1st FEB. BEACON LANE PLANTATION to BATH YHA

Awoke at usual time with rain on the tent plus added drops from the trees. I had slept well , as no breaky was to be made due to lack of water and I lay for an hour resting my eyes.
I rolled my bag up and mat in the tent as it was raining,  luckily it stopped soon afterwards so was able to give J room and no excuses for getting going.
J's idea of putting our pots out to capture rain water gave us a meagre mouthful. , better than a poke in the eye I suppose. We were away for 7.50.
Straight away we were slip sliding on muddy field edge,  passed a ariel tower,  and down to cross a road. We had nibbled the last of the custard creamed and felt deprived.
A short respite on a lane then back to trying getting traction.The tape we used around the boots and as doing a good job at peventing water pouring in via the tongue area,  an area which was always a prob in the snow as the gaiters did not cover. Generally pleased with the boots considering they were not real walking boots but snow boots,  insulated and half welly.
Passing some old farming terraces of yester year called Strip Lynchets , reminding me that I will have alot of questions to ask of the internet for more detail than the guide book gives. We approached Dyrham village,  reminding me of a rural French village. A glimpse of the large mixed design Dyrham Park and house.
Moving on via more mud and boot breaching water,  kissing gates especially waterlogged and muddy. One gateway was making use of the  abundant cotswold stone and saved acrobatic manoeuvres to negotiate the hazzards.
Before crossing the A46 I went up to the park garage and with limited funds was able to get a four pack if Bulldog stimulation drink but,  a clear competitor to the Red Bull can we saw littering our route. Tasted so good and if nothing else gave a boost of morale.
We walked diagonally over an upward mud claggy field,  our boots heavy from the clinging mud,  we laughed surprisingly at the up,  the mud and clagged boots ....pure joy!
We eventually made it to Cold Ashton and onto the last chapter of our guide book, we felt close to the end.
We passed a mobile library and I stuck my head in to reminisce the smell if such vehicles,  felt a weirdo though....especially the reaction.
After a few inevitable ups and downs we came to the site of the battle of Lansdown.What made it so interesting was the amount of information boards which could paint an atmosphere. The battle was one of the English Civil War back in 1643 ....excellent who ever was responsible,  for the info not the war.
The battle site markers followed us for the next couple of miles passed a Roman Camp which I could not identify at all so had to take the maps word for it, and then onto a shock vista of Bristol and the Severn Bridges ...oh yes no rain and it was now sunny and clear.
We rounded Bath race course, the stands stood out for some time,  I even thought it was the clubhouse of the golf course we had skirted.
Eventually we stood over Bath a magnificent view and final destination on the Cotswolds Way.
We still had a few miles though and not all ckean,  especially as we dropped via a nature reserve around the knoll called Kelston Round Hill. It was down hill now though the end was near as we gained the town edge at Weston weaving our way passed shops and increasingly grand houses. We stopped for a drink snd choc,  purchasing noodles from a Oriental shop, great camping food.
Bath was a delight , passing architecture heaven; Victoria Park,  Royal Crescent and into the grand,  every turned corner a delight. By far the most interesting large town/ city ee have gone through,  so clean and historic. I will be back.
We found the Abbey and got a passer by to take our photo. We were mud splattered and probably smelt be we had done it in six days.We went for a celebratory drink .
Slightly light headed we made our way to the Youth hostel a mile and a half through the city and up a long flash victorian street houses.
We spent the evening in a multicultural hostel,   washing ourselves,  clothes laundered,  fixing gear ( pack,  trousers,  gaiters.  My pack hip belt was hanging on by threads so was pleased to get it fixed,  I used cotton picked up on route to the Yha bloody strong stuff,  garotting J's fingers as he tried to snap it. What was snapped was the last needle....good excuse to stop sewing even though I need to sew boot stitching.Blogged,  spoke to Monique and and bed to a snoring Russian and six others.