...and then a few days later the opportunity came - fair weather, no need for lunch because we had taken Ali's mum to Knightshayes (National Trust) tea shop wherein lieth fruit scones, and so I set off telling myself there was no shame should I fail to make it all the way. And made it there and back. To check out the scaffolding, I told my alter ego (the less adventurous one).
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| The whole track |
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| The interesting part |
I figured I must have run (the term includes some walking) over 20 miles so, on returning and checking my cell phone, I was a bit miffed that I had "only" clocked up 19.55 miles. With elevation gain 620m and average speed moving 5.3 mph.
I used footpaths where feasible and some were exceedingly muddy, but I had my waterproof bare feet on so a quick wash in the river Culm where I left it at Uffculme sorted that.
In case you have not been following my Wellington monument interest, it is currently the subject of a major restoration program and is completely covered in scaffolding. Worth a visit just to see the amount of effort they have expended so far.
The outward route was by road to Black Down Common (home of the Culmstock Beacon) and thence to the monument. Then returning via a very pleasant footpath to within a stone's throw of Hemyock, at least it would have been more pleasant if less muddy, then to Culmstock from which I followed the river footpath via Hunkin Wood to Uffculme. As usual you can click on the images to enlarge them.
This detail is a tunnel to protect pedestrian access to a footpath going North towards the town of Wellington. BTW in my first post I supposed the town got its name from the first duke. In fact the town preceded himself and he was named after it.
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| The Culm valley looking towards the West |
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| Within a stone's throw |
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| In Hunkin Wood |
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| Me (and the river Culm) |
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