Esta va por Luis Enrique

Hi all.

I am in Glastonbury, waiting for Paco and the Festival. After this update you'll probably not hear of me for a week or so. I'll update the blog again whenever I recover conciousness and main brain functions after the festival...

Last time I updated this space I was a bit short of time so there it goes a few more pictures and stories.

Before arriving to Taunton We had a wild encounter with an over excited horse. Lyndon grabbed a melon size rock, just in case.

Overexcited horse

Just after Lyndon left I manage to get some tickets for the cricket to see a twenty20 game. It rained, so all I had was 2 hours wait until the Vampires decided there would be no game. Great!

Somerset Cricket ground. It really looked like a horror film sky. Is that why they call them vampires.....?????

After that I went back (went back, funny) to the pub for more local juices and updating my blog. Not great atmosphere I should say. Lots of drunks. I left quickly.

On the next day the plan was walking all the way to Glastonbury. Looking at the map it looked like a challenging walk.

In the beginning I walked by the Taunton canal (not ugly but not too exiting scenery) towards west. After a while I took the path by the river tone, entering into the Somerset levels, that as far I undestand are flat farming states at just sea level. not very exiciting landscape again, but lots of birds to watch, and cows and bulls too. The path by the river soon became a sea of knettles, so I put my long trousers on and kept my arms lifted. The green sea became too thick to walk though so I decided to walk in the hills that run parallel, on country lanes.

A half decent shot, think. Maybe a bit dark.

Past the next ridge of hills descended to a the next valley, or level. It was much more attractive, an it was much more like the Somerset image I had in my head, less flat and a bit more hilly. By this time I was deciding that as I was not in a hurry I would had something to eat, and a local juice, and see the football game in the next pub with a screen. That decision converted the walk in a race, and it did not finish until i got to Street High Street (main road in a plac called Street, that is a couple of miles south Glasto).

It was 9 hours walk and my shoulders and feet were nackered. had my "juices" and hamburger, that tasted like heaven, and left the place, quickly as well, because the advertising flag can call attention of not very nice drunks as well as people willing to donate. They thought the flag was a toy, and I had to make clear it was not.

Left the pub and it began raining furiously. Not good when you are planning to wild camp. Waited for half an hour and luckily it sopped, found a nice field and slept.

This is what happens every morning when I put my rucksack on. Add "transforming-Hulk" to it!

On the next day I bought a couple of wellies for the festival and walked for an hour to the camping in Glasto. From then, and after the shower and a giant breakfast consisting in a pint of milk, another one of orange juice (real juice this time ;-) ), packet of chocolate biscuits, browney, two apples, and orange, and some bread and cheeses, I concentrated in phsychologically preparing for the game later in the night. How would face such a national challenge.

First sight of promissed land. Glastonbury Tor.

Eventually, and I mean eventually, everything went well, and after almost eating my jacket, we went through in the penalties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The mentallity and soul of a nation changed for ever. A massive phsycollogical barrier destroyed: we also can be lucky when playing international football quarter finals against Italy. HA HA!!!

Went to bed with a huge smile and dreamt with Iker Casillas.

Today I am just taking it easy (life is beautiful and the sun is shining), I'll read the newspaper, starting from the back pages, of course, and will find out my way to the festival that apparently is not too close to the town.

I think i will go up to the Tor as well.

That is all from Gran Bretania. I hope you are well and remember that you can donate for East Anglia Children's Hospice at www.justgiving.com/carlosfl. Thank you.

Bye for now

Carlos

Hi all

I am in Tauton, jus waiting to see my first cricket game ever. I am so excited. It is going to be a twenty20 game. Great!

Exeter Cathedral

Exeter was great: On saturday Spain won its game and met some fantastic people there. Fernando and company from Pravia (Asturias) and Madrid. And Natalie, a lovely greek origin student. I hope to see you sometime soon, Natalie.

As I was running too early to be on time in Glastonbury, I took it really easy, and on sunday I spolied myself going to the cinema and saw The Hulk. Good one!

Then I walked for two and a half hours to a camping just outside Exeter in Langford. From there I had 40 minutes walk to the pub, for my daily beers, and updating my diary. The beer engine is a very nice pub where they brew their own beer.

I seat down in the bar to write my diary as I was holding my cricket ball in my left hand. There were some cricketers in the pub and we spoke for a while. They had been playing that very evening. One of them knew Spain very well and had done the Santiago trail and knew

Asturias, Galicia, and other less known parts of Spain in the late 70s. He had some trouble with the Guardia Civil!!Toby and me in the Beer engine

They were really friendly and the locla cider flowed in large quantities. I walked 40 minutes back to the tent in beautiful moon light. Felt like flying.

On the next day I walked to Tiverton. First I followed the Exe river valley, but it quickly narrowed and got up to the hills on the west side of the river.

View of the Exe valley

From there back down again to the valley. Looking at the map I thought it would be the kind of landscape you find in the Arun valley by Arundel, a very wide valley, and flat (not very attractive to my taste), but it was a nice narrow one, with lots of vegetation.

On that night I stayed with Phil and his wife place in withleigh, a small village outside Tiverton. Their place is as strange as awsome, and they were extremely nice. Thanks to them now I have a flag that shows what I am doing, the details of my blog, and I am getting lost of donations since then. Thanks a lot for that.

Beautiful strange house in a gorgeous location.

Not only the donations: on tuesday morning a guy from the local Tiverton Gazzete spotted the flag, and I got an interview and a few pictures done. I am Tiverton famous now!!!!In Tiverton I met Lyndon and we walked together for a few days. On tuesday we walked following the Great Western Canal

Canal boat being towed by horse

We stayed in a camping and managed to watch Italy-France. Sorry, so sorry. We got Italy for the quarter finals. I am gutted. I know we can't beat Italy. Being beaten by Italy is like Paella, Sevillanas, la siesta, the sun in the mediterranean coast, or Picos de Europa in Asturias.... it is custome, tradition.... we are out, and I am traumatised even before the game....

Next day we alked in the Black down hills. Beautiful contours, with woods and fields, very much like the North Downs in my opinion. We visited the Wellington monument and slept in a B+B in Wellington and managed to see Spain victory... still gutted!!

Had a little bit of rain at the end of the day.

A copuple of English men discousing State affairs!!

On thursday went back up again to the Black Down hills and wondered up and down the hill in a way that was aquite a dishonour for this Orienteering champion. Got lost one or two times and did not manage to see the first quarter final of the Championship. Germany through.

The evening was lovely. I would say it was the first summer evening, and we camped in a random field. Cider flowed, and Lyndon got quite pissed.

Lyndon

In the morning just an easy walk to Taunton where thanks to the advertising flag we got free brakfats in a local Butcher place.

Lyndon is gone now but we will hopefully meet again in a few days.

I am out of time.

Bye for now.

Carlos

Me in the Bodmin Moor, a few days ago

Hi all.

I am in Exeter. The weather is still being fantastic.

From Launceston I walked to the tiny village of Lydford. The wlk was nothing special excepting the last bit where there was a nice confers wood. The contrast in the border between the usual countryside and the high moorlan is big, just where the village is.

I really enjoyed my time in the village pub; pub quiz. I had just left Cornwall, I was just in Devon, and the gyu would not stop making jokes about Cronish people; amazing!

A cricket ball. My walking mate.

In the morning and set off early to cross the Dartmoor. First up the hill with no

vegetation and threatening clouds. When the path diasspear, i felt a bit lost to be honest. So all I did was take a bearing East, and walk. I should say at this point, that most of the moor is a military range area and that the red flags were up which meant they were shootting. But, according to the lady in the camping at Lydford, they use blanks.

So i walked thorough. It was hard, dificult. there were no paths, and there was plnty of water and bogs and really high grass really to walk on. Machine gun and rifle shooting in the distance.

Anyway, after 3 hours of hard walk, i was done. I left the moor passing by one of the red flags where there was a little hut where a farmer hired by the Defence mynister told me that they were actually using live fire...

Dartmoor threatening sky

Walking out of the moorland, though a path and then a narrow country lane to Chagford, was a pleasure: easy walking.

That night I stayed in Chagford. Beautiful village. I asked in the post office about where to stay in the nice lady sent to Roger and Eileen place; they are a lovely couple. The B+B is great, cheap, and the breakfast very good too.

Eileen and Roger

Leaving Chagford was a shame. Yesterday I walked from Chagford to the youth hostel outside Dunsford. The wakl by the river was a pleasure for the senses. Nice stream, and easy walking in a beautiful day. Reccomendable.

Awsome riverside walk between Chagford and Dunsford

Dunsford is a tiny village with just a pub, and a post office. I updated my diary as usual and had a couple: one ale, and a pint of pear swedish cider, wuite good by the way.

Resting time in the pub...

After a few minutes the pub was full with locals, and there was something that called my attention very much was a group of footballers in their 20s or 30s that came to the pub for a meal and a drink; half of them were women.

Today i left the hostel early. It is not noon yet and i am updating my blog in the library in Exeter. I jus met couple whose son has a girlfriend from Gijon. We should meet in there in late september.

Now, hostel, shower and lunch with Phill and wife. And ten hopefully another hat trick from Villa!!!

See you soon.

Carlos

Feet made for walking...

Hi all.

Just after the last update and walked just outside newquay to a quiet family camp site in front of a beautiful beach. had dinner and went to the pub as every night ( I am starting to wonder if i am an athlete or an alcoholic...???).

There was live music. The performer, an Irish man called Alan was a f***ing (puto) genious. Good singer and better joker.

Onothe same night I met Will and Suzzanne. She was pregnat and due in september, just when I'll be finishing my walk.

That was the best night of the trip so far.

The next morning, another gorgeous day, I had the hardest day so far. I walked al the way to Bodmin, and it was a little bit too much, specially consideing that i am a little bit too early to get to Glastonbury on time.

Anyway, I went all the way to Bodmin, and stayed in a camping. I did not find the town particularly enchanting, or maybe the saturday night atmosphere did not fit my walking shorts and boots. Wrote my diary and went to bed in not the best mood.

Next day was very different. Another amazing sunny day, I walked into the Bodmin moor. The access to this natural place are very nice, with Streams and woods. Very nice.

And then I loved to walk in the moor. No paths, just open land where you can walk any where you like. Awsome!! I had a little problem in a bog (no photos of this one neither) and I arrived to Jamaica Inn stinking shit (or wahtever was in that swamp) a little bit.

The plan was finding a place to stay in Boventor, where the jamaica inn is, but not in the inn itself as it is a bit expensive. i did not find a place, so I stayed in the inn. Just for once...

The pear Rattler cider is even better than the normal one. Delicious!!

Yesterday i continued to walk in the moor: more beautiful streams, and opend land, plus fields with patched woods ( a landscape that i love). The walk was not too long this time but I had a little problem with a blister in a toe, so it was not too pleasent. I stayed in a camping again... well, camping: a field by Silvia's house, plus a house and a toilet. Has my first ever hose shower and that was good fun. Then dinner and, of course, pub. The Eliot Arms in Trigadillet.

Trigadillet is just outside Launceston

Today, and after planning the next couple of days on the maps, I decided to stay in Launceston. My toe need a rest and as i said i am very much in time for Glastonbury. And, I will have time for a proper warm up for the Spain game against Russia. VIva Espania!!!!!!!!!!

In the next days, dartmoor and then all the way straight to Glastonbury, where party awaits.

That is all for the moment. I am just ready to enjoy my rest day.

See you

Carlos

Hola

Un comentario rapido en espaniol pa todos aquellos que les mosquee que no escriba en spanish. Pues resulta que no me apetece mucho escribirlo dos veces. Vosotros el que mas o el que menos chapurrea y entiende la lengua de cervantes. El que tenga mas problema aqui esta el traductor google: http://translate.google.com/

Supongo que entendereis que los ingleses tendrian mucho mas problema con el espaniol por que en general no hablan ni papa.

saludos.

Hi all. I am wiritting form Newquay in a lovely sunny day.... in a minute I'll be heading to the beach. Just after my last post it strated to rain and stayed in The old House Farm in Lelant. Highly recomendable place; nice room and good breakfast too. Adrian and Sue and family were very frinedly as well.

This is the room. Doing planning for the next few days

On Thursday I started walking at nine. Passed hayle and walked the three miles of its beach. Absolutly stunning

after that I walked through the coastal path to St. Agnes. The weather was good throught again.

This time i stayed in a camping just out side town. £6 a night and recomended.

Here I am chilling out after the effort

Pitch the ten and go in town. St is a beautiful village and I had a drink in St Agnes hotel. It was a glad surprise to see they had rattlers cider in it, so i did not have to wait until Bodmin moor for the heavenly liquid!!

Today i was a bit lazy and started walking at 10:30. Coastal path again. I met Clare and Bug. She was making the Cornish coast for charity.

Clare and me

I continued in the coastal path thought Parrenporth. Beautiful beachy village. Recmended for holliday makers. Then I left the coast to get to newquay quickly.

Now, I can't wait to get to the camping and the beach. Woohoo!!!!

See you soon. Carlos

Please donate in www.justgiving.com/carlosfl. Thank you.

St. Ives

Hi all.

From Lands, on monday end I just walk for an hour, because I was too nackered to continue. I slept in White sands, in Sennen. Recomended lodge with good prices, huge breakfast an very friendly staff.

The first walking day, on tuesday, yesterday, was quite frustrating. Footpaths in this part of the country are not the same as in the southeast. Many of them were closed and not very well signed posted. More than once I had to go back on my footsteps and find a different way.

The weather was very nice though.

I have learnt that I need to plan everyday on the map carefully, otherwise I will lose lots of time.

I used the tent for the first time. (Camping in Madron, North east of Penzance). Easy to pitch, and not very roomy, but big enough for the rucksack and myself. The only problem i have is condensation: this morning the inside of the tent was completely covered in water droplets that i had to wipe out. Advice on this problem would be more than welcome. Holding breath O/N is not an option.

I did not sleep very well. Actually, it was pretty bad, I was nine hours in the tent and I don't think I slept more than 4. But i had enough rest because i don't feel bad today.

I am in St. Ives now. It took me almost 4 hours from Madron. Walking was more fluid and therefore much more satisfying. It rained for 20 minutes and i used the poncho for the first time. Putting it on was a Mr Bean 10 minutes scene. No pictures of this. I think I know how to put it on now. I will walk one or two hours more today til the next camping, and hope for a good rest tonight.

I feel well in every sense. Mood is good and I am just normal tired.

Tomorrow i will follow the coast, and hopefully do lots of Km as i am going quite slow.

That is all.

Let me know if you lilke the blog

Olaya: you were right; I have begun to abandon things. The rucksack is too f***ing (jodidamente) heavy!!

Take care and see you soon.

Carlos

Newquay

Hi all.

I am alive and kicking... still.

I just arrived to Newquay, and the weather is very foggy. Well, at least it is not raining.
I am in an internet cafe and i think i won't be able to put any photo in this post as the computer does not recognise my camera.

I am very well. Nerviness is gone and I am very calm. I would say neutral.

I am quite tired after a night of waiting for bus, plane, and not sleep too much.

Soon i will take a train to Penzance, and then a bus to Land's End. Looking forward to find my hostel, or camping and have a shower and a proper rest.

that is all for the moment.

Carlos