{"id":1325,"date":"2018-03-26T00:01:31","date_gmt":"2018-03-25T13:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/?p=1325"},"modified":"2018-03-26T19:15:27","modified_gmt":"2018-03-26T08:15:27","slug":"day-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/day-22\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 22"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Distances etc” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n

From:\u00a0<\/strong>North Petherton to Long Sutton
\nDistance:\u00a0<\/strong>15m \/ 24km
\nCumulated distance:\u00a0<\/strong>274m \/ 441km
\nPercentage completed:\u00a0<\/strong>26.6<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Subscribe” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ orientation=”left” background_layout=”light” saved_tabs=”all” global_module=”1260″ \/][et_pb_code _builder_version=”3.0.63″]<iframe src=”https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=1u49wW-PnhqxDs8P16-V-VuT7ryk” width=”372″ height=”800″><\/iframe>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_image admin_label=”Donate to Black Dog Institute” src=”http:\/\/testform1234.gofundraise.com.au\/Upload\/385023\/images\/Donate%20to%20Black%20Dog%20Institute.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url=”http:\/\/walkingtheblackdog.gofundraise.com.au\/” url_new_window=”on” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ \/][et_pb_image admin_label=”Donate to Sane” src=”http:\/\/testform1234.gofundraise.com.au\/Upload\/385023\/images\/Donate%20to%20SANE%20UK.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url=”https:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/fundraising\/walkingtheblackdog” url_new_window=”on” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Add text + images” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”center” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I really missed my friend’s chirpiness today. Especially as it was a day totally without mud and on the flat, which I know she would have loved. The sun shone warmly and I didn’t put a foot wrong along the Macmillan Way West, until the last field into Long Sutton. In many ways it reminded me of the Thames Trail that I walked a couple of years ago. I followed the River Parrett for most of the day. And I was following the river upstream, as I did when I was ‘walking backwards’ to the source of the Thames in Gloucestershire.<\/p>\n

\"\"

River Parrett<\/p><\/div>\n

There’s something about following the path of a meandering river which forces you to mentally slow down and contemplate.\u00a0 You just can’t rush it’s path and I find it reassuring to have it as a constant companion by my side. I remember really missing the presence of the Thames when I finished walking it’s trail. Rivers have their own life, attracting a unique wild-life community. In that way, the River Parrett was reasonably quiet until later in the day when flocks of swans made it their home. Come spring I’m sure it will be teeming with birds and their young.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Fishing swan<\/p><\/div>\n

My route today was through the Somerset Levels, an area known in England for drastic flooding. It was particularly severe in the winter of 2013\/14, although flooding has been recorded since the Middle Ages.\u00a0The Levels are a low-lying area around 3 to 4\u00a0metres above mean sea level.\u00a0People have attempted to drain the area for hundreds of years. Drains and artificial rivers have been built and pumping stations installed .. in fact I walked between the River Parrett and the man-made Wookey drainage system for much of the day. Embankments, pumping stations and sluices were common features of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Embankment and drainage safeguards<\/p><\/div>\n

I walked through the village of Moorlands which was badly affected in 2013, with most of the population having to abandon their homes for several weeks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Some places remained abandoned<\/p><\/div>\n

Before I got into the Levels proper, I walked past many farms. Agriculture and the growing of teazels are mainstays of revenue in the area apparently.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Farm along the way<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

Teazels<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

The one that got away .. but came back<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

Not always welcoming .. but with good reason<\/p><\/div>\n

As I made good progress I decided to stop in Burrowbridge at The King Alfred pub for a bite to eat. And it being Sunday there was the tempting option of a roast! The inn lies sits on the river bank, in the shadow of Burrow Mump.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

The King Alfred and Burrow Mump<\/p><\/div>\n

I can hear you asking, ‘what on earth is a mump’! Although the area is underlain by the much older Triassic age, formations such as Glastonbury Tor and Burrow Mump would once have been islands, protruding from surrounding water. A ‘mump’ is quite simply, a hill. On it’s summit there is now\u00a0a war memorial dedicated to the men and women of Somerset who gave their lives in the first and second world wars. But before it became St Michael’s church in the 19th century, it had also been a medieval church and before that a motte castle. The day was so clear that at one stage I could see both Burrow Mump and Glastonbury Tor from the river.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

The Levels<\/p><\/div>\n

As the day wore on it became clear just how flooded the area could become. My feet remained dry because of the embankment built along the river path, raising it high above the water. I continued to enjoy following the wandering path of the river, being able to see for miles around. At one stage I inadvertently disturbed a nesting swan.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Swan taking flight<\/p><\/div>\n

At six o’clock I turned away from the river to cross the final, not so big, field into Long Sutton, where the Devonshire Arms awaited me. Forty-five minutes later, with exceedingly wet feet, I arrived. Being so flat I couldn’t see that there were numerous man-made ditches, cross-crossing the field .. all filled with water. Jumping across the first two was just about ok but then the next four or five were wider and meant I had to traverse back and forth across the field. Anyone watching my progress from their kitchen window in the village would have thought I’d completely lost the plot. My jumping became more and more cavalier the more frustrated I became and the inevitable happened of course .. resulting in the wet feet!<\/p>\n

\"\"

Tantalising view of the church in Long Sutton<\/p><\/div>\n

The day had started with a church and ended with a church, both close to my hotels. It was fitting as all day long church steeples and towers were visible for miles across the Levels.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Morning church in North Petherton<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

Evening church in Long Sutton<\/p><\/div>\n

Black Dog Tails
\n<\/strong>After serving with Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson in Aghanistan, Hawwkeye remained at his side to the end.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I really missed my friend’s chirpiness today. Especially as it was a day totally without mud ..<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2029,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1325"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3011,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1325\/revisions\/3011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}