Wednesday, 11 January 2006
Walks
Walk: A little bit of America
Distance: 6.51 miles
Ascent: 78 metres
Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes
Walk 15: West Row and Worlington from Mildenhall
The landscape along this walk either side of the River Lark is a terrain of transition. This town in the far west of Suffolk is sandwiched between low-lying fens on the north and west, and the county's highlands on the south and west.
The view is classic England but every few minutes the indigenous sounds are deafened by the noise emanating from the little piece of America half a mile away. In West Row a jeep swerved to avoid me, its khaki-clad driver only noticing me at the last minute. He held a phone tight against his ear. That'll teach me for happening to be in the way of American Business.
A consequence of the recent wet weather was that with each step a little more of the path clung to my feet so the tarmac roads of the last two miles was a welcome relief. Probably the strangest sight on this stretch was a curious house, its windows painted pink, yellow and blue.
Not too strenuous, not too far from home, no animals to contend with; it's been a good first walk of the year.