This day is the longest scheduled days walking of 25km but surprisingly, although the early start was a challenge - our guide does like starting to walk at 8am - I was feeling pretty good. Back down to near where we crossed the river the day before and then up and long long path. I had picked up chatting with one of our group called Mandy and she and I just kept going, chatting all the way. I’ve realised I like to get my head down on the hills and set a pace which makes my heart beat faster and warms me up. It was a cold and misty morning so it felt great to warm up.

We walked a great chunk of path which was bright yellow/golden coloured sand and made me think of the yellow brick road. Our conversation ranged through all sorts of topics including the fact the Mandy had grown up at Dartington and we both agreed the scenery put us in mind of Devon. There was also more of the path that followed the road which made for less pretty scenery but the company and conversation was good and we set a great pace, covering the miles quite swiftly. Wraenna had decided that with the fog, and the prospect of some extremely long hills it was best that she took a taxi to beyond the second hill, and meet us.

The second big hill was at 9.5km, by this time the sun had come out and burned off the fog. The top of that hill reminded me of the top of Burrington Coombe. A right turn and then back down more of the yellow brick road.

We came to a lovely looking cafe around 13km but decided we weren’t ready to stop, it wasn’t until 17km that we realised that was supposed to have been our lunch stop. By the cafe was a cute little chapel. This one had a chap sitting in it putting stamps in pilgrims passports. I didn’t realise he was blind until I had to guide his hand to place the stamp down, he also gave me a postcard of the chapel.

There are some beautiful villages, along the route and some have clearly been invested in, with modernised buildings. One in particular had a lovely little corner stop where we could get our passport stamped and they were giving out free hugs and little leaflets about the 5 marks of the pilgrimage (they could be called tracts but I haven’t had chance read it thoroughly).

We clambered down another stretch of very old path and came to a lovely cafe where the people were sitting outside under apple trees in blossom. As I was still hoping to located Wraenna we walked on past but as we got to the top of the next hill we couldn’t see anywhere to eat so we wandered back down and sat in the sunshine, egg and chips with eggs from the chickens that I could hear outside the cafe.

Ironically if we had continued another 50metres we would have found Wraenna outside a cafe that we hadn’t been able to see. I then slowed my pace to walk with her for the last 8km.

I hadn’t realised quite how much walking slowly causes me to seize up but there was no way I was going to risk her walking on her own. There were a few hills which Martin our guide has now christened ‘Bumps’ but much of the route was gentle downhill stretches- the only problem is that I have discovered I really don’t like ‘down’ I would much rather go ‘up’! At least that suits my faith