Day 21: Long Sutton to Castle Cary

A long slog through muddy fields today and lots of rain. Cows have also been my enemy today. 

• Date: 10 April 2024
• Start: Long Sutton
• End: Castle Cary
• Miles: 18.3
• Total miles: 281.6
• Accommodation: Brook Inn

It was a fine morning as I packed the tent away and headed out to the town of Somerton, where I picked up something for lunch. 

After passing through Somerton, I walked through many fields and lots of little villages until I reached a church and stopped for lunch. 

After leaving the church, the heavens opened and it rained heavily for a good two hours. This is definitely the wettest I’ve felt all walk, and even when the rain stopped, nothing was drying. 

While walking through field after field, some of them had animals in them, mainly cows. In one of the cow fields, the cows decided to chase me to the gate at the opposite side. I decided to leg it and got through the gate before they caught up. 

Shortly after, another cow field. As I entered the field, the cows saw me and all ran into a corner. Sadly, this was the corner where the gate was located. I approached the cows but they weren’t budging, so I had to hop a barbed wire fence instead. This is my view from the other side. I think they are mocking me. 

Fed up of damp fields and cows, I completed the last two miles into Castle Cary by road, went to the shop and then went to my campsite at the back of a pub. After putting the tent up, showering, and getting annoyed by things being damp, I retreated into the very cheap and cheerful pub for the evening. 

Yesterday, I bent my foot while walking along a river side. It hurt at the time, but didn’t after. This morning, it was starting to hurt and the pain has only got worse throughout the day. I think it’s probably got a slight sprain on it. I’ll wait until the morning to see how it is, but if it’s as it is now, I won’t be walking on it tomorrow. Fortunately, my campsite is a 5 minute walk to the train station, which is on a mainline, so I can go and take a break if needed.