Droves

Vitamin D is formed in the skin when it’s hit by UVB light. Sunscreen nowadays blocks out UVB light. Just saying.

We walked to Ely via Little Downham taking a route we’ve done once or twice before. We came to a choice between walking along the edge of a farmer’s field or walking a fine line between overgrown bushes and evil nettles. Some eejit chose the latter because it seemed less trespassy.

The bushes and nettles became bushes, nettles and brambles, such that we kept getting caught on brambles, which turned bare skin into shredded skin. It seemed interminable.

In Little Downham, we went to The Plough, where a bloke in a Sunderland top sat inside, chatting to a couple of people.

We had to pass him on the way to the bar. ‘Nice top.’

He smiled at me.

It was nice listening to his accent as we sat outside with our drinks, having a nice rest before embarking on the next part of the trip.

We went south out of Little Downham on the road, till we turned off onto a trail, continuing southward. The path became a little clarty after a while.

I saw a stile on the right. ‘There’s a stile.’

We continued down the trail, which became so shoe-suckingly clarty that we decided to turn back and go over the stile.

The stile led to a nature reserve. We came out the other end, confused as to which way to go – but only for a moment, and we were soon back on track.

We reached the A10, which we had to cross – I don’t like doing that – and entered Ely. This time, we knew how to get to the West End House from West Fen Road.

Plan A had been to walk home from Ely, but by this point, time was ticking, so we executed plan B instead: get the train home.