Another quick run around my 'staple' route, this time with a very heavy pack for training. I took three and a half extra litres of water, my paperwork folder which is quite heavy, my work accounts book, a hardback book on herbs and a couple of paperbacks, along with my rapidly-expanding library of Collins Gem reference books. It was stupidly heavy, making me think about emptying some of the water out after three quarters of a mile. With a couple of rest stops to help me cool down I managed to get around the circuit without resorting to lightening my load, and I'm pleased I did.
The weather was beautiful, the first truely sunny day for a short while. Bugs and birds were in plentiful supply, the wheat is up to my knees and the rape is in full flower, almost ready to go over into fruit. I saw blue damselflies by the dozen hopping off the wheat as I walked through, and hundreds of bees enjoying the bountiful cotoneaster apiculata flowers.
This was a recce walk for a group social walk I'm planning under Walking for Wellbeing. It's a nice easy route with some variety, some water and a pub half-way around, although I hope to take people a little further in future.
