Composed on Day 33:
Uttoxeter to Thorpe. The day dawned cold with a fresh breeze-but dry. My notes indicated less than 15 m today but it was another occasion when, on marking every km on the map, it looked nearer 20 m. I can see that when plotting the route on my maps I tended to “cut corners” as it was plotted as a series of short straight lines but I am perplexed how the resulting error could be so large. Anyway I suspected a long day.
Away at 8.20 with cagoule and hat because of the cold wind. The terrain N of Uttoxeter was slightly hillier. Still mainly grassland. The sun gradually became warmer and it was quite pleasant following the R. Dove.
Met a runner as I approached Rocester. He had seen me as I had shopped in Tescos the day before and had read my banner so knew of my mission. Full of encouragement.
Rocester is dominated by JCB. This was their works
I was more concerned with the clouds building up to the W.
I then saw Richard Arkwright’s Tutbury Mill
which turns out to now be the “JCB Academy”. On Leating Rocester I passed another huge building-”JCB World Headquarters”.
Met some unusual looking sheep
Got to Ellastone in reasonable time so a short detour to Norbury to see a 13th century hall and church just a 100 y younger. Could not go in
Pot of tea for two at the Duncombe Arms. The most expensive yet at £4.40 and I only got 3 cups out of it. Shop in the village had closed so my later lunch was only cheese.
Absolutely delightful walk alongside Ordley Brook. Dense woodland of all sorts of trees birds singing dappled sunlight through the trees.
On getting over the skyline in this photo I was definitely in the Peak District. Hills barns in isolated fields, stone walls. Also higher-I walked through a bank of snow, a relic of a snow drift.
Then over another hill and the limestone of the White Peak was apparent
Came across an unusual style
it was fine for my boots but my calfs were a tight fit. I had met a similar narrow style earlier, my boots were too wide for the gap and I had had to lift them over the top of the style.
Got to the campsite at 4.50 with its shop closing at 5.00 a close call.
Two April showers otherwise dry all day. Pretty good.
Tissington Trail to Monyash tomorrow: no difficult route finding, no hills, no styles. But there may well be no shops so some careful planning will be called for.
