Day 9 Haw Bridge to Warwick.

More Mud.

Slept well though I did hear the rain overnight. Its great being warm and dry in the tent when its cold and wet outside. 

We did not have our cribbage game last night so must try and get one tonight. 

Got up at 7 and tidied up as much as poss before getting out of tent. The heavy drizzle drifts into the tent and covers everything. Get washed then stove on for a brew. The sound of the burner makes you feel better. So does a hot cuppa and 3 weetabix with yoghurt and milk. Time to Rock and Roll!

We soon cover 5 miles and the route skirts the banks of the Severn. Its a muddy path! I try riding it and manage ok. Julian starts to push but then tries to cycle and falls off. He is bruised and confidence dented. We clean up his bike as the mud bungs up his brakes and mudguards. 

We meander into Tewkesbury and stop at Melanies, a quiet tearoom. This is the first cafe without music blaring. Its only 1015 and looks as though we are the first customers. I was going to have a slice of cake but we both went for the bacon and egg baguette- excellent.  

The marina at Twekesbury. 

Back out into the rain and try and get some miles in. 

It is now after 11 and we have only done 7.5 miles, frustrating. 4.5 miles later the rain stops. So do we at Kemerton House and remove our overtrousers. Off we go.

Another 3.5 miles and we turn off onto a quiet road. Julian shouts something. He has left/dropped his gloves somewhere since last stop. He takes his panniers off and sets off to look for them. He goes back 3 miles and sees one on the road. He then stops a cyclist to ask if he has seen a glove. Oh yes he has but it was the one Julian had got. Julian returns snd happens to see the second glove in grass on the verge. Lucky.

Julian returns after 40 mins and i have managed to finish yesterdays Blog. We have now been on the go for 3 hours and only done 17 miles. And 40 still to go. I am frustrated. 

Soon we are at Evesham. There have been orchards along the last 3 miles or so.  The place is a lot busier and bigger since my last visit 14 years ago. I also spent time doing my training courses here in '79 and '80. We don't stop and carry on to Stratford. We biy some more snacks to keep us going- flapjacks and energy bars. 

We turn a corner and get a super view over the Vale of Evesham and the Cotswolds. Black clouds are ahead and worse , the wind is NE'erly, straight into our faces. Turning into a vollage we see a thatcher at work. The roof looks nice when it is new and golden coloured. We chat and learn it can last 50-60 years with the ridge section needin replaced every 12-15. Nice job sir. 

We finally reach Mousley End Farm Camping. Stopping at the field gateway there are a large number of brown vehicle tracks fanning out to the various pitches. Some green shows through. Simon the owner is talking to a camper, his landrover is nearby. I hear him say he is around if he cannot get out. It is not a quagmire by any means , but it is not the Happy Camping site one imagines looking at the website. 10 days of rain has not helped but my impression is of someone who has never camped thinking " hmm lets make that field into a campsite, won't that be good ". 

The  'facilities' ard 2 portacabins , small ones, 2 showers in one and 3 loos in the other. No segregation and about 10 tents with 8 kids running around. I wonder if this has council approval ? The map with local pubs shown is on the wall beside the cubicles. A mother and 2 girls come in to use the loos, we dont need to make eye contact and I leave. I am not sure who is most embarrassed. I have been on foreign sites with communal facilities but the close confines of an 8x12 hut do not work. 

The local pub is 2 miles away. We have a great meal and i get to try my new headtorch cycling home on the pitch black. Wow it is great. I leave my dirty panniers out overnight hoping the rain will wash them. We don't get a cribbage game, too tired. Sleep again comes very quickly after another 60 miler.