Endurance Adventures

Just realised I haven't got round to writing this one up! It was on the 10th April, two days after I got back from Italy, and as I spent a week pottering around eating pizza and ice cream I thought I may as well do it to shock my body back inot exercise mode...

It was a lovely day- the mist was just lifting off the fields as I drove to Wilbarston, and it promised to be hot. One good thing about this walk is that you can start any time between 7:30am and 9:00am. The other good thing is that at £3.50 it's extremely reasonable. I parked up, bought an egg sandwich from the volunteers manning a cafe at the start, had a coffee and set off into the sunshine.

Looking at the route description, it became apparent that the route had been changed since I last did this walk. Instead of heading off to the left out of the village, we headed right, passing through the church yard. After walking through Stoke Albany, the route passed through fields planted with crops.


The countryside round here is gently undulating, with expansive views over green and yellow fields. It was already very  warm. After walking through fields and tracks I passed this rather unusual footpath sign.

According to the route description, we were now on the Macmillan Way. Shortly after, the route descended into the lovely village of Weston by Welland.


                                          Approaching Weston by Welland

Still on the Macmillan Way, the next part of the route was a 3k road walk, which was a bit of a drag but luckily quiet. I passed a chap who said that this road walking was the worst bit for him.

                                          Passing Under A Disused Railway Bridge

As the road became a track, I briefly caught up with another guy who was a very fast walker- I only caught him up because I had a little jog although I didn't run too much as I was worried about my knee. He told me he had helped design the new route, which was changed as they wanted to keep it interesting for folks. He was doing the 15 mile route- both routes went to Hallaton, but the 25 mile route which I was doing followed a big loop out of Hallaton and then back into it.

                                          Hallaton

The first checkpoint was in Hallaton. There were two check points in the village- one for 25 mile walkers and one for 15 mile walkers and which formed a second checkpoint for 25 mile walkers after they had finished the additional loop. I stopped for a drink- one of the volunteers was radioing the second checkpoint as they had found a fiver and had an idea who it belonged too. He went on to describe the owner as wearing the most hideous pair of shorts he had ever seen. There were 2 chaps sitting in the shade, one of whom seemed to be in pain, and they set off just after me.

We seemed to be walking along a high ridge with some lovely views;


I came to a road and realised I had left the 3 chaps behind. The route went through more fields and passed between two lakes before reaching a track- part of the Mid Shires Way. This seemed familiar and I realised that we were on the old route but in reverse. We followed the track almost to Cranoe, passing a lovely little pond.



Here the route doubled back on itself, passing through more fields towards a farm. At one point it was a little confusing, and I came across a man and woman who were trying to figure it out. The route description instructed us to turn right for 30 metres and then left through a gate, but the gate was straight in front of us. The chap pointed out that the route description had instructed us to keep the hedge on our left, but we had followed a track straight across the field, and it was about 30 metres from the field corner to the gate we were standing in front of. When he said that it made perfect sense to me, and I could see the little wooden gate we needed to find at the far side of the next field, which I pointed out.

The woman was less convinced, and said that the description was not making sense for her. A runner passed us and confirmed that it was straight on, and I followed him- when I looked back the couple were also following.

After walking through many more fields, most of which quite frankly looked ,uch the same, I saw Hallaton again in the near distance and started to have visions of hot coffee and sandwiches.

                                           Hallaton Church (Or it Could Be Blaston)

                                          Hallaton (Or Blaston)

I was not disappointed. Cheese sandwiches with optional pickle, coffee and lovely lemon cake! I spotted a chap wearing the largest walking boots I had ever seen, and a really bright, patterned pair of shorts- I was tempted to ask him if he had got his fiver back!

I left the checkpoint with a younger couple, who were doing the 15 mile walk and expressed surprise when I told them I was doing the 25 mile option. They were a lot fresher than me though and were walking faster. From this point on, we were following the old route so a lot of it was familiar.

The route ascended to Neville Holt, and I walked passed a magnificent residence which looked just like a private school or college. As I walked past the gates, I spotted a giant disembodied horse's head, which was slightly disconcerting as I wasn't quite sure whether I was hallucinating or not.

                                                        Freaky!

Another footpath brought me to the road descending to Drayton and the smallest consecrated church in Leicestershire- St James. There was an unmanned checkpoint here, some kind soul had left orange juice, water and biscuits on a bench outside the church.

                                          The Church Of St James

Then it was off to Middleton to pick up the Jurassic Way after a bit of a road walk. I was feeling a little rough by this point and couldn't wait to finish. My legs were aching and I could feel the discomfort in my knee, which hasn't gone away despite a rest. The Jurassic Way should be really pleasant but after 23 miles you just want it to end!

                                          The Jurassic Way From Middleton

It was such a relief to finish and sink into a chair with a cuppa and piece of cake. I noticed that there was a chap running round the field and heard one of the volunteers say he was making the distance up to a full marathon. I had contemplated bringing my Garmin so I could add another mile on, but as the route was partly in Northamptonshire and partly in Leicestershire I wouldn't have been able to count it towards my marathon challenge anyway. I finished in about 7 hours 20 minutes, which I was happy with as I hadn't ran much of it. I quite enjoy this event- lovely views, friendly volunteers and usually lovely weather.

Labels: Valleys and Views