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| Leaving Uttoxeter Racecourse |
Today was horrible. To begin with the paths out of Uttoxeter are covered with cows or simply over grown. Then I mislaid the path crossing the A56 and ended up struggling through nettle covered paths and getting stuck. My legs and feet, exposed in sandles and three courter lenghts, were covered in stings. Once crossed the 'path' disappeared under more brambles.
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| The near constant state of my feet |
I stopped for a drink at twelve before following, as best as I could, the Ordley Brook. This path, after a dry summer, would have been a charming walk through a wooded valley but after the rain it was hell. Branches and trees had fallen across the path making progress slow and hard. The backpack make the simplest bit of squatting or climbing much much harder.
Eventually after scaling several wooded banks I scrambled into a field, twisted my ankle and sat, exhausted and horrified at the idea of carrying on all the way to Biggin, another ten or so miles away. So I didn't, settling for the considerably closer target of Swinscoe and Common End Farm campsite.
Set up and ready I had a shower, waiting for the campsite owner to appear so I could pay before going back down the road to the pub. The owner was lovely and the campsite is the type I like, nothing fancy but comfortable and well taken care of.
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| Common End Farm Campsite |
The pub was called 'The Dog and Patridge', a handsom building but full of unhappy workers who didn't seem to like each other or me much. Perhaps they were upset at how quiet it was. Alton towers had been shut a days before after an awful crash on one of the roller coasters and the funfair was a major source of their custom. I saw no sign off any regulars. Possibly you'd not notice unless you yourself work in a restaurant. Either way I spent three hours there trying to catch up with the blog before gratefully leaving.
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