Easter 2014: Good Friday

I had planned to go to Pilgrim Prayers at Froxfield and walk down the Hangers with the parishioners to the second service at Steep when JJ told me about some alarming news about our house and safety and so on so I decided to stay home Thursday evening and night and mostly home on Friday as JJ was away working on an installation. It was a beautiful day and I read and studied health promotion texts for my course and then decided to go on a Chiltern Weekend Walkers walk at Chalfont St Peter.

 I hoped to see bluebells and I was awarded many such sights as THIS!

 Before I set off a quick photo of my new butterfly cowl which I simply ADORE, free pattern from Ravelry:

And I used just ONE skein of NORO TAIJO sock and a few balls of Dropd Alpaca 4 ply, 3.5mm hook and working 4 rows of Noro with 2 rows of alpaca so there were very few ends to sew in, you chain the ''carrying yarn'' up the side?!

 It was a 6 mile walk and I wanted to see if I could do it after the pain I had in September 2013 on the shorter Towersey walk? I started off in my leather walking boots with a pair of thin and a pair of thick socks...

 There was a young lady from the 20-30s group who brought her budgie! He stayed on her head or shoulder thoughout. Had a nicer name but can;t remember it. Couldn't walk or fly but travellled very happily on her person. That's Ellie the leader smiling and feeding it white breadcrumbs.
I didn;t know a soul but a kind gymnast trainer lady called Anne walked with me and we chatted all the way.

 Off we went along many narrow oaths and through woods, mostly flat and easy but then no vistas or views either alas.

 I did wonder at halfway whether I was going to make it as my feet did hurt. At the Captain Cook monument I changed my boots for my FitFlop ankle boots, less grip on the sole but so much more comfortable!

 The COOK monument on the Vache estate. Built by his best friend in his honour.

I did it! 16:30 to 19:30, with wuite a long standing ''rest'' at the monument, then I went home as JJ was still out and I wanted to be back with the girls! Shame though as the others went for a meal at the pub where we'd started from and I was hungry too by then. Still was quite proud that I'd managed the 6 miles, it was possible but a bit harder than I thought. Need to do much more and train if I want to do 12 miles or more like in 2012?! Or for those Spanish Pilgrim trails that JJ longs to do?