It was raining at 6 when I woke. I again was a little restless, waking a few times as gusts and rain intermitently hit the tent, although we were fairly sheltered. We had porridge with weetabix as I had forgotten to get some again. Luckily the rain had stopped on getting up and out of the tent. The M5 again was a stream of light and the moon stood above it. We were packed up and ready to go when J said he had left his phone in the tent, the tent that was rolled up and packed away...pain! At least it was there and soon recovered only wasting 10 mins and away at 7.50. There was a fine sunrise over the golf course clubhouse.
By the time we descended we were hit by a massive shower, sheltering under a holly bush. J thought the shower was going to be light so left his waterproof bots off, bad decision as it poured to the extent of rivers in roads. We stopped 100 metres on for him to get them on, his trousers soaked.
Alot of the terrain today was waterlogged and felt different from previous days.
A couple of miles on we went through North Nibley dominated by the Tyndale Monument. It was high on a hill and the route was barred due to a fairly bad landslip , suggesting an alternative route.
Up at the monument to William Tyndale, the chap who translated the bible into English in the 1500s. We climbed the spiral staircase to the top of the tower for a breezy look around. The Severn bridge visible.
We walked on, again via muddy paths through a wood.
Approaching Wooton Under Edge a stand of trees with a wall to the commemorate the battle of Waterloo, it looked badly kept.
A steep mud slidey route took us to Wooton. I left J on a bench freezing as I popped in to the town centre for choc and drink. I returned to realise we would be going through the centre anyway ....J was fairly chilled on my return. We followed the guide book route which was better than the one I had taken ...I am a pratt!
We walked out via a stream which was in flood then a steep climb up a lane. The lane was a near stream as water flowed down it over cotwold stone.We noticed a few fossils and stopped to extract them...more weight!
As we again went down we walked in a deep cut gulley with a tree freshly wind felled. Again water flowed and it felt like walking on a river base.
Alot of today was walking low lying farm land, fields chewed up by horse and cows. The constant slop slop of wet ground and water splashing higher than the gaiters protection.
Near Kilcott Mill the lane was flooded path and we were thankfull for a respite of road via Lower Kilcott.
Again off road we took a lane and wet path to a monument which was similar to Tyndale one, it seemed to be in someones garden.
Skirting Hawkesbury on Bath Lane we met up with the Monarchs Way and down to Horton Court a National Trust property. Grand old place with bits from 12 century. We went via an alternative iron age fort , not alot to look at the but raised banks.
The village of Horton came and went with another slog x country to Little Sodbury where the more complete fort stood in equally less inspiring condition, banks of grass in a large couple of acres site. It lacked info.
We plodded on time getting on via Old Sodbury, Coombes End and into Doddington Park.
This estate seemed to want to keep the public at bay, a new cotswolds six foot wall was being constructed, trees were being planted around the distant Manor House and signs saying NO SLEDGING.... bloody snobs! I was tempted to pitch by the metal stag in their park.
Well out of there we walked over the M4 and in fading light sought out the grave picnic site where we hoped to get water. On getting to the scummy spot of dumped refuse and picnic benches we discovered that the loos had been demolished so waterless we pitched in the dark of the adjacent Beacon Lane Plantation well out of the way.We had done over 20 miles and climbed into the tent not caring about the lack of water but pleased to stop...it was 5.45 the latest for a couple of months. J said he missed the tea at the end of the day. Our reward will be finishing the Cotswolds Way tomorrow. I was asleep by 7.
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