The One Where I Slept In The Pub Garden!
I am writing a travelogue book for this particular trail, which will be too long for a blog entry. Please enjoy the highlights below and I will keep you posted on the final development of the book.
WEATHER: Friggin hot!
DISTANCE: 18.05 miles in total
LOCATION: Exton to Buriton
SUMMARY
🛏 Didn’t sleep well, was awake at 4.30am
⛺️ Packed up the dew ridden tent and set off walking by 6.20pm
🏔 Winchester Hill, Bunkers Hill and Queen Elizabeth Hill! Lots of hills today.
🐄 Three fields of cows! Decided that milking cows are soppy and actually ok.
🎣 Stopped at a fly fishing place. Saw a fish get whacked over the head with a metal stick thing. Not nice!
🍰 I stopped for coffee and cake a few too many times today!
🍷 I got to Buriton at 3.45pm and I’m done! My shoulders are killing me and my ankle has doubled in size. The chef at the Five Bells calls the landlord and let’s me pitch my tent in their garden! Result!! Wine please!
THE LONG WINDED WAFFLY VERSION:-
4.30am – I didn’t sleep brilliantly as my tent was a bit flappy in the night. I need to spend more time pitching it rather than just throwing it together! I also need to be more organised as I have stuff everywhere and I couldn’t find my socks 🧦 in the night! Moan… moan… this is what you signed up for Julia!
☕️ coffee, that’s what I need! I put on a brew and my Jetboil delivered hot steaming coffee within minutes. Ah! That’s better. Now I can watch the sun come up through the door of my tent.
I have a long day ahead of me. Guthook tells me that my next stage is 18.9 miles away. Best start thinking about packing up.
Today I want to save juice on my phone, so I intend to use my Osmo Pocket for video and no Strava. (Waffle.., sorry!)
6.20am and I’m packed up and on my way. Packing up a wet tent is not fun! I’ll need to get it out again in a few hours to dry it off. Until then… hike on!
8.15am – Winchester Hill, tough climb. Amazing views.
9.10am – it just took me 20 mins to pluck up the courage to walk through another herd of 🐄! I did it though. I do need coffee! Where is that cafe???
9.20am -Made it to Meon Springs a delightful fly fishing/glamping site. They let me air my feet, drink hot coffee (for a donation) and my tent is drying on their paddock. The sun is shining and I’m having a marvellous day so far. The manager is a large man wearing red braces and sports one of those moustaches that curl up at the end. He makes jokes about my 🦶… he is not as funny as he thinks he is!
11.10am – Bunkers Hill, OMG! That was steep. I’m so glad I did some training with this heavy pack. I get to the top and sweat is dripping from me. A day hiker stops to have a conversation and I must have looked a complete mess!! Good news, what goes up, must come down! (I hope!).
11.30am / Sustainability Centre. A guy that is also walking this route is in here having coffee but he’s not very talkative. He nods at me, packs up and goes. Perhaps I stink? Yep, that’s what it is! Pongy!
1.15pm – I’m currently at Queen Elizabeth Country Park enjoying some cheese bread sticks and pate. Yum! The views are amazing. A huge blackbird / crow is sitting next to me looking hopeful!
I made a deal with myself. I’ll stop at the next pub and look for somewhere to wild camp… I’m feeling brave!
3.50pm – I’m sort of wild camping. I got to Buriton and my ankle has doubled in size so I needed to stop. In the pub “Five Bells” I get talking to the chef lady who asked me if I would like to put my tent up in their garden! Result! A large glass of dry white wine please!
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