Twelve miles along the old canal

Started early, before the cyclists. The towpath is flat for the whole way, which sounds easy and is not: flat ground means every step is the same step, and by mile eight the knees notice.

Counted fourteen locks and three herons, one of which followed me for half a mile from post to post as if it had somewhere to be. The pub at the halfway lock was closed for good, so lunch was an apple and a cheese roll on the best bench of the day, facing the water meadow.

Next time: start from the other end, so the long straight stretch comes while the legs are fresh.