16 December 2020

Twelve

Road junction west of Blyton

Twelve miles. That's how far I walked yesterday, east of The River Trent in Lincolnshire.

I left Clint in the car park of the village hall in Blyton - which is undoubtedly the origin of the surname Blyton as in Enid Blyton - one of Britain's best known children's writers.

It was a beautiful day as I set off - hardly a cloud in the sky - and for mid-December the temperature was pretty mild. No need for the big coat,  gloves or a woolly hat.

I was heading north west for the tiny riverside village of Wildsworth. Across from Wildsworth is another small village called Gunthorpe which is where my wife was born and spent the first sixteen years of her life. Her father, Charlie, was an arable farmer there and was also born in Gunthorpe. Sadly now there are no living family connections to the place - just memories.

View of the Andersons' house in Gunthorpe - Holme Farm

Three and a half miles by the river down to East Stockwith. There I sat on a bench and looked across to West Stockwith as I ate my banana and apple and swigged some water. It's funny that these riverside communities can be so close to each other and yet so far apart. There may have been little rowboat ferries in the past but there are none today.

Looking to West Stockwith from East Stockwith

A long, straight road led me eastwards - away from the river and back in the direction of Blyton as the sun was sinking prettily over Retford and Gainsborough.

I nipped into Blyton's village shop and treated myself to a "Snickers" bar after renewing my "Lotto" ticket. Just think - if I won the jackpot I would not have to walk anywhere again. I could pay people to do the walking for me and Clint would be traded in for a banana-coloured Lamborghini called Gina Lollobrigida. What merry japes Gina and I would have.

I saw a saw in East Stockwith

St Martin's Church, Blyton is Grade I listed

32 comments:

  1. I was impressed with the twelve mile walk but then you said you would get rid of Clint if you won the lottery and I was shocked and saddened. I don't even know how you are.
    Clint has been your faithful companion and to hear you so callously talk of Gina, just shaking my head.

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    1. Life can be cruel Lily. You just gotta move on.

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  2. Why did they change the Marathon to Snickers? Marathon or half marathon is more apt for your twelve mile hike YP.

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    1. They changed it because the people of Marathon, Greece were rioting, How would you like to live on a peninsula named after a chocolate bar - The Lion Bar Peninsula?

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  3. #IStandWithClint

    Shame on you! 😄

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    1. You can buy Clint off me Jennifer. The shipping cost will be minimal.

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    2. Clint would not be much use to Jennifer YP - the steering wheel is on the wrong side!

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    3. Cough-cough CG. It is on the RIGHT side - in more ways than one.

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  4. And will there be a new Mrs. Pudding as well? You cad!
    Twelve miles! I am impressed with myself these days if I walk three miles. You are quite the fit fellow, Mr. P.!

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    1. I will keep the current Mrs Pudding but also secretly invest in a worldwide chain of mistresses. Please don't tell anybody.

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  5. Twelve miles is really good, and I guess I would have wanted more than a banana and an apple (and a snickers) for my packed meal.
    Should you win the lottery and pay other people to do the walking for you, may I put my name down for one of those people? I won't charge all that much, and faithfully do every single walk in and around Ludwigsburg in your name. The more strenuous hikes in the Black Forest would of course come at a slightly higher price.

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    1. I would pay you a Black Forest Gateau for every Black Forest walk.

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  6. Well, you got my attention with that first bit - "Twelve miles"! Wow! I am wondering if I could walk twelve miles. It is too cold here to do that now but maybe I will have to work up to that in the spring or summer. I can walk 3 or 4 miles so I have a long way to go... I don't think you should give up walking if you win the lottery as we would miss all of the lovely sights you share with us.

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    1. If I win the lottery I will employ other people to continue this blog Ellen. By the way, my hips are a bit sore today!

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. I am glad you had second thoughts about all the swear words ADDY!

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  8. She's from the Isle of Axholme!

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    Replies
    1. That is right Tasker. Full marks my lad!

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  9. Trade Clint in? That's sad. If you win the lotto, it seems to me that Clint should be given the opportunity to canoodle with Gina in the garage as a reward for years of faithful service.

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    1. Nine months later Gina would probably give birth to a bubble car.

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  10. If you'd walked another 12 miles you could have had one of my mince pies.

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  11. Like you would EVER give up walking, Lotto or not! I'm impressed that you walked 12 miles. I think the farthest I ever manage on my walks is something around 10 miles. And it's been a while!

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    1. I need to keep on walking while I can. One day my walking days will be over.

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  12. Anonymous10:58 pm

    "I saw a saw in East Stockwith".

    Exactly happened as I thought if tried to say this our loud, "I saw a saw in East Sockwith".

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  13. You make the most of opportunities so when it's nice get out there.

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    Replies
    1. It is one of the benefits of being retired and still fit enough to walk for miles.

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  14. I'm not silly enough to think you would never walk any where again!

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  15. A twelve mile walk is excellent! You definitely got your exercise. Keep taking walks like that and your health will thank you. I'm so happy you saw a saw, and a colorful one at that!

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    1. I firmly believe that every mile we walk adds a day to our lives.

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Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

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