Wed 5th May - Day 19, Moorland to Wookey Hole (25 miles)

It was not a good start to the day, waking up with a headache, I knew I shouldn't have had 2 pints of beer shandy last night.

There was no rain but it didn't look far away ao I set off at 07:20 in my waterproofs, taking the path then the road along the side of the River Parrett to get to Burrowbridge.

Turning left onto the A361 to Othery then right for 1 mile on the A372 over the Sowy River to get to the first footpath at Beer Door. There was a snack van in a layby near here so I had a break while I ate a bacon roll & a drink of tea.

I can't believe any of these footpaths that are shown on the map are ever used, the grass was long & wet and after 15 mins I had to turn back because I couldn't cross a drain. The area around here is so flat, the only prominent feature being Glastonbury Tor, that all these fields seem to be bounded by drains and they are too wide to jump across.

I decided to stick to the boring roads (long, straight & flat) after that and went through Beer, Charity Farm, Nythe, Butleigh Moor and into Walton. Then it was the A39 through Street and into Glastonbury town centre where I had a late lunch hour at 14:30.

It was too early to stop so I pushed on taking the cycle route no 3 on a minor road out of Glastonbury along Queens Sedge Moor, over the cross roads at Launcherley to Wellesley Farm.

I picked up the Monarchs Way here, a short section of footpath taking me into Wells then along the minor roads to arrive at the campsite at Wookey Hole at 18:50.

I had been on the go for 11½ hours and walked 25 miles, mainly on the road and when I took off my rucsac and boots I truly felt that light that I was walking on air. I need a break !!

It's been a long uninteresting day, the whole area is flat & cris-crossed by wide drains & straight roads.
I didn't see any other walkers again and the highlight was probably seeing a small deer in one of the fields and the squirrels at Wookey Hole.

308 miles completed.