Slow Ways Route – Walkwat one
I woke early, and watched the sun rise illuminating the little valley stretched out before me. In other circumstances the mist hanging in the valley bottom would have been idyllic but there I was anxious about now being a day behind and with a phone which was about to die. I got packed up as soon as I could so my kind neighbours wouldn’t have to wait. One of the other campers came up and chatted about my tent and then offered me his power bank to charge my phone for a few minutes. Every little helps. I got my lift back into Watton. When I got there the church bells were ringing and whilst I could have started walking straight away I decided I would go to church.
There were just a few people there when I arrived who were so welcoming. Obviously when I walk in with a backpack the conversation turns to what I am doing and why. I summon up the courage to ask if I can charge my phone while I am there and it was no problem at all. I would not be the first occasion where I think that not only was I blessed because my need was met because I asked for help but others were blessed too because they were able to help. I met others as they arrived and the feeling of welcome was all the greater. I was able to meet the Rector who I had spoken to on the phone the day before which was good.
The service was lovely and reminded me of those I had grown up with at St Lawrence in Jersey. The last hymn was Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer. As the Rector finished her notices at the end of the service, she made mention of having a pilgrim in their midst and invited me up to tell everyone what I was doing. I did that and then the the Rector decided I needed some breakfast and soon a volunteer was found to feed me before I set off again. It was all quite overwhelming, receiving the kindness of strangers who were strangers only in the sense that I had not met them before. A lovely couple gave me tea and bacon sandwiches and then I started walking again. I had a very precious time with the folk at St Andrew and St Mary’s church. It was a very late start but I booked a pitch oat the campsite where I had been last night online so I knew I was ok for somewhere to sleep. I also had a fully charged phone. I knew I would have to suffer the heat of the day but that was a given, no matter when I started.
I set off through the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside. It was hot but there was some occasional breezes. I only had one minor navigational error when I was trusting the downloaded route on my phone rather than the public footpath sign I passed.
It was lovely rolling countryside with mainly tracks through the fields. I came to the village of Benington which the OS Map reckoned had a pub. I began dreaming of a nice cool pint of lemonade, my drink of choice if I hadn’t finished walking for the day. When I got there I discovered the pub had closed down, what a disappointment! I had to make do with some water. I did find a shady bench though. I was getting more concerned about my feet as they were really sore.
On I walked to the village of Walkern which was the end of today’s route. I stopped at the local shop and stocked up on drinks and snacks then walked a bit further down the street to the pub which was open! I chatted to some people at the bar and got directions to the campsite at Church Farm, Ardley. It was a lovely walk over a bridge beside a ford, past an old church and through some woodland. The campsite felt very different from last night. It was almost deserted and the pitch I was allocated was in some woodland, which seemed a long way from the entrance. I got pitched up then decided I needed to go to the pub to get some charging done. Sadly they had stopped serving food again by the time I arrived but it was a great friendly place.
As the day ended I reflected how kind people had been to me in so many different ways and that a large part of my life I had not been open to receiving from others because of my independent nature and the determination not to be a bother to people.