I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 😃
I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!
March
The Travel Challenge involves posting one favorite travel picture for each day. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations, without any explanation. If you take up this challenge, then you also need to nominate someone each day.
I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 😁
I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!
April
The Travel Challenge involves posting one favorite travel picture for each day. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations, without any explanation. If you take up this challenge, then you also need to nominate someone each day.
I’ve been invited to participate in the 2020 Travel Challenge by fellow travellers and Camino pilgrims http://wetanddustyroads.com Thank you 🥰
I’m honoured to be nominated and will do my very best to live up to the challenge!!
January
The Travel Challenge involves posting one favorite travel picture for each day. That’s 10 days, 10 travel pictures, and 10 nominations, without any explanation. If you take up this challenge, then you also need to nominate someone each day.
Today, on my first day of the challenge, I nominate the wonderfully adventurous couple behind http://jwalkingin.com
You’re under no obligation to accept, but if you do….
You can post any of your favorite pictures from 2020…enjoy and happy travels!!
The universe conspired to deliver a beautiful day to make up for the horrid news delivered yesterday. A grey, wet and dreary day would have been too depressing. Tier 4??? Seriously!
However, we are now one day closer to coming out of lockdown. Meanwhile, knowing as I do, how the British weather system works; grey, overcast skies in the morning…clear sunny, blue afternoon. Clear blue skies in the morning…rain by midday – with the odd exception.
Soooo, when I pulled back the curtains this morning and saw clear blue skies with just a hint of cloud on the distant horizon, I determined to use my shopping trip as an excuse to get out for a long walk. Which I did.
Heading along the same route as yesterday where I discovered Lloyd Park, I once again reached the park.
Thinking a slightly different route in the park would be good, I followed what looked like a nice, firm, dry sandy path to the trees I could see in the distance…it wasn’t firm or dry 🤪🤪🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♀️ within a few meters I was slipping and sliding along…
Slip sliding away…
Managing to keep upright thanks to my walking poles, eventually I reached a tree halfway to where I really wanted to go, and called it quits.
About turn….
I did a careful about turn and slid back to the concrete pathway, which although tough on the bones, is so much easier to walk on. I walked as far as the carpark on the distant side of the park, then returned. There were a fair number of people out walking, mostly masked up and keeping their distance. I overheard snatches of a few conversations; mostly about the lockdown and the mental health of people affected by the sudden change in the government’s position on Christmas.
On my way back out the park I ‘slid’ to the left and walked past a massive allotment plot.
I loved this path…An enormous allotment
I stopped to listen to a robin sing and then went shopping.
A robin trills
Oh oh…who is that I spy lurking behind the bush?
Who could it be?
In all I got in a very good 9.1kms and as a result I’m now only 103.3kms away from reaching my target of 2020kms of my 2020 virtual challenge 👏👏👏🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♀️😃
I noticed this amazing decoration on the side of a building near the station
Isn’t that just stunning!!!
As for the Great Ocean Road route in Australia I’m only 25km (15.6miles) away from the end of the challenge 😁😁 I am now close to reaching the end of my virtual journey…239.8km along the south coast of that epic continent – Australia!! I really want to finish by Thursday 24th.
I’m roughly halfway between Port Cambell which I left behind 4 days ago
Port Campbell and 51.2 km (32 miles) to go
And nearing the end at Allansford
I hope to visit Oz for real in 2023/2024….finances depending. I only just received all my postcards from the Conqueror Challenges team. It seems I started the route before they were ready, so they kindly sent the cards in one batch when they were done. So awesome. They’re all incredibly on the ball with their customer service.
And so as 2020 starts to wind down, I’m gearing up to virtually climb Mt. Fuji 🗻🇯🇵 Hopefully this challenge will dovetail nicely with the last kilometres of my 2020 challenge. And of course, it goes without saying…I’m going to participate in the 2021 challenge too….😁😁😁🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♀️ What distance do you think I should set my target at?
After correcting the start date for the Great Ocean Road virtual challenge in Australia, it seems I’m actually ahead of myself
Why thank you, I’m giving it some welly…😁😁
But with the 2020 Conqueror Challenge I’m still behind
Okay, okay…I’m trying…🤪🤪
121.1km doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you’re not ‘actually’ walking ‘virtually’ it’s a longggg way to zero!!Now if only this sodding weather would improve, I might actually finish them on schedule, and considering that I still want to virtually climb Mt. Fuji before 31.12.2020 …..
Still to get started, never mind completed
Meanwhile, the last day of 2020 creeps ever nearer….
I recently read a very very interesting article by/about virologist; Nathan Wolfe. He published a book in 2011 – The Viral Storm: The Dawn of a New Pandemic Age.
Whilst I know a few of my friends are Covid-19 deniers, it’s a very real thing, and not going to be the last viral pandemic we face. In the past few decades (and earlier- think HIV) we’ve had multiple outbreaks of deadly viruses: Ebola, SARS, avian flu: H7 & H9, Zika, Mers….and these are but a few that some of us have heard of (e.g. registered on our radar), and yes, the oft declared ‘winter flu’.
Covid-19 is not going to be the last major pandemic. Of course a lot of people will deny this and say its doom-mongering, doesn’t exist etc etc, but the reality is that we are cutting down the jungles (Think palm oil, cattle, soya etc.) at an unprecedented rate in the last 30 years+ and these viruses are going to affect us. Deny it if you will, and mostly people who haven’t yet been affected are the most likely to, but these viruses are very real. And of course we have all the gurus with their videos etc etc. But, Covid-19 had the potential to kill many more than have died, and as annoying as it is, lockdown is the reason it didn’t. Yes, its been catastrophic for the economy (estimated cost to the worldwide economy according to Dr Wolfe is $8trillion) but what’s the balance? Would you have been okay with the virus running rampant and killing more people? Your family? Friends?
The UK government dilly-dallied and considered going that route, but fortunately (or not) they finally got their act together and 23.03.20 we got lockdown. If only a couple of hundred people died in your country, be grateful. As you likely know, the UK hasn’t been that fortunate.
As more people are affected by climate change (yeah, yeah to the deniers…whatever) and starvation in Africa, and India, Indonesia, we’re going to see more economic migrants seeking food and water….and on the flip side of the coin, we have the rapacious west gobbling up resources, living more consumeristic lifestyles, demanding the latest and best of everything; creating more billionaires who get wealthy on our demands and create more destruction, cut down more jungle (Bolsenaro) and as our populations grow and grow creating more demand for cheap cheap cheap everything; food, clothes, houses, cars, fuel, TVs, phones, holidays, flights…. But what do the experts know? (And this doesn’t even take into account the devastation we are causing with our throw-away plastic). We are the architects of our own destruction.
And as the world is now experiencing a 2nd wave of infections, and a mutant strain of Covid-19 has started spreading in the UK, I wonder where we’ll be a year from now, and how effective are the vaccines going to be?
I’m working in Croydon for the next 9 days, so not holding out for too much of interest on my daily excursions. A very built up area, most of the houses are rather large or sprawling bungalows and lots of apartment buildings.
However, I did spot this little gem….Heron Croft circa 1493. How awesome is that!! I warrant the area was a tad different back then.
Heron CroftCirca 1493I can almost picture a stork nesting on that chimney
After getting rained on twice, I said ‘@#$% it’ and returned to the house. Not a good start and only managed 4kms….oh well…onwards
Got in a very respectable 15.9kms this morning. Starting off with a fantastic sunrise….red sky in the morning and all that
I headed up the coast to Stone Bay via Broadstairs where I stopped off at my favourite tearoom The Old Bakehouse for almond croissants (best ever) with a cup of coffee, which I enjoyed on the promenade, and fed the sparrows some toasted almond crumbs.
Almond croissant from The Old Bake House, Broadstairs Ever so cute…
Enroute I strolled past the Dickens Museum – although he didn’t actually live here, it was the home of one of his characters in David Copperfield; Betsy Trotwood.
The Dickens Museum, Broadstairs
By the time I reached the end of Stone Bay the wind had come up and that promised storm blew in…with a vengeance.
Blowing up a storm I wondered why….
Before heading back to Ramsgate, I bought some bird seed and scattered it amongst the bushes for the wee sparrows.
The wind was so strong along the foreshore that my walking poles were blown backwards and I had to plow into the wind.
Despite the wind and cold and rain, I had a fantastic walk. The harbour looked very different when I got back from when I left just after 7am
7:20am11:14am
And tomorrow I’m back to work. I don’t feel as if I’ve had a proper break.
But I did have a most wonderful afternoon with my lovely family…Christmas tree decorating. I’ll write about that tomorrow..
And suddenly I was on the home straight with just 19 hours to go and I’d be on my way. My final break was taken in town and I followed some of my more favoured routes and managed a decent 6.8kms, albeit with a reduction in my time off again 🤔🤔🤔
When I first arrived in Shepton Mallet 12 days ago my heart sank…it looked dull and grey with no defining features beyond grey walls and grey houses, a massive Tesco store and the distinction of being mentioned in the Domesday Book….and the oldest prison in the country looming large…and grey 🤨🤨
Shepton Mallet Prison- closed 2013Exterior of the prison
But as usual I set out to explore and managed to find lots of interesting nooks and crannies, a great number of interesting houses, some of which are Grade II listed.
The Merchants House – 17th century Grade II listed
Three other houses of historical interest:
Longbridge House : with links to James, Duke of Monmouth and the Battle of Sedgemoor July 1685. Now a B&B. With parts dating back to the 14th century the house is best known for being where the Duke of Monmouth stayed before and after the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685.
Exploring Shepton Mallet
Old Bowlish House : I was delighted to note the old English spelling…first house name I’ve ever seen in old English. Built around 1618, this Grade II* clothier’s mansion was modernised by the Georgians c.1735 and the Victorians c.1860.
Old Bowlish House – note the old English spelling
Downside House – Georgian House 5 bedrooms 3 bathrooms…I’ll have one of each 😃
Downside House
exciting finds, although I’m pretty certain there were quite a few more dotted about. After all, in its past, Shepton Mallet used to be a very wealthy town built on the wool trade
I found and walked a small section of the Roman Fosseway, and explored the greater countryside, walking many sections of the East Mendip Way. I discovered the wonderful viaducts, one of which carried the old railway – now disused. I explored the beautiful Collett Park and stretching myself I walked to Downside, Bowlish and Ham Lane.
Fosseway Exploring Shepton Mallet – Collette Park Collette Park Collette Park Viaduct on the Kilver estate The River Sheppey at Bowlish
I squelched along muddy public paths, slipping and sliding and climbed some interesting stiles 🤪🤪🤪 One of my favourite sections was between a steep field and the small holdings along the River Sheppey where I met lamas, horses, goats and chickens.
This was my favourite stretch of the walksHelloooo
I walked along narrow roads and lanes and prayed that the tractors that had left their treads in the mud right at the absolute limits of the lanes, didn’t decide to come either up or down the lanes while I was walking along…they didn’t. Whew! I would probably have had to either climb under or over …or resort to climbing into the hedges that towered along the sides.
Narrow roads and wide tractors. ..
I managed to find many items of interest after all…I thought my options were out, but no.
Some houses had little plaques remembering past residents who went off to war and never returned
Exploring Shepton Mallet
Exploring Shepton Mallet
Exploring Shepton Mallet
Exploring Shepton Mallet
Lots of interesting doors
Although the architecture is mostly solid grey stone
A dilapidated house Literally falling apart
I did find some older painted houses, albeit peeling and covered in mould….the reason for the stone houses was more apparent. The town is mostly located in a very deep wedge between hills, the Mendip Hills, and a great number of houses are built right on the rivers edge.
Mouldy peeling paint – note the crown decorationA river runs pastSame section of the river This house is also built right on rivers edge next to the FossewayAn optical illusion- on Cat Ash the houses are actually adjacent
I found what used to be a Priory
The Priory exterior The Priory interior
I’m totally intrigued by the bricked in doors and windows of many of the older houses, and am curious to know when and why they were sealed off.
The church was beautiful albeit locked so I never got to go inside 😔 and the market cross is beautiful
Church
Market Cross
A sweet Nativity scene
And after yesterday’s walk and 2 weeks of indoor walking I’m now closer to my 2020 target of 2020kms. Hoorah. It looks like I may just reach my target by 31.12.2020
As usual, saying goodbye to the pets is sometimes the hardest part of leaving
And so ends my sojourn to Shepton Mallet. Its been quite a stressful job, and I’ll be glad of my 48 hour break before starting all over again on Monday in Croydon 🤪🤪 thankfully only 9 days….
At the moment I’m in transit, first train and nearly in London ….1 tube ride, the HS1 to the coast and a taxi ride away from the Airbnb where I’m staying this weekend.
The highways and the byways of England. Personally I’m not a fan of stiles, some of them are murder to get over, especially when carrying a heavy backpack, and most particularly towards the end of the day… and I’ve often just sat down on the sticking out part and refused to budge 😖😖😖
Country walking… a place to sit??
But eventually I have to just get on with it and drag myself over.
Country walking – albeit different it’s not a favourite 🤪🤪
Now, give me a kissing gate and I’ll be happy…even though some of these are so narrow I have to take my backpack off and sling it over separately – at least I don’t have to climb over it.
Country walking – a kissing gate 👏👏😘
Unfortunately, if you’re going to be daft enough to go traipsing across the country, there is no doubt that you are indeed going to encounter more than your fair share of stiles…
Now this is more my ‘style’ – sorry couldn’t resist the pun 😁😁😁
Not Just a Granny 
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