{"id":841,"date":"2012-09-27T14:51:23","date_gmt":"2012-09-27T14:51:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/martinblack.com\/?p=841"},"modified":"2012-09-28T21:44:41","modified_gmt":"2012-09-28T21:44:41","slug":"hit-the-north-stage-2-little-downham-to-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/martinblack.com\/oldsite\/2012\/09\/hit-the-north-stage-2-little-downham-to-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Hit the North! – Stage 2: Little Downham to March"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

I set off across Little Downham<\/a> recreation ground on a bright and sunny autumn morning.<\/p>\n

The plan was to follow the Hereward Way<\/a> to March, a distance of just under 20 miles.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Hereward’s Way near Little Downham<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I crossed many fields; good black fen soil, lush green grass.<\/p>\n

\"Green<\/a>
The black and the green<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Then came the start of the waterlands<\/p>\n

\"Where
Where the 30 Foot Drain meets Abraham’s Drain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I finally reached the New Bedford river where I stopped for some snacks and a quick self-portrait.<\/p>\n

\"Me
Me at the New Bedford river<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I walked along the bank for a while and met a\u00a0lonely\u00a0looking horse on a long chain. \u00a0Was it happy? \u00a0Hard to know really. \u00a0It was doing a good job of keeping the grass cropped.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Past the horse the grass was thick and wet with dew, hiding big bushes of nettles.<\/p>\n

I decided to drop back down onto the road. \u00a0No sooner had I reached the road when a farm dog rushed at me. \u00a0I backed up onto the bank and shouted ‘No!’ at the top of my voice. \u00a0The mutt stopped, growled and stared\u00a0fiercely\u00a0at me. \u00a0I walked back to the top of the bank, I swore at the dog and its owners, whoever they might be.<\/p>\n

It can count itself lucky I didn’t have a stick with me.<\/p>\n

I crossed the New and Old Bedford river via the A101, a dangerous route, I can tell you. \u00a0Not one I’d want to do again. \u00a0Hairpin bends and blind corners, the locals careering\u00a0past like\u00a0formula\u00a0one drivers. \u00a0Not fun at all.<\/p>\n

To my surprise I arrived in Welney in one piece. \u00a0I’d reached the half way point and\u00a0celebrated\u00a0with a lovely pint of Egood’s Cambridge bitter at the Lamb and Flag<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"At
At pint at the Lamb and Flag, Welney<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After a drink and pastie it was back to the road, and quite a bit of road it was as it turned out. \u00a0Four or so miles of tarmac and pavement, somewhat\u00a0demoralising, especially as I was starting to tire a little.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Sixteen Foot Drain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finally I reached the Sixteen Foot Drain which marked the last quarter of the walk. \u00a0I hiked across pumpkin fields for thirty minutes or so before arriving at the River Nene<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the other side of the river was a wind farm. \u00a0I know many walkers hate wind turbines but I thought these gave a rather beautiful\u00a0backdrop to the\u00a0occasionally\u00a0featureless fen countryside. \u00a0I enjoyed the graceful movement of the huge blades and the way their shadows danced over the footpath.<\/p>\n

\"Wind
Wind turbines by the River Nene (old course) north-east of March<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I found a place to sit for a while and enjoy the afternoon sun. A\u00a0narrow-boat\u00a0passed, I saluted the passengers, it was then I realised I hadn’t met another walker during the entire journey.<\/p>\n

I shot a little bit of video:<\/p>\n