{"id":1000,"date":"2012-11-01T05:57:53","date_gmt":"2012-11-01T05:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?p=1000"},"modified":"2014-11-22T15:18:28","modified_gmt":"2014-11-22T15:18:28","slug":"hit-the-north-stage-3-march-to-whittlesey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/2012\/11\/hit-the-north-stage-3-march-to-whittlesey\/","title":{"rendered":"Hit the North! \u2013 Stage 3: March to Whittlesey"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is stage three of the\u00a0Hit The North expedition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I picked up the trail in the fenland town of March. \u00a0The route out of the town is very pretty, it follows a path between cottages and gardens with the river in sight most of the way.<\/p>\n

\"Bridge
Bridge over the river Nene at March<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After an hour or so I was out in the countryside, feasting myself on blackberries as I went along. \u00a0At one point the footpath took me through someone’s back garden, which felt a little odd. \u00a0The owner of the house came out and said hello though didn’t stop for a chat.<\/p>\n

\"The
The back garden route<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While the\u00a0scenery\u00a0wasn’t dramatic the bright autumn sun gave things a rosy glow and I was happy just strolling \u00a0along, out in the open, after two weeks of being indoors with a cold.<\/p>\n

At one point I came across a rabbit eating grass on the middle of the river bank. \u00a0Usually rabbits scurry away as soon as I arrive on the scene but this one continued to\u00a0calmly\u00a0nibble away at his lunch. \u00a0It was only when I was right next to the rabbit did I notice the poor thing was blind. \u00a0I wonder how long he’ll survive like that?<\/p>\n

\"Bridge
Bridge over the Nene<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After five miles the path leaves the Nene and heads northwards along a drove. \u00a0It was a bit of a slog, the drove felt as if it would never end. \u00a0I found myself caught up in several weather fronts in quick\u00a0succession\u00a0 \u00a0Fierce winds and rain followed quiet spells of sun, rainbows shimmered on the horizon.<\/p>\n

\"The
The never ending drove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The endless drove ended up in the village of Turves. \u00a0The wind and the rain had picked up and the sun was now hidden behind a thick layer of cloud. \u00a0There was not one person to be found on the streets of the village, it felt like a ghost town. \u00a0I ate my\u00a0sandwiches\u00a0in the\u00a0lonely\u00a0bus shelter.<\/p>\n

\"Lunch\"
Lunch stop<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I left Turves and marched up the road to the bank of \u00a0the ’20 Foot Drain’. \u00a0The rain and wind pounded down, my feet and trousers were quickly water-logged. \u00a0To keep my spirits up I sang marching songs at the top of my voice. \u00a0These included:<\/p>\n