There was painted sky overhead, predominantly blue and with almost no breeze it was not too long before the jackets were off and we were walking in t-shirts. Initially we were walking on the streets parallel to the river until we cleared the housing in the town, crossing a railway lines and walking on a short riverside walk before reaching open country.
Initially, the pathway here was slightly zig-zaggy, which helps to break up the walk. However, shortly afterwards we came to a long, straight stretch of a couple of miles long, bordering The Cots and on which the grass had recently been cut. Between the hay on the top, the grass growing back underneath and the rough nature of the ground, it was a hard section in the hot sun and we were glad to see the end of it. However, you complain when the grass is cut and you complain when the grass is not cut and sure as fate our next section, while beautiful with lots of grasses, wild flowers and colour, was about three feet high and full of nettles and thistles. Poor old nature just cannot win!
Just off Fosdyke Wash there is a roughly horseshoe-shaped stand of trees that we thought would provide us with some protection from the weather and provide an element of cover from prying eyes. The only drawback was that there was a hefty covering of cut grass on the wall. While this would help to soften the hard ground, it is also a haven for all sorts of beasties and pollen and we looked forward to a ‘scratchy’ night.
In the event it was the pollen that caused us trouble, but more of that tomorrow. For once luck was on our side and we managed to get the canvas up and the gear stored away before the rain came. Oh! And managed a wee cup of tea!