
Up at 07.00, had breakfast and Dot arrived after checking out of The Star and had her breakfast then drove me down to the Red Lion, stopping in Tewksbury on the way trough so I could buy a map. I started walking just before 10 and made good time on a nice path which took through Bluebell woods and along the riverbank to just north of Gloucester, I had a little difficulty finding the path after where The Severn River splits into two, but eventually sussed it out. As Gloucester Cathedral looked close, I diverted via there to get a stamp in my Credentials and then walked through the historic docks where “The Oniden Line” was filmed then had more difficulties picking up the path again, but after asking several people directions was put back onto the right track (Gloucester has had a new one way system introduced since my guide-book had been written, well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it) The Path continued alongside the River Severn and I eventually came out on Elmore Lane where Dot was waiting for me. We fist went to The Bell at Frampton upon Severn and asked permission to park the van there tomorrow morning as alas, it was Dot’s Last day driving (She will leave the van there in the morning then catch a bus back to Gloucester and from there a train back to Cumbria) then we drove into the outskirts of Gloucester where dot had found a hotel and we parked the van on an industrial estate close by. After freshening up we then went out for a good meal in a nearby pub and then Dot went back to her hotel and I to the bus to sleep
Day 22

Very Early alarm call – In fact I was up at 05.00 as the car park we had “Borrowed” in the industrial estate was rapidly filling up with cars, even though it was Easter Saturday !! So I had a brew and gave Dot a knock at 05.30 and we left at 05.45 and were soon back on Elmore Lane where Dot had picked me up the previous afternoon. We had breakfast and said our good bye’s and Dot drove the van to Frampton on Severn where she was catching an early morning bus to Gloucester and from there back to Cumbria by train. There had been a frost and it was a cold start, there was a heavy dew and long grass so a bit damp underfoot. I walked along some lanes for a while, then picked up the path up at Weir Green and walked along the river passing through the hamlet of Elmore Back, then continued along the banks through Epney and eventually crossed a disused canal at Upper Framilode, here I turned left and followed a lane towards Frampton upon Severn but picked up the Gloucester and Shapness Canal just before getting into the village and followed that for a few hundred yards. I found the van in the overspill car-park behind the Bell in Frampton on Severn, had a brew and caught up with my washing before having a walk around the village. Then I went into The Bell for a bar meal and a beer before retiring to the van to sleep
Day 23

Day 23 dawned grey and cold, I was up at 06.30. bait made and walking for 08.00. I left The Bell and took a convoluted rout into The Gloucester and Sharpness canal and followed this for the morning on a good wide towpath, the morning kept fine but it was cold, so I kept moving, at lunchtime I came to Sharpness and the heavens opened, torrential rain, at the same time I managed to lose the official route as it passed through a new housing estate, on the outskirts of Sharpness I saw a road sign for Berkley and as the route passed through there, I decided to follow the road. In Berkley the rain eased and I asked directions and was told to go down a lane and turn left at “The Salutation” so I did this and the lane meandered its way through tiny hamlets that weren’t in my guidebook and after many miles, sometimes raining and sometimes just drizzle I walked into Oldbury upon Severn. Chris Powers (His father is a friend of Pete’s and he had kindly agreed to meet me for the next few evenings and take me back to the bus so I could drive it to where I finish the days walking, before leaving I asked in The Anchor if I could use their car-park overnight if I came in for a meal and a beer and they said, No Problem. So Chris then took me back to Frampton on Severn and we had a brew in the van before I drove it back to Oldbury upon Severn. I gave Howard and Sally Pearce a ring as they have kindly offered me overnight car parking and use of a shower the next night at their farm in Ingst. Then a quick change and over to The Anchor Inn for dinner and a pint – Steak, Sauté potatoes and veg – An Excellent Meal followed by a welcome bed in the bus
Day 24

The rain stopped during the night and the morning was fine, sunny and clear, After breakfast I popped around to the Community Shop and bought some milk and buns before setting off. The route took me back alongside the Severn and I followed this to the old Severn bridge where I left The Severn Way and made my way inland to the hamlet of Ingst where Howard and Sally Pearce had kindly agreed to let me park up. Howard is a Rotarian from Thornbury Rotary Club. When I arrived Howard kindly offered to run me back to Oldbury to pick up the van, then when I got back they made me a welcome cup of tea before I had a good shower, I then caught up with my washing and wrote up my diary. Howard then showed me some beef cattle but I tried to sidestep guessing how much he paid for them – Then I was invited in for a wonderful home cooked diner before retiring to the bus and my bed
Day 25

It rained heavily in the night but thankfully was down to a drizzle when after making my breakfast in the bus, I started my walk from Box Bush farm, Howard had written me up precise instructions on how best to get the 15 miles to The Clifton Suspension Bridge on the route that I chose. First the route took me along narrow lanes, then onto busier roads as I got closer to Bristol, the drizzle stopped and the sun almost came out as I walked along the Portway following the River Avon through The Avon Gorge and up to The Clifton Suspension Bridge, here I left the road and went up over 100 steps and then onto a steep path through the wood which brought me out near the bridge, I then walked over it and back, here unfortunately it started to rain heavily, but I wanted to visit Bristol Cathedral so I ploughed on and it soon faired up. I found the Cathedral and found a verger sign my Credentials. I then rang Chris and he came to collect me, took me back to Box Bush farm to collect the van, then drove in convoy to his home in home, arriving their nicely in time for dinner cooked by Harriet. Chris then gave me his Wi-Fi code so that I could update my blog before retiring to by bed in the bus
Day 26

Up at 06.00, Breakfast and Bait packed, Chris kindly gave me a lift back to The Clifton Suspension Bridge and I was walking for 08.30, first winding my way out of the Bristol suburbs, through residential and industrial areas and eventually out into open countryside. The weather was OK, overcast with a bit of drizzle now and again, I was more or less heading south and soon came to The Mendip Hills, so my route was considerably up and down, something that I wasn’t used to with all the canal and riverside walking I had been doing for the previous couple of weeks ;-) After the first big up and over,, I passed through Chew Stoke and walked alongside Chew Lake before heading back up again, nearly always on very minor roads with signs always trying to send me left to pick up “A” class roads, all of which I ignored. After about 16 miles I stated looking for a suitable overnight park and several people mentioned a good pub called “The Hunters Lodge” run by a local character called Roger, So I kept going and eventually found the place, but it must have been over 20 miles to get there !! I telephoned Chris and he came and picked me up and it took over an hour to drive back to Portishead to pick up the bus, Chris and Harriet offered me dinner but as I wanted to trade off the overnight parking for a bar meal, I politely declined, had a quick brew and set off back for The Hunters Lodge arriving there around 20.00.I went inside and had a Huge bowl of faggots and peas with gravy and two massive doorsteps of homemade bread – And All for £4.50 !! hid I washed down with a couple of beers and then retired to the van around 10 – Shattered but well fed and content with my days efforts :-)
Day 27

Again, I woke up at 06.00 and got up soon after, breakfast and bait put up and walking just before 08.00. The route down to Wells was on “The Old Bristol Road” which was just a narrow lane that went steeply downhill to Wells, this was only a couple of miles and I was soon there. I went into the centre of the city to The Cathedral and I have to say that it really Did have the “Wow” factor, I would say that it is the most magnificent cathedral that I have to date seen in the UK !! I managed to get a stamp on my credentials and had a look around before continuing with my walk. After leaving Wells I followed the A39 which was at first OK, unfortunately the pavement ended at the village of Coxley and after that it was a case of hurling myself into the dyke (Hedge) when the oncoming traffic neglected to see me. Thankfully that pavement restarted before I reached Glastonbury and I followed this to a retail park on the outskirts of Street. I bought a cup of tea and had a chat with a guy running a burger van and he suggested that I asked the manager of B&Q if it would be ok to park up in their car-park overnight, this I did and the manager readily agreed. There was a 24 hour Tesco next door, so that was the toilets taken care of and a choice of Subway or Kentucky fried Chicken for dinner. I rang Chris and he kindly picked me up and ran me back to The Hunters Lodge, we had a brew in the van, said our good bye’s (as this was Chris’s last stint ferrying me back to the van after my day’s walking) and I drove back to Street and parked up for the night. It started to rain on the drive, so my timing for the day was Good :-) After doing a bit of shopping I grabbed Chris, the B&Q duty manager and his college Nicola? for a photo opportunity before heading to Subway for a bite to eat and to use their Wi-Fi. Then back to the van and an early night
Day 28

Up at 06.30, breakfast and bait made and walking at 08.00, Dull overcast day with a little light drizzle, I had decided not to follow my original route through the lanes, but to opt for a slightly longer one on “B” class roads via the ancient Wessex town of Somerton. So, first if all I walked through the centre of Street and picked up the B3151 to Somerton, at first there was a pavement but this soon ran out and the road was very busy, it seemed that it was used as a rat-run so I often had to again take to the dyke (hedge) when manic juggernauts bore down on me at speed – never the less, I arrived in Somerton physically unscathed, but mentally scared, so treated myself to a haircut ;-) I then continued along the same road to Langport and walked along the banks of the infamous River Parrett, the sun came out and I had myself a brew with toast and jam at The River Parrett cafe and the girl there showed me some photos she had taken when the river had caused all the floods. From Langport it was only a couple of miles uphill to Curry Rival, so I sussed out a likely place to park up and as it was still only 3.30 I decided to catch a bus back to between Street and Glastonbury where I had left the bus. Barry (Barry Barber has kindly offered to drive out from Totnes every couple of days to shunt the van along) telephoned me to check on my progress and I said that he needn’t trail all the way from Totness tonight – So the question was, did I take a day off and drive the 60 miles down to Stevie and Julies at Exmouth or .........
Day 29

Well I opted for the day off – Several reasons, but the main one was that after 29 days of continuous walking, I was well ready for a rest day, also, as I had been able to get the bus back to Glastonbury to pick up the van, to drag Barry 80-something miles just to shunt the van a few miles down the road seamed unreasonable – So I drove down to Stevie and Julies on Friday evening, we went out for a Chinese Meal in Exmouth followed by a couple of pints, I had a good night’s sleep in a warm comfortable bed, a hot shower and charged up the van batteries. Then on Saturday we had a walk around Exmouth this morning then lunch in a seaside cafe – The weather was Wild and Windy but fair, then in the afternoon heavy rain came in so I would have got very wet if I had been walking. I drove the van back to Curry Rival in the late afternoon and went to the local pub and was made very welcome by the Landlord (Another Rob) and was kindly given £5 for the charity by a guy called “Gordy” before heading back to the bus to sleep
Day 30

Although it rained hard through the night, by the time I had eaten my breakfast and made my bait it had eased down to a drizzle, never the less, I opted for full waterproofs before setting off walking, First of all along the B3168 passing through Hambridge and numerous other hamlets and villages – Sometimes it rained hard and sometimes the sun came out and it got Hot – But I kept going, crossing the main A358 and walking through Broadway and Horton (But not Horton in Ribblesdale) . Then I had a phone from Brian Young, The Rotarian from Stourport-on-Severn and he was in the area (Going to a meeting the next day) so kindly offered to ferry me back to the bus, so I said that this would be great as it would save Barry a Long journey. So we arranged to meet up in Churchinford (Which is about 4 miles further than I had originally planned to walk so as to cut down the miles the next day as it was going to be a long day) So to kill a few miles I took my life in my hands and walked 4 miles along the Busy A303 which wasn’t very pleasant, but it was the most direct route so it saved a lot of time. I then got back to walking on lanes through Bishopswood and eventually walked into Churchinford around 4pm in torrential rain. Brian bought me a brew in the pub and the guys there donated £4 to the charity – Then Brian gave me a lift back to Curry Rival, we picked up the bus and I drove it to Culmstock where Brian was staying in a local Pub “The Culm Valley Inn” which had agreed to let me park up overnight. Brian went to his room and I did some washing and freshened up before meeting him inside, the pub didn’t do food on a Sunday but said that several of them ordered a Chinese for a nearby Take-Away and we were welcome to do the same, so we did so, the only trouble being that it was well after 10 before it turned up, so I had more or less gone past eating by the time it arrived. As soon as I finished my food I retired to the van for some much needed sleep
Read More Here