Day 17 - Nottingham to Kirkby in Ashfield

As you've probably realised I've fallen behind on these posts, in the evenings I've been talking, eating, sleeping and each day I'm walking. No time for writing! 

I'm happy to say I have reached Bradford, I'm home! I'll be continuing to update the blog over the next few days with a post for each day of my journey because there are stories and memories still to share.

There were 14.5 miles ahead of me today and after my rest day and 2 nights in Nottingham I wondered how I'd feel walking again. It was the first day I'd set off with rain falling. I put waterproofs on, including covers for my rucksacks (first time on this journey) and headed out to walk through the city to the countryside. The first thing I noticed was how warm the air temperature was compared to the previous days walking, it was about 12 degrees and felt balmy! I very quickly had to stop and take some layers off. It also stopped raining before I'd even had a chance to put some music on to give me that boost on a grey day and put a spring in my step which I felt I needed to get myself going again. I had set off after 10am a bit later than planned but it worked out well rain-wise. 

My app told me to go West so of course I got the Pet Shop Boys in my head and walked through Nottingham listening to their music and remembering when Ro and I heard them in passing at Glastonbury and stayed to dance for a while.

My knees felt a bit stiff and I noticed the weight of my bags but I just needed to warm up and quickly found my rhythm again, happy to be back on the road and getting ever closer to Yorkshire. However today did feel like a day I needed to just get through.

After all the rain the previous day there was a lot of water at the side of the road and a few car drivers decided to intentionally drive fast through the water to splash me, it happened 3 or 4 times. I've experienced this before in Bradford and depending on how I'm feeling can make me angry or upset but also sad that people think it's ok or funny to do it. It's worse if I'm heading out somewhere, but today I felt I was one up on these drivers because I was FULLY WATERPROOFED! In my head, and possibly out loud I said (with some extra swearing!) 'bring it on, it doesn't bother me at all'

John had made me coffee before I left, one to drink with breakfast and one for the road. I was going to stop in a park for a drink but weirdly a large group of pigeons decided to start following me, even though there was someone putting food down for them a few metres away. I didn't want their company so carried on through the park and stopped on a bench near some shops just as it started raining again, but more like drizzle. Continuing through houses, I walked down an alleyway and suddenly was in fields. I passed a few dog walkers and asked one which path I should take as they were parallel. He said the left was the bridleway for horses and would be muddy so I should take the other. I hadn't gone far when a small fly flew directly into my open eye! I wasn't able to wash my hands and with no mirror didn't want to go digging around to try and get it out. I poured some water in my eye, but could still feel it in there, it wasn't bothering me much so I carried on. The paths were really easy to follow and a mix of open fields and woods.

At 2pm I realised I needed to eat lunch so found a wall next to a road that was low enough to sit on and ate the delicious leftovers from last night's feast! Some refreshment stops are picturesque and some are just practical. I couldn't spend too long there and I'm sure the location helped me move on quickly! I still had 5.5 miles to go and it felt like a day where it never really got light and would soon get dark. There was also some elevation which I was happy about but with my big bag could slow me down. I walked up quite a steep hill to a moor area then down and along an old railway line which was muddy in places. I listened to podcasts and music as I needed some external input today.

This was an old mining area and I passed reminders of the machinery, community and history of these places. I'm grateful that this walk has taken me through so many areas of the country I've never heard of and might never have seen. That's the beauty of Slow Ways, I planned my route based on 4 specific locations and the rest a random mix taking me North in the most direct off-road route possible .

For the final stretch into Kirkby in Ashfield I decided to change the route and stick to roads, and on reaching my hosts for the night - Janet, Simon, Heather and Abi - Janet told me I had made a good decision as she knew the path I would have taken and said it would have been very muddy! The last 3 miles I walked in heavy rain. Part of me regretted not setting off an hour earlier from Nottingham as I would have had more light rain in the morning but not encountered the downpour of the early evening.

I can't complain because having walked around 2/3 of my total distance and only had 3 miles of heavy rain is pretty incredible. Also on reaching my destination I rang the bell and entered the porch to a warm welcomed by Janet and Simon who before I'd even removed my boots had taken the rain covers off my bags and my waterproofs away to start getting them dry! Hot drinks, pizza and conversation followed, about sewing and knitting, walking, walking gear and the world in terms of travelling and politics. 

Before we ate I took a shower and remembered the fly in my eye from 8 miles ago! I looked in the mirror and it was still there! It hadn't caused any irritation and I removed it easily and slept well later that night.