Walking the Downs Link by Holly Worton

Author:Holly Worton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tribal Publishing
Published: 2016-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Day 3

I had another amazing night of deep sleep, where I again woke up before my alarm but then went quickly back to sleep, waking up once again with the alarm. I did my morning meditation exercises, put my pack together, and headed downstairs for breakfast. I had requested to eat at 8:30, but I arrived a bit early and breakfast was served within just a couple of minutes. I was looking forward to having a leisurely day on the trail, so I didn’t linger at the table.

After putting the final bits into my pack, I paid and thanked my hosts for my stay. I found it difficult to convey to them just how much I had enjoyed my stay. The afternoon and evening in the garden on the day of my arrival were absolutely magical. It was such a peaceful spot, full of birdsong. I knew that if I ever returned to the Downs Link, I would look forward to staying with them again.

I headed back down the busy road toward the bridge where I had left the Downs Link the day before. It was Monday morning, and it was much busier than on the previous afternoon. Somehow, knowing exactly how far I had to go on the road made it easier. I find that walking on a road is often stressful, especially when cars are whizzing past me and there’s very little in the way of a verge to hop off onto. I walked on the asphalt, jumping onto the green verge whenever a car went by.

Before I even expected it, I reached the bridge. I crossed the road, and scrambled up to the trail, where I continued south on the Downs Link, heading toward Partridge Green and beyond. I had resolved to take it easy: it was my final day, and it was the shortest stage of my walk. Plus, my legs were tired and my feet were aching and blistered. It was time to have a little compassion for my body and not rush down the trail as I had been.

The Downs Link started off in its usual format: a wide, level path under a green tunnel of trees. It was even more open today, with the sky showing through a gap in the trees. Rain was predicted for the day, and it was lightly overcast, making it much cooler than on the previous two days. It was perfect English walking weather. As on previous days on the Downs Link, dog walkers and cyclists were out enjoying the morning.

I resolved to stop and sit for a rest at every bench I came across that day: there were very few of them, so it made for a good distance between breaks. I would sit down and put my feet up on the bench or cross my legs to stretch them as I rested. My feet were feeling the effects of the weight in my pack and the stifling heat of my boots.

At Partridge Green the Downs Link

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