Stage 8 took us from Tewkesbury along the Cotswold Way, through Bath and across the Somerset Levels into Devon. It brought 800 and 900 miles, two million steps, and some of the friendliest people of the whole walk.
Stage 8 at a glance
- Dates: 13 August – 2 September 2019
- Route: Tewkesbury – Gloucester – Painswick – Stroud – Dursley – Alderley – Old Sodbury – Cold Ashton – Bath – Midsomer Norton – Wells – Glastonbury – Street – Burrowbridge – Taunton – Wellington – Sampford Peverell – Bickleigh
- Distance: about 153 miles (around 905 in total)
- Steps: about 383,000 each – and our two millionth step
- Walking days: 15, plus 6 rest days
- Weather: rain, then late-summer sunshine
100 days and a motocross mud bath
On 14 August we reached day 100. It was raining, so Ian wrapped his phone in cling film to film the video. Kate, her husband Andrew and son Ethan walked with us from Tewkesbury to Gloucester. A big thank you, too, to all the companies and organisations who sponsored our motorhome and helped with our costs, so more of every donation went to the charity.
Beyond Gloucester, another “Brown’s Excursion” led us into a motocross circuit, where I fell over several times in thick mud. Ian got stressed because he could see me struggling. I reminded him I’d had soft landings and got straight back up again. That calmed him down.
The Cotswold Way: like walking on carpet
After weeks of nettles, the Cotswold Way was a joy: wide, flat, mown paths, rolling hills and old churches – exactly what tourists imagine England looks like. Some stretches were good enough that I think a wheelchair user could manage them. From one high point near Dursley we could even see across the Severn to Wales.
The Dursley Lions looked after us for three days. Four of them, plus Megan the Labrador, joined us on their regular Thursday walk and took over the navigation – so no more Brown’s Excursions that day.
Near Old Sodbury, beside a little princess-style tower, we passed 800 miles. That one we felt in every muscle.
Into Bath – and a very cold tunnel
My uncle Malcolm drove from Cardiff to walk into Bath with us, despite recent joint surgery, and his steps took the total walked by everyone who’d joined us over one million.
Leaving Bath, we walked through the Combe Down Tunnel, over a mile long and freezing in our shorts and vests – I’ve never walked so fast. We also passed a rapid-response stroke car. It was a good reminder of the FAST test: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty – Time to call 999.
Wells, Glastonbury and two million steps
My sister Zoe and her husband James joined us for two days around Wells, then Helen, a diving friend from Portsmouth, came with her little daughter, who discovered that walking on the spot still counted on her step counter. We climbed out of Glastonbury with the Tor dominating the skyline behind us.
Crossing the flat Somerset Levels to Burrowbridge, which reminded me of the Norfolk Broads at home, we passed two million steps. Back at Pixi we found cupcakes on the door from the Wells Lions. Along the canal to Taunton we followed the Somerset Space Walk, a scale model of the solar system.
900 miles and into Devon
On the Grand Western Canal, Geoff and Susan – friends who’d visited us in Grand Cayman – walked with us as we passed 900 miles and crossed into Devon. One county to go. The next day I saw my first ever kingfisher. Then came Devon’s famous high hedges: lovely lanes, but I’m not tall enough to see over them. Every gap in the hedge felt like a treat.
Tips if you’re walking this stretch
- Use the Cotswold Way where you can. It’s well maintained and much easier underfoot.
- Take a layer for the Combe Down Tunnel. It’s cold inside even on a hot day – and watch for cyclists.
- Canal towpaths are your friend. The Bridgwater and Taunton Canal and Grand Western Canal are flat and steady.
- Check for path closures. A closed bridge near Taunton meant a detour through fields.
- Know the FAST signs of a stroke – and call 999 straight away if you see them.
Local facts we picked up along the way
- The Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471 was one of the decisive battles of the Wars of the Roses.
- The Cotswold Way National Trail runs 102 miles from Chipping Campden to Bath.
- The Combe Down Tunnel is the longest walking and cycling tunnel in Britain.
- Glastonbury Tor is said to be the legendary Isle of Avalon.
What’s next
Catch up on Stage 7: Edale to Tewkesbury. In the final stage we cross Dartmoor’s edge into Cornwall and walk all the way to Land’s End. See every stage and watch our film on the Our JOGLE page.
Inspired? Set your own challenge, any distance and any pace, and help other brain injury survivors keep going. Find ideas, our info pack and sponsor form on our Fundraise for us page. If you or someone you care for is living with a brain injury, you can apply for funding here.
