Most commented posts
- Day 2 – Gone with the Wind — 7 comments
- Day 15 – Blenheim — 6 comments
- Day 6 – Rollright Stones — 5 comments
- Day 23 – Walking with the End in Sight — 5 comments
- Day 3: Brockenhurst to Lyndhurst — 4 comments
Author's posts
Aug 30
Day 3: Bethersden to Sissinghurst
A beautiful walk to Sissinghurst and miles through Hemsted Wood, where, dappled and mysterious, you would expect to see Robin Hood fighting with the Sheriff of Nottingham at any time. Then, last, ”Rogers wood” where the missing apostrophe jars with me. Scots Free? I hear that Ruth Davison has resigned from the leadership of the …
Aug 29
Day 2: Wye to Bethersden
Low humidity and clear skies: one of those peerless days when you are conscious that it is great to be alive. Feeling Alive The late Jim Slater once said that if you are over seventy and you wake up without hurting somewhere, it means you are dead! That said, resolutely walking through aches and pains …
Aug 28
Day 1: Canterbury to Wye
A great send off outside Canterbury Cathedral with our friend Allanah playing us off on her trumpet. Then chaos as teething problems with the new handheld GPS meant that we set off four miles in the wrong direction. Boom! Who is the guilty party, who’s to blame? We crawled back to the centre and started …
Aug 27
The Day Before
“No Deal” Zimbabwe We start from Canterbury Cathedral. Present are my wife, Jane, my eldest daughter, Revd Clare Hayns (chaplain of Christ Church, Oxford), Alannah Jeune, a PhD student from New Zealand, and the Revd Jonathan Aitken and some of his family. Alannah is an accomplished trumpet player and gives a fine voluntary to see …
Jul 19
The Day After
Of course, it’s good to be back after charging round the South of England. Back at our house, our little cat is delighted that we have returned. Did you know that when cats are happy they stick up their tails and waggle the top – if you didn’t know that, remember you heard it here …
Jul 18
Day 15: Buckland to Oxford
We have finished! We were met at Christ Church and daughter Clare – Christ Church chaplain – bless her, laid on a reception in her rooms. We tottered in and the first thing that Moses did was to be violently sick on the new carpet! The longest day… Apparently the normal Roman day’s march was …
Jul 17
Day 14: Sevenhampton to Buckland
Eleven people in total with me as the Pied Piper, all great fun as the end of the long walk is now in sight. Today was a mix of fields and woods and then for lunch the ancient town of Faringdon. We only got lost a couple of times with “Fred” the little guide on …
Jul 16
Day 13: Royal Wootton Bassett to Sevenhampton
A few nights ago we were offered a choice: to watch the World Cup or attend a lecture on Dunkirk? I asked Jane and driver Markus for their views. Jane plumped for the World Cup: Markus said, “With two uncles killed at Stalingrad plus the fact I am German, the UK blithering on about Dunkirk …
Jul 15
Day 12: Calne to Royal Wootton Bassett
Joint Success My two new hips and right knee have had a tough work-out and are doing well. On our heroic trek from Edinburgh to London in 2010, to the astonishment of passers by, I was obliged to pray like a Muslim every three hours or so and stretch my hips to obtain some relief. …
Jul 14
Day 11: Corsham to Calne
Eleven miles through Cotswold countryside, walking through endless fields, many of them more or less rendered impenetrable by selfish farmers who appear to have no consideration for walkers. Theresa May claims the worst thing she has ever done wasto run through a cornfield! Well I have charged through several recently and in my view blazing …