Loughborough, 27 January 2013

All the snow had melted overnight, so having done this very walk in icy conditions previously it was a bit of a surprise to find ourselves gathering under blue skies at Loughborough railway station – the destination of Thomas Cook’s very first package tour (no, really).

Four legs good, two legs... covered in goo anyway.

Heading off with a large crowd, we soon ran into serious mud, but after a minor creative detour we were soon back on track and en route for the first pub of the day at one of the Leakes (East Leake, West Leake or somewhere in between).  The sun had got a bit tired by then, so we were saved from any risk of a post-lunch snooze by a fizzy micro-squall of gusty hail, followed by a sudden wind which wafted us along the canal at the end of the route faster than a sail-barge with a crew of thirsty coal-scuttlers (whatever they are).  Of course, the end-of-walk pub was right on the towpath, so it was raffish backdraft hairdos and halves of mild all ‘round.  Many thanks to Ian for a very circuitous circumnavigation of bush and Brush.