013
Day 4 - Hampton Loade to Stourport on Severn
Thursday 1st August
This is a reconstruction of Day 4 post lost in the ether, and you will see from its length why I was so cross.
I had to walk on the wrong side of the river as far as the new bridge near Highley, the old one having serviced the coal mining of yesteryear. I met a local guy walking his dog and he told me the whole history and some, and then pointed out the astounding level the river reached in last year's floods. The river must have been more than fifty feet deep in places.
Before Arley I met a serious day walker who was training to do the West Highland Way, and he had done a number of other long distance walks including The Dalesway. We had a good chat. He told me about the tea room at Arley a couple of kilometres down the path, so my walking became more purposeful. As I write this the walker (Keith) has now put a comment on my latest post.
Good news and bad news at Arley tea shop. Yes they did bacon butties, but the lady who makes them would not be there for another ten minutes; anyway it was worth the wait.
I had been feeling some pain in my little toe so removed footwear and found my sock covered in blood from an incising toenail. Elastoplast, scissors and much dexterity were needed for the surgical operation, creating unexpected interest for onlookers at other outside tables.
Two miles from Bewdley SW signs disappeared in a shanty town park and I hailed a guy with a Springer Spaniel and he showed me the hundred yard link on the road. We ended up walking together to Bewdley. I had a Springer for sixteen years and it was a joy to watch this three year old enjoying every moment - his tail never stopped wagging. My new found friend had worked on theme parks all over the world and we had lively conversation all the way. Bewdley has attractive riverside frontage with decent pubs and cafés and I sat in intense sunshine with a pint of orange and lemonade.
The remaining few kilometres to Stourport-on-Severn were excruciating with heat, and I who is normally frugal with drinks ON WALKS had to stop three times and rest and take on liquid which thankfully I as carrying.
Stourport is awful - a huge fairground amusement park, littered streets, lots of noise, and rather similar to Blackpool. The postman identified the only three b and bs. The first was full, and she told me the lady at the second had gone on holiday, so I trudged in the heat to the third, Oakleigh House, a grand old early Victorian house in its own grounds. I knocked with the large iron knocker with no response, then tried another door with a bell, and nothing again. I sat despondently on a wall when, tout-à-coup, the proprietor appeared from round a corner,and there was a vacancy. The house had grand high ceilinged rooms with elegant furniture in scale and many interesting paintings.
I ate at Ad Gustum, a splendid little town centre restaurant run by a young Polish guy, who was sadly underpricing which makes it unlikely he will survive. I had a black pudding and and new potato starter fixed with an interesting finely chopped salad. A chicken stroganoff main course followed, and then a well presented banana custard with crushed biscuits. All that was accompanied with four small Heinekin bottles, i.e. two pints, and the bill was only £23. I recommend this place if you are there. There isn't much else in Stourport, so I can't recommend going there, but you may be forced to for some reason one day.
Sent from my iPad
This is a reconstruction of Day 4 post lost in the ether, and you will see from its length why I was so cross.
I had to walk on the wrong side of the river as far as the new bridge near Highley, the old one having serviced the coal mining of yesteryear. I met a local guy walking his dog and he told me the whole history and some, and then pointed out the astounding level the river reached in last year's floods. The river must have been more than fifty feet deep in places.
Before Arley I met a serious day walker who was training to do the West Highland Way, and he had done a number of other long distance walks including The Dalesway. We had a good chat. He told me about the tea room at Arley a couple of kilometres down the path, so my walking became more purposeful. As I write this the walker (Keith) has now put a comment on my latest post.
Good news and bad news at Arley tea shop. Yes they did bacon butties, but the lady who makes them would not be there for another ten minutes; anyway it was worth the wait.
I had been feeling some pain in my little toe so removed footwear and found my sock covered in blood from an incising toenail. Elastoplast, scissors and much dexterity were needed for the surgical operation, creating unexpected interest for onlookers at other outside tables.
Two miles from Bewdley SW signs disappeared in a shanty town park and I hailed a guy with a Springer Spaniel and he showed me the hundred yard link on the road. We ended up walking together to Bewdley. I had a Springer for sixteen years and it was a joy to watch this three year old enjoying every moment - his tail never stopped wagging. My new found friend had worked on theme parks all over the world and we had lively conversation all the way. Bewdley has attractive riverside frontage with decent pubs and cafés and I sat in intense sunshine with a pint of orange and lemonade.
The remaining few kilometres to Stourport-on-Severn were excruciating with heat, and I who is normally frugal with drinks ON WALKS had to stop three times and rest and take on liquid which thankfully I as carrying.
Stourport is awful - a huge fairground amusement park, littered streets, lots of noise, and rather similar to Blackpool. The postman identified the only three b and bs. The first was full, and she told me the lady at the second had gone on holiday, so I trudged in the heat to the third, Oakleigh House, a grand old early Victorian house in its own grounds. I knocked with the large iron knocker with no response, then tried another door with a bell, and nothing again. I sat despondently on a wall when, tout-à-coup, the proprietor appeared from round a corner,and there was a vacancy. The house had grand high ceilinged rooms with elegant furniture in scale and many interesting paintings.
I ate at Ad Gustum, a splendid little town centre restaurant run by a young Polish guy, who was sadly underpricing which makes it unlikely he will survive. I had a black pudding and and new potato starter fixed with an interesting finely chopped salad. A chicken stroganoff main course followed, and then a well presented banana custard with crushed biscuits. All that was accompanied with four small Heinekin bottles, i.e. two pints, and the bill was only £23. I recommend this place if you are there. There isn't much else in Stourport, so I can't recommend going there, but you may be forced to for some reason one day.
Sent from my iPad
Severn Way - lost post
Thanks to Welshpaddler I now realise I have lost an entire post for day 4. I wrote it up in BlogPress and received a successful notification of its posting.
I am so so annoyed.
I will try to recreate it, but I do not have the kind of memory to recall it verbatim but I will give it a try.
I hate BlogPress. Will go back to email in future.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I am so so annoyed.
I will try to recreate it, but I do not have the kind of memory to recall it verbatim but I will give it a try.
I hate BlogPress. Will go back to email in future.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Severn Way - day 5
Stourport on Severn to Worcester
Friday 2nd August.
Downstream from Stourport the river is seriously navigable so the character changes, with regular
passage of pleasure boats, especially canal narrow boats. Going downstream they are much faster than I walk, whereas on the canals I am usually faster.
Walking has been on good paths today with much variation. The pub at Holt Fleet where I crossed again to the west side was closed, and I was hailed at by the landlord from a balcony on high to tell me so - he seemed quite pleased about it.
The SW diverts from the river for three kilometres wandering through a large camp site come industrial estate. I illegally availed myself of the campsite toilet. At the far end a little café servicing the industrial estate appeared - it was like finding the sixpence in the Christmas pudding - tea x 2 and a muffin, and a cheery youngish proprietor who was impressed with my venture and gave me a banana for later (here we go again Gayle).
Shortly after that the path had been diverted within a huge area of gravel handling, earthmoving and general destruction of the countryside, and I lost my way a little. The GPS showed me right in the middle of an unusually large white space on the OS map, like the cherry on a Bakewell Tart. Fortunately I could see a distant church which was on the SW and crossed the large field to put me back on course.
Another pub turned up south of Bevere Lock (yes they have locks on the river). There were people at tables outside but something seemed not right. I got down the corridor in the pub, everything was tatty and there was a lot of coarse noise from the bar area and I turned and departed, then to find out there was a scruffy caravan and camping site attached. I think that was one of the best decisions I have made for a while.
Worcester was busy but a much more sophisticated place than Stourport. For once the Tourist Info Office was open and did its job. I am booked into The Farriers in the centre of town and hope to go and look at the cathedral before eating. A most enjoyable day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday 2nd August.
Downstream from Stourport the river is seriously navigable so the character changes, with regular
passage of pleasure boats, especially canal narrow boats. Going downstream they are much faster than I walk, whereas on the canals I am usually faster.
Walking has been on good paths today with much variation. The pub at Holt Fleet where I crossed again to the west side was closed, and I was hailed at by the landlord from a balcony on high to tell me so - he seemed quite pleased about it.
The SW diverts from the river for three kilometres wandering through a large camp site come industrial estate. I illegally availed myself of the campsite toilet. At the far end a little café servicing the industrial estate appeared - it was like finding the sixpence in the Christmas pudding - tea x 2 and a muffin, and a cheery youngish proprietor who was impressed with my venture and gave me a banana for later (here we go again Gayle).
Shortly after that the path had been diverted within a huge area of gravel handling, earthmoving and general destruction of the countryside, and I lost my way a little. The GPS showed me right in the middle of an unusually large white space on the OS map, like the cherry on a Bakewell Tart. Fortunately I could see a distant church which was on the SW and crossed the large field to put me back on course.
Another pub turned up south of Bevere Lock (yes they have locks on the river). There were people at tables outside but something seemed not right. I got down the corridor in the pub, everything was tatty and there was a lot of coarse noise from the bar area and I turned and departed, then to find out there was a scruffy caravan and camping site attached. I think that was one of the best decisions I have made for a while.
Worcester was busy but a much more sophisticated place than Stourport. For once the Tourist Info Office was open and did its job. I am booked into The Farriers in the centre of town and hope to go and look at the cathedral before eating. A most enjoyable day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Severn Way - day 3
Coalport to Hampton Loade - Wednesday 31st July
At Coalport YHA last night I shared a room with a young BT Openreach engineer who had learnt his trade with the Army signals. He was actually working so BT didn't seem to be generous with accommodation allowance. He had a 600 cc motor bike and surfed and backpacked so he was quite good company.
The Cumberland sausage, mash and peas at the YHA was unremarkable but at £12.50 for two courses and a very good coffee it was value for money, and I was able to have a full breakfast at 7.30.
It has rained non stop all day. A large part of the route to Bridgnorth followed a disused railway (National Cycle Route 45) running parallel to the Severn Way alongside the river. I tried to do the right thing for a while on the river path but it was ghastly with wet overhanging grass and branches above providing a shower every thirty seconds better than Mira, so I fought my way up a crop field boundary back onto the track. In the eight kilometres and the two and a half hours or so I was on this track I didn't see one cyclist and no walkers, only about three cars.
I landed at Bridgnorth at 12.00 and seriously thought of getting a B and B. My brother did his National Service here i think and I had a grey mental picture, but it seems bright, full of history and surprisingly touristy. After regrouping in a café I phoned the Railway and River pub at Hampton Loade and was told they had an en-suite room in a cottage for £40 within 5 minutes walk of the pub.
Walking from Bridgnorth was much as I had imagined the Severn Way... for a while. Good paths through open pastures mixed with short stretches of woodland were pleasant with the now large and powerful Severn on the left. Then I came to the largest field of wheat I have ever seen in this country, and welcomed the twenty foot wide margin left for walkers, but after about half a mile if was back to the overgrown strip with grass and foliage at more than waist height, and although going underfoot was better than might have been expected I was wet through on my lower half just wearing shorts. My Marmot waterproof jacket has done an excellent job today.
The pub was on the wrong side of the river but accessed illegally by a waterworks bridge involving climbing two sturdy steel gates.
From appearances the pub looked fine with a decent friendly atmosphere inside, but...
The elderly landlord offered to drive me to the cottage. His car was a tip inside so I wondered if that was an omen for the rest of his organisation. The windowless room had that familiar, unused, damp smell and everything looked as though it had come from an inferior second hand shop. The fan in the bathroom reminded me of the motor bike noise we used to achieve on our bikes by fixing a piece of cardboard to interfere with the wheel spokes - ah well it's better than the tent in this pouring rain. I'm off on the trek to the pub now - see how long it takes - I think it may have stopped raining. More to follow.
It did only take five minutes.
Fishcake starter with above average salad - lots of red onion, then baked ham with two eggs, chips and peas, ordinary but properly done and good portions,with friendly service and a couple of pints of Crooked Spire - 3.6%.
No rain on the walk back. Forecast for tomorrow - hot.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
At Coalport YHA last night I shared a room with a young BT Openreach engineer who had learnt his trade with the Army signals. He was actually working so BT didn't seem to be generous with accommodation allowance. He had a 600 cc motor bike and surfed and backpacked so he was quite good company.
The Cumberland sausage, mash and peas at the YHA was unremarkable but at £12.50 for two courses and a very good coffee it was value for money, and I was able to have a full breakfast at 7.30.
It has rained non stop all day. A large part of the route to Bridgnorth followed a disused railway (National Cycle Route 45) running parallel to the Severn Way alongside the river. I tried to do the right thing for a while on the river path but it was ghastly with wet overhanging grass and branches above providing a shower every thirty seconds better than Mira, so I fought my way up a crop field boundary back onto the track. In the eight kilometres and the two and a half hours or so I was on this track I didn't see one cyclist and no walkers, only about three cars.
I landed at Bridgnorth at 12.00 and seriously thought of getting a B and B. My brother did his National Service here i think and I had a grey mental picture, but it seems bright, full of history and surprisingly touristy. After regrouping in a café I phoned the Railway and River pub at Hampton Loade and was told they had an en-suite room in a cottage for £40 within 5 minutes walk of the pub.
Walking from Bridgnorth was much as I had imagined the Severn Way... for a while. Good paths through open pastures mixed with short stretches of woodland were pleasant with the now large and powerful Severn on the left. Then I came to the largest field of wheat I have ever seen in this country, and welcomed the twenty foot wide margin left for walkers, but after about half a mile if was back to the overgrown strip with grass and foliage at more than waist height, and although going underfoot was better than might have been expected I was wet through on my lower half just wearing shorts. My Marmot waterproof jacket has done an excellent job today.
The pub was on the wrong side of the river but accessed illegally by a waterworks bridge involving climbing two sturdy steel gates.
From appearances the pub looked fine with a decent friendly atmosphere inside, but...
The elderly landlord offered to drive me to the cottage. His car was a tip inside so I wondered if that was an omen for the rest of his organisation. The windowless room had that familiar, unused, damp smell and everything looked as though it had come from an inferior second hand shop. The fan in the bathroom reminded me of the motor bike noise we used to achieve on our bikes by fixing a piece of cardboard to interfere with the wheel spokes - ah well it's better than the tent in this pouring rain. I'm off on the trek to the pub now - see how long it takes - I think it may have stopped raining. More to follow.
It did only take five minutes.
Fishcake starter with above average salad - lots of red onion, then baked ham with two eggs, chips and peas, ordinary but properly done and good portions,with friendly service and a couple of pints of Crooked Spire - 3.6%.
No rain on the walk back. Forecast for tomorrow - hot.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
