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LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOODDerek Harwood's Walking Records If you have any queries about the pictures or descriptions e-mail me at: derek@harwoodonline.com | |||||
Lands End to John o'Groats Fill-in Path
Berrow Triangle to Purn Tuesday 7th July 2015 ........................................Walk No. 1094 |
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Lands End to John o'Groats Fill-in No. 8 Total 58.5 miles Time Taken: 3:50 hrs Distance: Enjoyment: Weather: Sunny 11:50 am - 15:20 pm 5.50 miles 80% and very windy. Temp: Cloud: Rain: Visibility: Ground Conditions: Nature: 18oC 25% 0% Good Excellent sea gulls, reed warblers Total AA: Total MH: Total LD: Total AW: Other: Total Distance: 1116.5 mls 976.0 mls 3227.5 mls 167.5 mls 1916 mls 7403.5 miles Companions: (Derek) and Ann Points of Interest and LINKS: Burnham on Sea Berrow Marshland Birds Severn Estuary Rose Farm Holiday & Touring Park PurnDescription:
We walked out of the caravan park to the main road, A370, Bridgwater Road and waited at the imaginary bus stop to travel south. With three buses an hour we were surprised to wait almost three-quarters of an hour. When we boarded the bus and talked to the passengers, it turned out that the earlier bus had had an accident and been withdrawn. Also another bus did not arrive, so the bus we were on had three times the number of passengers and was packed. We were on the bus over an hour because the bus stopped at almost every stop and picked up many passengers each time. When we finally reached Berrow Triangle we looked for a coffee shop, but were out of luck. We asked a couple of chatting ladies and they directed us to 'Westcroft Farm Shop'. Changing our proposed route slightly, we walked directly along Berrow Road to the farm shop and enjoyed a welcome cream tea, although the farm shop was very run-down and needed an urgent face-lift. Both fully refreshed, we continued along Red Road taking great care of the traffic on the lane. It was a very busy lane, with almost constant traffic, one way or the other. When we reached 'Animal Farm' we entered the car park and looked for a seat, but only managed to perch on a raised flower bed for a minute or two. We soon reached the junction of Wick Road with its old finger post. We turned right in the direction of Weston, seven miles, but even more care was required as there was more traffic and more bends. When we reached Wicks Farm, thankfully we turned off the lane along a smaller lane which led to a public footpath at Wick Farm. Ann posed at the ornate gates to the farmhouse, but we by-passed the gate to a farm gate leading to an open grazing field. We looked across the field in the direction of the arrow on the public footpath sign and headed towards a distant gate. As we approached the gate we could see the public footpath sign on the gate but beyond the gate was a jungle. I studied the map but there was no other way forward. The adjacent fields were separated from each other by drainage ditches and the alternative road route involved several miles of extra walking. As my hat kept blowing off I had to remove it to my rucksack and apply sun cream. The journey through the jungle was worse that we could've imagined with overgrown bushes, thistles, stinging nettles and brambles. We ploughed ahead, albeit very slowly, at about half a mile an hour, or less. On the map the lane was no longer than half a mile, but the going was so slow we couldn't estimate how far we had gone, or how far it was for us to get to the other side. After many scratches and stings we encountered another problem of hidden holes in the ground, possibly dug by rabbits in previous years as we did spot a rabbit in an adjacent field. Eventually, and to our relief, we had a glimpse of the end, a shed, which turned out to be a stable. The end of the 'jungle' terminated by a farm gate with an internal pedestrian gate, the same as the gate at the start of the 'jungle'. From the gate we walked through long grass but that was no problem. As we passed several stables we noticed a horse grazing and we passed it nervously, avoiding eye contact. Finally we reached the lane parallel to the railway line and guessed how many trains would pass us as we walked along the straight road adjacent to the railway. Ann guessed one train and I guessed two, but Ann was right. Crossing the River Axe at a narrow bridge, even more caution was required. We crossed the railway at Summerways road bridge and after a few more bends in the road we arrived at the main road A370 and the caravan site. We tried to enter the site via a side gate from the lane, but it was well and truly locked. I'd had another good day's walking with Ann, never to be forgotten.
Location Map: -
www.streetmap.co.uk, -
Start: at Berrow
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