Great English Walk Day 4 - 20 March 2018

West Malvern to Woodbury Hill

Walking 8.30am to 5.15pm

Distance walked today 18 miles
Distance walked so far 69 miles 

Distance left 514 miles

Mike treated me to a cooked breakfast which set me up for the day. Val left early to catch a train to Berwick upon Tweed. It never occurred to me to do the same and end this walk early - honest. Mike took me up some steps behind his cottage which led along the hillside above all the houses with magnificent views opening up to the west. It was a beautiful clear morning and we could just make out the Clee Hills where I'll be the day after tomorrow. Thanks Mike for your great hospitality. 

Dropping down to the road, I joined the Worcestershire Way which I was to follow on and off all day. The snow had largely gone and I was surprised that the ground wasn't as wet and muddy as I'd expected. The route took me by a number of apple and pear orchards just beginning to bud. 

At Alfrick I had a mid morning break in a delightful nature reserve. There was no one else around. Just past Knightwick I had lunch on the bank of the muddy, fast flowing River Teme. Plenty of tree branches and logs being carried along but no bodies. 

Past Martley, I rejoined the Worcestershire Way over the length of a long, thin belt of woodland. Such lovely views. Leaving the WW, I followed a field path. A woman came into view and I wondered if she would be bringing my trail magic for today. When she was about two hundred yards from me I slipped on mud and hit the ground. When I had got to my feet, the woman had disappeared through a hedge on to another path. It clearly wasn't meant to be. 

So, a good wild camp tonight on Woodbury Hill, a forested Iron Age hill fort. All is quiet although I heard a distant muntjac earlier. The weather has been dry today. It's warming up a bit.