Nice lazy start knowing that i was going to be walking less than 10 miles. After a top bacon sandwich for breakfast i said my goodbyes and was off into a beautiful sunny day.
First stop ewood park and grab a photo of where my grandad took me as a boy and then in to darwen. Statue of Jack Walker.
Why is darwen “with” blackburn, why not “and”? I mean, darwen isnt up to much but it seems like an afterthought. I stopped in the centre and had a greggs pasty and a coffee, the only money spent today. Road into darwen depressingly lined with kebab shops, vaping stores and beauty salons.
Then out the other side and found bull hill lane, supposedly the sight of bull hill hospital where i was born but no sign of supposed housing estate replacing it. Maybe its miles up the track. Still, a nice little spot. It wad around here that it suddenly started hailing in a very christmassy sort of way.
Over the scary sounding a666 and its moors, singing as I went, towards bolton but stopped at egerton and then diverted westwards in search of a bed. Came first to sailing club and so stopped for a look at their pretty reservoir. Got talking to two blokes about camping, one, Louis, a father christmas of a bloke. Oh, you dont want to be camping in those woods, he said saucily. What, full of doggers? I joked. Yeah. Ah. Who knows, i said, i might get lucky. They recommended a farm a mile up the hill. I went in search of it but stopped off at too early a farm. Still, the kind owner Sara said i could stay. Im camped quite close to the house. Friendly farmer types once again. To be honest there were loads of places around here i could have stuck my tent but this way is better than a 3am torch in the face. Sara confirmed the area as popular with doggers and also mentioned a lane I’d seen earlier today with vans in that was also a popular spot. I thought it was more of a summer sport, i said. Apparently not. Supposed to be a cold one tonight. That can’t be good for dogging.
Today may have only ended up being a shade over 10 miles but feet and back both felt good. I think this approach of doing short days with the days off in between is good for building up resistance to the initial pain. Hopefully by the time I reach Dover, comfortable 20 mile days will be the norm.
Distance today (km) 17 , total 120.4