Saturday, June 15, 2013

Where is the Viking Way?! A catalogue of misfortune.


Being bored with running around here, and as the weather in the shires was forecast to be a little brighter at least until lunchtime, I decided to get the early train up to Barnetby and then run down the Viking Way to Horncastle, where I can get the bus back to Lincoln. This is generally a very pleasant route and is more undulating than Lincoln central.

Fortunately, I checked the train times when I got up as the train goes 20 minutes earlier on a Saturday (05:38!). This was the high point of the day.

The first couple of miles were nice enough but then I hit the soaking wet, overgrown jungle of the Viking Way. Now, I know I'm not a giant but at times I was battling through nettles, brambles and general flora up to chest level. Hugely unpleasant. 

Very quickly, my knees and thighs were scratched to shreds and on fire thanks to the nettles. I was only glad on the partial protection of my calf guards otherwise I would have probably just sat down and cried. I was soaked as if it had been pouring with rain.

It then poured with rain.

I decided to bail out at Tealby before I had an anaphylactic reaction either to nettles or being p*ssed off! From there I could make my way to Market Rasen and get the next bus home.

Going through the woods near Rasen, the path was completely inpenetrable. I had to detour by over a mile. I missed the bus. At least I can get the train from Rasen too.

Having waited for the next train, the single carriage arrived - completely full. The guard said he would get on who he could. Luckily everyone fitted but it was similar to the underground in rush hour. I was standing next to a lady with claustrophobia!

Obviously the guard hadn't been able to get around the carriage to collect fares so we presumed we wouldn't have to pay at Lincoln. Guess what, we did! One man collecting all the fares on the platform at Lincoln station. We queued for 10 minutes. I expressed my opinion that we shouldn't have to pay and was told that he didn't have time to discuss this as everyone was waiting to pay!! Some form of reverse logic? He used the word 'great' several times and I explained that I didn't think it was particularly great all. I paid.

A thoroughly miserable morning. 

From now on I will sit on the sofa, eat pizza and get fat!

3 comments:

Ultras and a lttle bit more said... [Reply to comment]

Oh Richard. It sounds terrible. I hate big nettles. Unusually for me nowadays I did a long urban orienteering race which was great fun.
Off for a longrun on the hills tomorrow ultra No33

Richard Lendon said... [Reply to comment]

@Ultras and a lttle bit more

It wasn't. I didn't have much fun!!

Rick Smith said... [Reply to comment]

i had a magic run from winterbourne up to stonehenge and looped back!!!

however i too got wet.

and was surprised at the amount of "PRIVATE PROPERTY" signs everywhere.

As for the old stones, all that was missing was a merry go round and candy floss stall.

100's of people there

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