Thu 24th May -Goring to Wallingford

Last night the heat was unbearable. The bedroom window was wide open but because there was no window that opened in the bathroom, there was no through draught. So the room was far too hot and I spent most of the night with the bed covers thrown off - it was only in the early hours the room began to cool off. The landlady of the pub did us a lovely breakfast and a packed lunch and we set off for Wallingford and yet again, the nature of the river changed. I had envisaged an easier flatter route than the day before. I had expected walking along water meadows but for long stretches we were walking through shoulder high cow parsley. The air was muggy and humid through these stretches which made for uncomfortable walking. The sun was beating down again so we had an early 'coffee' stop in Moulsford at the "Beetle & Wedge". Those two words come from the industry that was here a long while ago when a "beetle" or mallet was used to split open logs using a "wedge" before they were floated downstream. Moulsford itself comes from the old name "mules ford" referring to the time when goods carried on mules forded the river here. Anyway, history apart, the Beetle & Wedge passed the elderflower cordial test. At some places we have stopped they look at you dumbfounded when you ask for it - here they made up the drink without batting an eyelid. After the Beetle & Wedge, we were diverted away from the river yet again, this time along a main road. It was a relief to get back to the river and soon after we passed under the Paddington-Oxford railway line again. From the view below you marvelled at the skills of the bricklayers who constructed the bridge - riding in the train on the line above you would be totally oblivious of the work involved. The shoulder-high cow parsley finally finished and we were back to walking along meadows. There was a slight breeze but by this time the sun was getting even hotter. We managed to find a large overhanging tree that afforded some shade while we had lunch. The last stretch to Wallingford was through riverside gardens and past the Oxford University boat house via a swing bridge. Then all too quickly, the path became enclosed and we found ourselves scuttling along alleys around houses until we finally popped out in Thames Street. A short walk into the town centre from here and we sat down for a well-deserved cream tea. I didn't take any photos on this stretch. The sun was getting to me, the tiredness was kicking in and I was just concentrating on keeping going for another day. Tomorrow we have the shortest leg of all - just a 5ml walk to Dorchester which I have described as a 'rest' day much to Margaret and Sue's amusement.

Postscript: I was so tired on this stretch I hardly noticed as we passed the 100 mile mark (ended the day on 106 miles completed). I also managed to walk straight past the b&b meaning some extra walking we could have done without.