Coast to Coast - Day 12 (Part 2)

Beak Hill Farm to Lion Inn - 13 miles

I woke up to gentle drizzle and strong wind. As I didn't want all my stuff to get wet during packing, I jammed everything into my bag and moved inside the bathroom. After sorting everything out, I returned to my tent and moved the whole thing inside for the same reason. I knew it was going to be wet, so I put all my wet gear on, including gloves, and set off with a "Here we go" grin. You have to see the funny side. Five minutes into the walk, I was already sweating, and then the real fun started.

The wind was ferocious, and it was pushing me backwards / sideways like a linebacker. The rain, on the other hand, felt like thousands of little needles against my cheek. To try to save my face from becoming a human dartboard, I attempted the Darth Wader look and breathing technique. I covered my nose and cheeks with my buff and started the whole 'deep breathing' through my mouth. It worked nicely until the wind managed to rip it off. Even my backpack's rain cove was pushed clean off, and the only reason it didn't fly away was because it was attached to my bag. At this point, I was not even sure which was worse: the sweat pouring down my back/arms and legs or the rain seeping through my jacket and boots. It was safe to say I was SLIGHTLY damp . Heyho, I'll definitely remember this day for this very reason.

After 3 steep climbs and descent, with minimal visibility, I reached a straight long stretch that gave the wind another opportunity to play with me. There was simply no place to hide from the elements, so having lunch somewhere flew out the window 'so to speak'. On one of these stretches, I met a lady, Lizzie / Erzsebet, from Australia, who spoke fluent Hungarian. It was an absolute pleasure chatting with her in Hungarian.

To add a bit more excitement to my day, at one point, the wind pushed me so hard that I lost my balance and sprained my ankle. After a short break, I simply got up changed my gate to a cute waddle and carried on with a slight limp. Reaching the Lion Inn made me smile. Walking into a room with an open fire made me whimper from gratitude. The staff were absolutely spectacular. Due to the weather warning that forecasted 47mph winds tonight, they offered the beer garden that had some shelter from the wind rather than the usual field that was completely open to the elements. After a quick setup and shower, I placed all my clothes, boots, and myself in front of the fire and didn't leave until we all dried and darkness set in. I had a huge dinner, a great conversation, and a brilliant card game called "Shit head" (seriously) with some of the other walkers. It was a challenging day with lots of twists and turns, but the glimpses I managed to see showed a stunning landscape. I'm sort of looking forward to tonight's activities for no other reason than experience and entertainment.