Leg 8: The Bridge House Hotel, Reigate to Days Inn, Clacket Lane Motorway Services, Nr. Sevenoaks (13.2 miles approx.)
A much better day today. I ended last night feeling pretty low mainly due to tiredness after a particularly long day. Thankfully I knew today was going to be a much shorter and more straightforward run with only 2 junctions to negotiate (or 3 if you count the one I was coming off at the start). I think the knowledge that this run was going to be alot shorter helped my morale and I decided not to wear my jacket as it looked like it was going to be a very warm day (a good decision as it turned out). A few minor fights with barbed wire fences near the beginning (including one where a branch sprang back at me unexpectedly and whacked me in the face on my nose quite painfully), and one minor detour around some very aggressive no entry signs. Otherwise a pretty straight forward journey, mainly through farmland and woodland- a few electric fences to negotiate near paddocks, but found a way to get through the gaps without touching the electrified ribbons.
At one point I thought I would have to cross a small railway line, which I don’t like to do but have done if there is no other way round. I was about to cross this one when I spotted a couple of guys with orange fluorescent jackets on on the other side of the line. I’m not sure if they saw me but I retreated back into the woods hastily to try and think of another way across. The last thing I want is a hefty fine for trespassing on the railway. Luckily as I followed the line up through the wood I noticed that it went through a tunnel underneath, so I could get across relatively easily after all. It was worth the slight detour.
Although I was going over much easier ground, I found it very difficult to do much running as my limbs are starting to feel very heavy now. I did my best to try intermittently to keep things moving and to try and quicken my journey, but I was also preserving some energy for my last and final run tomorrow, which is the longest and up hill by all accounts. I doubt I will be really running that much of it , although I will try at least in parts. On another note, I’m a little concerned about my camera relay as it was playing up and kept stopping intermittently today. Just as well I kept checking or there would have been no images to the gallery or to the ‘phone.
It was good to see the sign for the next services even at 4miles away- at that point it didn’t seem so far- some interweaving through some woodland and more fields mainly and the 1 mile sign for Clacket Lane Services came up very quickly.
My parents decided to pay me a visit to wish me well on my last day and have booked a room here too. It was good to see them and to spend a relaxing evening with them. It also made a huge difference getting here earlier (before 4pm)- I was able to completely wind down and relax for a few hours before they got here.
It’s exciting to think that I’m finally reaching the end and that although it’s not over yet I feel very close to the end and that is a great feeling. The whole thing has been quite strange and I’ve gone through some very mixed emotions, but I would have been without doing it in the way that I have with dogged determination. Next post will be when it’s all over.
