Ten Miles with a Broken Foot

Was attempting to build up my confidence batting in the cricket nets last night. A good start against rather better - and quicker - bowling than I've been used to, before a round arm slinger with a low trajectory smacked me full on the foot with a yorker.

Jesus wept, it was painful.

Found it rather harder to move into line after that, and so got bowled a couple of times. For this reason, when I play for the second team on Saturday, I'm going to bat wearing my toe-capped work boots.

It's broken, rather obviously. I've not been to hospital, but the fact that a large part of my foot is black kind of gives the game away. So much for running today! Instead I walked, looking for the route from Coddington to Barnby and then to Balderton.

Predictably enough I got lost just after a small wood full of flowering rhodedendron, next to a oilseed rape field with a border of wild pansies. The path ahead ran out, and I was forced onto a farm track, complete with a huge hare, which I hoped would take me on to Barnby village as the map suggested it would.

Instead it took me into an equestrian centre, with old farm buildings clearly inhabited by nesting swallows and disused mangles lying around. As I rather awkwardly trespassed through the the yard, a horse stuck its head out of a stable and watched me reproachfully, which it continued to do as I climbed over an electronic gate and made my way onto the open road.

I was hoping I'd be somewhere near Barnby by now, but as I got to the road and looked to my right, a sign saying "Coddington" greeted me. All I'd achieved was to walk in a very large circle.

Ah well, it was still a great walk, and I was able to make my way back into town through the nature reserve.

Broken foot or not, I'd still done my ten miles.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.06.16

Oww!

Start of the cross country adventure, 3 miles in at Coddington

Sheep in the way

I love our yellow way markers. Trouble is they have a habit of suddenly running out, and getting you lost.

In to the wood

Rhodedendron

Close up

Wild pansy, or heartsease

Poppies

Lost.

Mangle

Uggs on the roadside. Classy.

Beacon Hill Reserve

The main pasture

Speedwell