Rape (seed)

My middle siren was a great friend of Sophie and we live in Devon so the family put Carol up for a few days - "You don't mind walking with Carol for a day do you ?" said the strife - seemed a not unreasonable request.Tedburn St Mary to Tiverton seemed a simple jaunt on paper. A bit of public footpath and minor road circumventing Crediton and then along the Exe Valley Way to the start of the Great Western Canal in Tiverton - I reckoned 15 miles - Carol's new gizmo from Millets reckoned 16.4.Carol set off like a whippet up a serious incline and conversation was a little Wheezy for a while but second wind broke in coincidental with the incline ridging out. "By heck" i thought - "she goes at a pace". (Actually i have never said "By Heck" in my life but this Bridlingtonish rubs off !)Why do farmers hate public footpaths so? Why do they train their hens, peacocks (honest), dogs and ducks to intimidate so ! Because they own their little bit of the world I suppose and you the charitable walker are an invader intent upon trampling their crops. So to stop you enjoying a stress-free walk , and having failed to stop you with the menagerie, a cunning plot - grow a field of 5 foot high rape seed across the footpath so you cannot see where you are going !! A brilliant piece of navigation saw us through - only to present us in front of 3 feet of barbed wire which the miniscule Carol took in her stride. A quick stop for an ice cream at Bickleigh Mill and then a delightful walk along the bank of the River Exe. The final 2 miles through Tiverton across tarmac did for my feet but the Pollock made with the blister plasters. Both feet blistered and a funny strain behind my knee.It was fun but I can't walk now !GaryVive LeJog