Friday 16th June, Cadsden to Tring, 17kms ish/sort of, we don't really know anymore

Well that was a hot sticky night.... We were glad to leave the room and head down to breakfast. Breakfast was fine but no yogurt or fruit, we just had granola, toast and jam plus OJ and coffee, we could have had fried eggs on toast but you all know how I would feel about that. Good enough but not a winner.

Today, I thought was a lovely walk, a bit of up and down mainly through woods so nice and shady. There were lovely views.

Our first challenge was crossing Chequers without Liz getting arrested. She climbed on the gates and continually stepped off the path hoping to set off alarms!!! We didn't see much security but then I suppose you wouldn't. There was a lot of angst about whether wild weeing would be captured on CCTV (so we didn't) and whether there were camouflaged soldiers watching our every move and listening, we did shout out to them but no-one replied, not sure that proofed anything at all. Liz wondered how many letters of a slogan she could graffiti on the drive before soldiers arrived, as she only had watercolours with her it wasn't going to be many. We made it. 

And then straight after Chequers there was a farm shop selling, amongst other things, ice-cream, 2nd breakfast sorted! Like I said today was more hilly and the next ascent had steps so very hilly, luckily there were lots of benches that we used. Strangely enough today we saw a few more people walking the trail with packs.  The view from the top were great we could even see the site of HS2, Liz and an elderly gentleman had a good discussion about it at the monument for the Boer war. In summary they did not feel it a wise use of a lot of money. 

As we descended into Wendover we went directly past the HS2 works, the site is huge, we think we were over a tunnel excavation, there was a very sad looking pair of empty cottages close by.    

Wendover is a very pretty little town with lots of interesting buildings most of which were places to eat or drink so we were spoilt for choice. We chose a Turkish restaurant and shared a mixed platter, we then bought sweets in Budgens ostensibly for my train journey but some as a reward or bribery for the rest of the day, they are still intact as it turns out. 

Due to our Premier Inn not actually being in Tring or near the trail, and to save the blistered feet doing too many paces we cobbled together the most direct way of getting to the hotel. This involved climbing up through Wendover Woods which were very pretty in a traditionally English way. There was a discussion about leaving the path for the toilets, a deviation of 50 metres, Liz declined 'too far' but when we realised that the attached coffee shop was open selling ice-creams, she managed it. Mr whippy ice-creams all round. 

A golf club was once again our navigational undoing, Liz was explaining how golf worked, when I realised we were going the wrong way. As the people who had gone past us 5 minutes before were still whacking golf balls (teeing off apparantly) we were reluctant to retrace our steps and look stupid however the alternatives were to go totally the wrong way for ever or walk across the green bit with the flag which, so I am told is an absolute no-no. I thought it looked the perfect spot for a wild camp but apparantly that's a no-no too.  So we swallowed our pride, didn't make eye contact and went back. 

A bit of thrashing along a prickly overgrown path brought us onto the world's busiest fastest B road. All I can say is that it didn't look busy or fast on the map. There was no verge... Nobody died but we are both traumatised. And were far to busy walking quickly to eat our sweets. The final part along another B road at least had a pavement. And then we arrived to a friendly reception who were open and expecting us, who booked us both a breakfast and diner table in the Beefeater next door and then gave us a room key.  We have a perfectly working shower, towels, beds and a kettle, we also have air conditioning which we have been over enthusiastic with and are now wearing all the clothes that we have with us (I knew there was a reason I bought my puffy jacket!) If we die in the night our bodies will be well preserved. 

We met up with an old school friend of Liz's for the evening, and they had a good time catching up while we drank beer and ate, Liz had a salad, she gets so many health points which compensate for the 2 ice-creams she had today. I had a cheesy nachos starter, do I get a point for the avacado?? Which was followed by a kit kat ice-cream sundae 😁 for which there were no health points. Three ice-creams in a day, woohoo. 

Just 8kms of walking tomorrow, except I have realized that it is 8kms to the end point of Ivanhoe Beacon but to get to the car park where Liz's husband is meeting us will entail walking back down Ivanhoe Beacon at least another kilometer or two. Who is going to tell Liz?????