OSGB GRID REF. SX593944. OKEHAMPTON

SWANS ON GRAND WESTERN CANAL

MARY & RAY FROM HALBERTON

BICKLEIGH BRIDGE

MY FELINE COMPANION AT THE RED LION, SHOBROOKE

FRIENDS PETER & ANTHEA

OKEHAMPTON YOUTH HOSTEL IN OLD RAILWAY BUILDING

With liberal amounts of tea and a bowlful of porridge inside me, I said farewell to Susan and Paul and headed west again. I principally followed the West Deane Way, but deviated onto minor roads and other paths when it suited me (or I made a mistake). My route more-or-less followed the River Tone to Greenham Weir where I was able to join the Grand Western Canal. I love canals because they are picturesque, I can walk quickly along the level towpaths and the possibility of making navigational errors is slight.

I followed the canal south until I reached Sampford Peverell, which has two pubs, both serving food, but decided that I still had time to walk a bit further. According to my map, the next village, Halberton, also had a pub. However, when I got to 'The Barge' I discovered that they could not serve food because the kitchens were being refurbished. They didn't have a lawn on which I could pitch my tent either. Naturally, I did what anyone else would do; buy a pint of cider and then break down and sob uncontrollably into it. My pathetic display soon attracted the sympathy of a chap called Ray who lives opposite and offered the use of his garden as a campsite. I also noted that there would be a pub quiz later that evening with an accompanying buffet supper, so for the modest entry fee of £2 (which Ray paid) I joined a team and solved my food problems too. Our team came 2nd and I received several charity donations from Barge regulars.

Next morning Ray's wife, Mary, gave me some breakfast and we had a photo-session before I walked the final part of the Grand Western Canal into Tiverton, an excellent place to find a cafe where I could carry out my blog-writing duties.

From Tiverton I headed south along the Exe Valley Trail, although I was somewhat surprised to find that a valley walk involved 150m of climbing! After about 8 miles I reached Thorverton where I turned west along some minor roads for another 4 miles to reach Shobrooke. "What's at Shobrooke?", you might ask! Well, you've probably guessed, and it's called The Red Lion Inn. I can hear some people saying, "This charity walk is just an excuse for a mammoth pub crawl". Well, I have only one thing to say to such cynics, and it's "Mine's a Guinness".

Outside the Red Lion was an unassuming chap with a tea-towel tucked into his belt smoking a cigarette. Guy turned out to be the landlord. Pitching my tent on the lawn was no problem and Guy's wife, Lesley, was happy to feed me. I was also adopted for the evening by one of the pub's cats.

That night was the coldest so far and I had to tighten the draw cord on the hood of my sleeping bag for the first time. When I poked my head out of the tent early Sunday morning there was a thick mist and the fly sheet was soaking wet. I wanted to be away by 9.00am so, inevitably, it was still wet when I packed it. Guy kindly treated me to some breakfast before I departed for what would be short road walk to Crediton, then a longer one to Spreyton.

I reached the Tom Cobley Tavern in Spreyton shortly after 1.00pm to be treated to food for the second time that day - this time it was a roast dinner courtesy of friends Anthea and Peter Benham, who had come to visit me during my trek. Peter had brought his boots, so he accompanied me to Okehampton afterwards, a walk of about 8 miles with the latter half mainly along the route of the Tarka Trail. We were met in Okehampton by Anthea, who had taken my rucksack in their car, allowing me to travel light.

After they drove off, I walked up to Okehampton Youth Hostel to enjoy my first night indoors for a week. Monday would be a rest day.