Day 28 To Wells via Glastonbury

Today wasn’t due to be as hot as yesterday but, taking no chances, we were on the road at 9, heading for Wells. Our route took us through the Levels, through an area where there is a lot of digging for peat with the holes in the ground subsequently filling with water to make a wetlands reserve (Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve). There were some interesting sights-we saw a flock of swans in a field apparently eating the grass, water lilies about to burst into flower, a peat mountain and an area of peat cutting. The peat made for strangely bouncy roads- they vibrated when tractors went past, a very odd feeling

Our first target for today was Glastonbury, about five miles away. Once again we were lucky with the footpaths, passing through recently strimmed, then mown fields, and all the while we could see Glastonbury Tor ahead of us.

We reached Glastonbury at eleven, and made tracks for food shops to buy our lunch. We bought sandwiches from a bakery but failed to find any fruit at all. Next, we got lost, and had a rather more extended wander round Glastonbury than we had planned. When we eventually reached the Tor I had lost all enthusiasm for climbing it but Sue, still enthusiastic, headed for the top, while I waited at the bottom, in the shade with a flapjack, which didn’t last long. We ate lunch after Sue returned, then, now knowing our exact location, set off for Wells. It was a couple of miles down rather a hot, boring road on the edge of town. We plodded along, heading rather gloomily for a roundabout and an A road when, out of the blue, we saw a sign. Cheddar Strawberries for sale. We looked around to see a refrigerated stall, unmanned, with an honesty box and some delicious, beautifully red strawberries. The only fruit we had found in town. We ate them standing up by the roadside. They were wonderful-you have to remember it was a hot day -and we were feeling both jaded and apprehensive about walking along the A road.

We now felt able to conquer any number of A roads but were even happier to find that there was a good paved path beside the road which took us as far as our next destination -Long Drove. Long Drove was well-named. It was two miles of dead straight, absolutely flat, single track road. It was like a master class in perspective, and we felt that we were walking but would never reach the end.

Eventually energy-sapping Long Drove came to an end, we climbed a short hill and suddenly we could see Wells. We paused at the top of a hill for a well-earned rest and a drink.

We decided to risk a footpath into Wells. Apart from a fully planted field of sweet corn (young plants, crossed through them) and a field of young bullocks pressed right up by the gate (diverted round them) the footpath was passable and took us into the middle of Wells.

We felt this might be the route a medieval pilgrim would have taken had there been a shrine at Wells. Today the route is marked by stones giving the distance between Glastonbury Tor and Wells.

Wells was looking idyllic in the late afternoon sun making for a very enjoyable (and short) walk to our very well -located hotel.