A massive bull in the fields outside UtoxeterThe walk from Utoxeter into the Pennines was not so bad in terms of weather as yesterday, and it was sunny in the begining. A few minutes on the way and I had to stop to remove the banner from my bag and put the poncho on. It did not rain for too long, and eventually I had a decent day, mostly overcast but with patched of blue sky. I kept on walking through farming fields and in the distance I could see the soouth end of the pennines, that reminded me the looking like of the moors I have walked.
I had a lunch in Alton. A nice quite village. Fried a lamb steak and had it with beans and bread. The first gas canister run out, at last. Alton is close to Alton Towers, a theme park on a hill, just before the Pennines. I went round the hill hearing the Roller Coaster noise and people screaming.
Inmediatly after that went down to a ltlle stream and through a field that was a deer park. It is not the same as shooting them in the wild, but they ar beautiful animals still.
From there and after walking on a secondary but wide road I went up into the Pennine Hills. Seen from close, they certainly looked like the moors that I walked, but that was just the beginning.
Then I discovered the most beautiful landscape i have seen so far in my walk: narrow lanes, and very accesible and well signed posted foot paths everywhere, fields, for cows and sheeps, separated by stone walls, and ondulating hills with scattered trees, not big woods anywhere. And then it was how quite it was; my footsteps sounded like a thunder on all that silence.
Then I met Allan, Graham and June in Old Field farm. They were cutting sheeps wool, and giving them some kind of treatment. It was a lovely encounter, in a lovely place. Felt very authentic.
I continued to walk in this lovely place, nice shorrt grass fields, so that my waterproof shoes did not get to soaked...
I was really tired, but I was not in a hurry to get to where ever I was going to sleep that day; I was taking my time taking pictures.
In the end, and after 8 hours walking, found a camping barn run by the YHA in Butterton. It was full, but the guy in charge let me stay in the field behind his house. Had dinner quickly and went down to the pub in the village. The Black Lion, lovely place with nice atmosphere, and Cow Blonde, nice beer. I updated my diary and did next day plan. Back to the tent in the fine rain.
Today in the morning, it was raining when I woke up, so I waited until it stopped. Breakfast, some cheese and bread and go. Therer was a very heavy shower that got me at the bottom of a field, that made me feel the most miserable being on earth, but luckily the weather was so bad in the end. It did not rain anymore.
I bought something to eat in Longnor and had it while walking as i wanted to get to Buxton in time to update the blog. Eventually I deceded to do the whole today walk on roads, which was not too bad as they were not too busy ones and run in very nice landscape. got to Buxton early, and I might go for a swim in the local swimmingpool.
I don't know what i'll be doing tomorrow, but I think I'll look for a youth hostel to stay somewhere in hills.
That is all for now.
Take care.
Carlos
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