LEJOG Day 20: Pleamore Cross to West Bagborough

Weather: Cloudy and cool, sunny later

Distance covered today: 21.1km (13.1mi)

Last night's B&B: Selby House (£45)

Cumulative distance: 356.9km (221.8mi)/ % Complete: 20.3%

GPS satellite track of today's route: Day 20 (click!)

Today was all about the Royal Wedding. Even if I had wanted to get away from it, it just wasn’t possible. It dominated proceedings in my very comfortable B&B this morning and even as I made my way through the depressed industrial areas of Wellington, populated with ruined factory buildings and the sad, unemployed housing estates that surround them, even in these places wedding mania was apparent. Once I reached the more affluent country villages, bunting, union flags and the odd St George’s Cross were flying from almost every building. As the day wore on, so the preparations for street parties began, and I watched them progress in village after village.

Eventually I was just squeezing between the tables in the main street of the village of Halse, when I was accosted by the locals, who insisted I should join them for the festival, their efforts redoubling when I told them about my journey.  I had to plead lack of time, though to be honest, I was also a little concerned by the quantity of ale that was being prepared. I felt that if I fell among that particular pack of thieves, I might not make my B&B this evening! They insisted on helping me at least to a cup of tea, which I gratefully accepted, while helping them to lay out the table cloths.  I left just as the sound system was gearing up and a few of the revellers started spilling out of the pub onto the street. I suspect that this party will run and run. They don’t even have to worry about traffic; they had diverted it all right round the village!

Today, almost for the first time, I listened to the radio as I walked. I decided that I didn’t want to be a stick-in-the-mud and ignore the national celebration completely and once I started listening to the BBC, of course they painted pictures in my mind as they always do, and I found it addictive listening. My problem was that today I was following a very complicated route, because there actually wasn’t an alternative. It wasn’t even a matter of avoiding the main roads; there just weren’t any roads in the direction I needed to go. I had, though seen a succession of country paths that would do very well and I decided that anyway it would be good to get off the roads again.

I discovered that the paths of Somerset have a lot in common with the paths of Cornwall! They don’t exist!  They look perfectly clear on the map, but in the field there is nothing! So the task is to try to identify the general direction across a field by taking a compass bearing and hoping that some sort of stile or gate will appear at the other end.  This worked for the first couple of hours, but then eventually my luck ran out!  I found myself completely cornered by high fences and a tree covered, boggy valley that was completely impenetrable.  I consulted my map and my GPS positioner. I was where I was supposed to be….

Eventually, I gave up, retraced my steps and found an alternative route. When I eventually got myself back onto the right road I found the place where I should have made my exit. It turned out that the path was sunken into a deep culvert, completely overgrown by bushes and trees and descending into the boggy valley that I had decided was impenetrable. Perhaps five minutes more investigation would have revealed the entrance. Such is the lot of the long-distance walker!

To be honest, the other reason I lost my way was that I was listening to the radio. I am no multi-tasker!  But I did have time to reflect on the extraordinary nature of the Royal appeal in this country.  I find myself quite amused at the satisfaction the country takes at the fact that so many people around the world were taking the television feed of the wedding. I can’t remember how many times I heard commentators say that “we do this sort of thing so well”.  And so of course they do.  But it does require a citizenry happy to adopt the role of subjects, despite the evident sophistication of so much of British society.  Is there a connection with yesterday’s empty telephone booth?

I can’t escape the thought of the enormous pressure on the Royals.  They depend for their existence on the approval of one of the most critical and sophisticated societies on Earth, a society which proves ever more volatile because it is subject to phenomenal demographic and attitudinal changes.  The position of the Royals must remain extraordinarily precarious, despite the current polls.
 
Prince William didn’t have a choice, but Kate must really be in love!

Factory ruins in Wellington

Yet the local War Memorial club is celebrating the Royal Wedding

A clear Somerset path!

A butterfly for Julian

Another Somerset path

What are these?

Street party preparations

Halse Street Party

Random house decorations

More decorations

Approaching the Quantock Hills at West Backborough