I had been invited for a drink at the Green Bottle Battlesbridge this evening and so I set off early. It was going to be a long day, some 19 miles.
The first half of the walk was a nice section along the Crouch with even a small hill for variety. The second part was a long, or it least felt long, walk along the road to the North of South Woodbridge Ferrers. I’m getting better at road walking now but am still not a fan of it. Having to keep flattening yourself into a blackthorn hedge as cars pass too close gets wearing after a while.
I finally arrived at the Green Bottle much to the surprise of the few locals who were there. They don’t get many walkers and it is well off the beaten track tucked away in a collection of antique stalls and a garden centre. After I explained what I was up to the locals were very friendly and bought me some beers.
Then Roy turned up. He had kindly offered to let me camp in the grounds of his mill . He was a very interesting character and had sailed the Atlantic and raced in a J type yacht, the equivalent of Formula 1.
Finally the guy Paul who I had met in Northumberland turned up and more beer flowed.
My tent wasn’t erected as straight as it might have been that night.