| Date | Hare | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Sep 2022 | Kevin & Julie | Soma |
Another great, sunny, September day and we arrived and gathered at the carpark of The Crown – in the loose huddle – to hear the brief for the trail. It was also notable by the fact that it was the day before Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. The trail had been laid by veteran trail layers Kevin and Julie and Kevin gave us some pointers such as the fact that the trail passed a farm (Manor Farm) and that we would see animals which – thankfully – would be behind fences.
The day started off cool in the early morning but warmed up quickly as midday approached. At eleven, as we set off, the confusion over what to wear was apparent amongst the group, with one of us choosing to wear a wintery jumper (it was Hilary) on this rather bright, sunny day! And, of course, Kathy wore lovely open toed sandals, as usual! It confounds me how she manages the terrible terrain of uneven ground with mud and stones and how the sandals always remain pristine!
Indeed, the trail was as confusing as the temperature, so that even our trail layer, Julie, was a little unsure about the direction at the start. However, we did muddle on, although the runners had to backtrack a couple of times where they got lost. In all, I don’t think we walked more than perhaps two or three miles at the most, and the elements that make our walks so enjoyable were all there: friendly chatter, bright sunshine, and the beautiful Wiltshire countryside.
Strolling through Manor Farm was intriguing, and we passed a fenced off area that contained calves in their own individual plastic ‘houses’. Henry mentioned that they were separated from their mothers very early so that all the cow’s milk could be consumed by us humans, rather than its natural recipients. Ainsley and I were reflecting on this sad fact, while her dog Kiri, bounded along in great spirits – really enjoying herself. The other memory of the farm is the unforgettably strong stench of slurry that assaulted our noses.
By the time we reached the Crown, it had warmed up considerably and the cold drinks were most welcome. We had the speech and Keith – our last GOM – thanked Kevin (our present one) for the trail. Julie and Kay had chosen to follow the long route and ambled into the pub garden just as we had finished the speeches. This had been a fascinating and fun walk and I look forward to the next one.
