Day 26 - Bristol to Chepstow - 23 miles.

I left Sally, Vero and Mike early and caught the X4 back towards Bristol so by just after 9, I was again crossing the suspension bridge in to Clifton to restart my walk..

The polling station hadn't been open long.

I walked up Whiteladies' and Black Boy Hill to remind myself of some old haunts. The Downs were looking at their their best in the lovely sunshine.

As I walked across disappeared off the Northern edge of the Downs, it reminded me of how quickly you can get away from  the hurly burly of Bristol.

I took a brief detour into the Botanics

and then continued down a beautiful green shaded lane where I met Lorna and Jennifer.

Jennifer is 85 and despite her failing eyesight, with help from Lorna she still walks 7 miles a day. Even during lockdown, whilst on her own she established a regular circuit that enabled her to get out for her exercise. 

At Blaise Castle, I met Pete who pointed out the ravens nest in the tall pine tree which overlooks the castle and has been used by the same male for the last 5 years despite having an over attentive buzzard as a neighbour - which as if on command soared into view over the pine tree. Without making them pets, Pete showed me photographs of the wildlife he's  befriended - hedghogs, badgers, deer, a Robin and generations of foxes all of whom he knows by their individual markings.

Pete had been bereaved recently two years ago by his wife and then a few months ago by his daughter. He said that keeping in touch with nature was his sanity.

Trying to take a shortcut through a graveyard is never a good idea - 

I end up stopping to look at names and dates and inscriptions and think of their circumstances and their families.

Today's been a day of Brimstones - very difficult to photograph but the others certainly got a look in.

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Peacock

Tortoiseshell

Somewhere near Almondsbury, i met Ed. A rather surreal as he carried his surfbaord across open farmland - as a whole troop of other people were doing from an assortment of cars and colourful VW campervans. Ed was up from Portland in Dorset for an afternoon's surfing.

The Wave is an artificial surf machine  which generates in 3 or 4 minute intervals sequences of waves of Ny shape or size you'd like. There's beginner, intermediate or.....Waikiki!!!

I had a chat with Ben, the lifeguard who explained how the machinery works and how each wave is generated - clever.

By the time I reached Aust, I was starting to run out of VaVaVoom!!

After a long day's walking, I eventually came to the Severn Bridge

Walking across the bridge I was doing my best to sing loudly over the sound of the traffic and in my best baritone the

Green Green Grass of Home.

   The home town looks the same 

   As I step down from the train

   And there to greet me..... etc etc

There was a band that we used to go to hear when I was a student in Cardiff who while keeping to generally the same words played a rather different conspiratorial version - always well supported during the choruses!

Walking in to Chepstow I met Kelly and Charlotte

who were walking their rabbits Leroy and Stitch. It was fortunately a lovely sunny balmy evening as neither of the rabbits are fond of being taken out in the rain.   Both just love eating dandelions - sometimes the yellow flower, sometimes the stalk and sometimes the grey seedy head - which apparently is worth seeing! 

A long day.

Total distance so far = 324.6  miles

Total ascent so far = 42 378 feet

If you're tempted to contribute to any or all of the great charities I'm supporting, here are the relevant links.

Parkinsons UK   - My dad had Parkinsons in his latter years and the research work this charity funds and the support it provides to patients and their families is invaluable. - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-thomas215

Just Wheels UK  - this is a small charity set up to provide wheelchairs in a rural community in Tanzania. It does this through funding training, education and the local fabrication and servicing of bespoke wheelchairs. My nephew uses a wheelchair and as he grows I can see the life changing freedoms that proper wheelchairs can bring to both users and their families.- 

 https://donate.thebiggive.org.uk/campaign/a056900002H35TDAAZ

- RNLI   - these are the brave guys who selflessly head out to sea to help others. I volunteer at Littlehampton RNLI shop and often meet families of those who’ve had first hand experience of their loved ones being saved from the sea. Having sailed for years I can say thankfully we’ve never had to call on the RNLI's services but it’s amazing what it does to know they are there 

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-thomas216