Pathfinder Walk 24 - Cranborne Allen Valley Cranborne.
Maybe we can actually do this 1000 mile gig. We keep worrying about the future and we know there are hard times ahead but today we completed 300 miles. Yeeeeaaaaahhhhh....fantastic...we done 300 miles. Only 700 miles to go. Mario was impressed with this soundbite as I had a cup of tea with Rob as I dropped him off at home. 'Only 700 miles to go'. Since 3pm Thursday last week and 2.30 pm today in under 5 days we have walked 75 miles. We are impressed as we know with Rob's back last week we were concerned we would not do many miles. A few months ago the minimum for this weekend was 60 miles and a maximum of 80 so 75 is great.The walk today is described as wide vistas and a lonely walk. It certainly was the latter. The scenery is lovely and very similar to the walks around my house in Hertfordshire. The only difference being there is nothing like Luton nearby. This countryside feels really remote.
We do not meet another soul until we run in to the Dales from Olderholt at the end. We are glad we do so they can capture our 300 th mile. As I think back on it there was no arm waving or cheering and I think we are actually quite tired after 75 miles in five days. Jerry Edwards is with the Dales and it is his 76th birthday today. He insists on giving us some of his birthday money as a contribution to the cause as do the Dales and we are really grateful. It is going to a very important cause. Jerry is planning on living to 100 and getting his telegram from the Queen and seeing the way he was walking today and the loving family around him we are sure he will.The walk is lovely. We revise again Roman Key Card and demonstrate my memory needs to be better. But I am getting there. We then work more on Rob's Citywire article. I encourage Rob to develop a case for Government Bonds rising after the election and doing so in a scenario he believes in. This is really difficult. If you ask someone to develop the opposite argument to the one they believe in and believe in it they usually do so in a way that just reinforces the beliefs they had in the first place.
We probably spend four miles on this and get to a scenario Rob thinks is plausible and workable. So as well as selling Government Bonds there will now be advice on hedging via commodities. Don't worry about the technical jargon used here as the bottom line is the country's finances are still in a mess. Read the longer article in Citywire next week.
We stop by the River Crane to take a break. This and later the River Allen are classic fly fishing rivers. We have never fly fished but this is how you imagine it. Perfecly idyllic spots. As we wander on we come upon an egg on the footpath towards Monkton up Wimborne. We wonder at length how it got there unbroken and waiting to be photographed. What egg is it and how long has it been there? Rob's creativity is working over time and here is the maestro's shot of the moment. Looks about the size of a pigeon's egg. Let us know if you know which bird it comes from.
We now cross the River Allen and see great reed patterns in the water and a swan sitting on its nest. We keep searching for a spot for lunch and have to keep going as most places are in the wind with a chill to it for lunch. Eventually we come to a spot by the river Allen at Winborne St Giles. This is our best lunch spot yet. Even better than Kim's sandwich for those regular readers who remember that moment.
We are back at University having a couple of hours off after our lectures eating our sandwiches with the sun shining down on us in a perfectly still spot by the river. As our lunch settles it is time for a meditation with the gurgle of the water behind us and only the sound of birds disturbing the peace. Spoilt a little as Rob within a five minute meditation drifts off to sleep and scares away the birds with his rat a tat tat snore. Wonderful. Bliss.
Back in Cranborne which is the most pretty little village. The Fosse restaurant sets out how many miles away most of the ingredients for its menu come from and most are very close. Rob captures some more social history with a shot of the quaint village post office - we wander how long it will survive?
Finally I will close with two observations and a request for advice. The first observation is that Rob did his back in playing golf and then made it worse by continuing to play further rounds of golf with the Greek golf society in Spain. My second observation is that next week Rob is planning to play 48 holes of golf in 48 hours. One is a charity event to help raise money for 1000miles4hope. The next day is the Greek golf society day out. The advice I seek is whether you think this is a good idea as the following week we plan to walk 170 miles in 14 days in Wales along Offa's Dyke.
No comments:
Post a Comment