Day 29- Brocton to Uttoxeter 18.5 miles

Brocton

   I seemed to escape the worst of the weather while packing although as I left camp the drizzle started and didn't stop till I reached Little Haywood. The rest of Brocton was lovely although heavily signed with 'No Camping' signs but since I'd had little choice I couldn't feel too bad about it. From my

patchy foresty area you climb across a car park and onto more open moor land. I then descended gently into Trent Valley, crossing some lovely step stones over Tent River before leaving the park and approaching Little Heywood.

  For some reason my boots were wet again and the side of my left ankle was rubbed raw. I stopped along the River Trent and plastered myself but soon after gave up and changed into my sandals. The path along the river was lovely, longboats passing and waving. Over one section you have the canal on one side and a wider river on the other, the past an island between the two. You carry on West, going over Rugeley and around Blithfield Reservoir.
  I saw some builders near the reservoir who joked at me wearing sandals, shooting something back I continued down. The path crosses a series of fields, nettles causing havoc to my legs. Already I'd been forced to climb fences in order to avoid cows, here though I had no choice. There were calfs in the field so I made a real effort to keep my

distance, paddling across the river instead of using the bridge and staying on the edge of the field. A calf lay nearish and, presumably, his mother walked over to guard it. I figured I was in the clear when I got a hundred or so metres away but it suddenly charged. Didn't realise how fast the buggers could move. I ran and in order to climb over the fence threw down my hiking poles. By this point the herd had become interested, as had a bull who'd been wondering round. Dumping my bag I jumped back over the fence before they could all arrived and retrieved my poles. The charging cow backed off with a good shouting at although her sprint seemed to have impressed the bull and she was also soon distracted.
  Once I reached Abbots Bromely I stopped in a pub for some lunch, and to recharge my low batteries. Two nights wild camping meant I would soon have no phone and therefore no maps. With this in mind I took my time eating, leaving the office plugged in as long as I could.

Uttoxeter Racecourse Campsite

  By the time I reached Uttoxeter I was tired and a little fed up as my shopping bag burst and I was left cradling my groceries. I also totally missed the campsite and walked twenty minutes the wrong way. This was because if wrongly assumed the campsite and racecourse were two different places. Still, once pitched I enjoyed the novelty and felt an urge to listen to more of my Dick Francis collection. I spent most of the evening doing my laundry, by hand, and then waiting for the tumble drier to finish. A long shower followed as I worried over the ache in my back. I wondered if I'd pulled something running from the cows and jumping over the fence. It wasn't till a little later that I realised what had caused it, not the hiking or anything adventurous but the laundry. By morning it was gone.