Took a pic of the sign (which I pass on almost all my runs) so I knew I was entering west Bergholt. Then I went 'off piste' right down armoury road to find the first way mark for the essex way. I had read about the poppy becoming the new symbol for the Essex way, and how charming to see some poppies in the first field i crossed. A soon as I entered this field, I was grinning ear to ear. The footpath was actually well defined and possible to run on, and the sky was blue and the ears of corn, or was it whiskered barley were singing in the breeze :)
The route was really well marked, though I was glad of my printed out instructions. There was one part where I had to find the path from a road, and it was really hidden with overgrowth. Lots of nettle stings along here. The reward at the other end of this path was a beautiful fishing lake. A few more turns and the next one was across someone's property. Now it's customary in England that footpaths cross people's land, and you even head straight up driveways sometimes. Usually there's the genuine fear that u have gone off path and are trespassing, but when an angry dog comes running up to u when ur only 3 steps past the way mark clearly showing straight ahead, you start to worry a bit. He didn't look like the kind of dog that wouldn't bite too! I was surprised he wasn't tied up. There was no protection between him and the road after all, but I just kept running and prayed my run wouldn't end in some severed muscles and tendons... Luckily as I approached the field with a couple of horses the dog retreated. The horses were beautiful so I stopped to take a pic.
Shortly after, I happend upon Dedham vale vineyard, which we would visit later. Well known for excellent British wine, some winning awards. As a foody, I very much like to buy and eat local, and, Given I live in one of the most productive regions of the country this should be easy, however, it still seems the baking potatoes I buy from sainsburys are imported from Israel! Still I was determined to taste the wine that had been grown and brewed just a few miles from my home. We ended up buying some rose and some Bacchus. I'm enjoying the rose now :)
After this the run became a tour of local churches. Luckily, the first one at Boxted handily had a water tap at the gate, so I refilled. Some more running nd a beautiful field full of hay bales. It looked like a painting and I was sure I was getting closer to Dedham. Around 10 miles in,I missed an overgrown turning but saw a couple of walkers who were probably coming the other way. I walked and ran back up the hill to where I should have turned and met them at the kissing gate. They had started in Dedham, though felt they weren't appropriately dressed for the 'tea crowd' in Dedham. I think they were New Zealand so I was surprised by this comment since I was fully intending having a pint at the end of this run dressed in my running gear. They told me the path was pretty well marked out from here. There was an uphill to langham church, then a very long driveway ending in very ornate iron gates onto the main road, I'm not sure if the driveway was for a residence or the church, but they must have been very expensive.
I was in Dedham now, but there were a few more turns to get to the end point. I crossed a road bridge over the A12 and then past Milsom's Tolbooth, which is known as the fanciest best restaurant in Colchester. I looked very out of place in their car park full of porshe's and bmw's looking for the next way mark. Through a short wood before coming out to the river, it was stunning, and this WAS constable country. I got a shot of the clouds reflecting in the river. I could see the church in the distance, my end goal and so was trotting toward it.
It had taken me a particularly long time for a 13 mile run, because of the trails and all the navigation, but I loved every minute of it.
More interestingly, this week, I have run 26.24 miles in a total time of 4:38:33, which is 2s slower than my first Marathon time. Given only one run was a race, this is encouraging, especially as do much of today was walking trying to figure out if I was going the right way.
No comments:
Post a Comment