Friday night. I dropped my wife a the station for a weekend in London with a friend. My last words were if the line from Dawlish is shut on Sunday I will come up to Exeter.
So after a good lie in on Sunday, waiting for the next weather front to come in, I set off for Bodmin moor. The weather on the drive over was full on storm Dennis. Then as I pulled up at Roughtor car park the rain stopped. I hopped over the saddle of Roughtor and was quickly at the top of BrownWilly, Cornwall's highest peak, intending to carry on down the other side.
But not today. A text from my wife arrived at 15:00, on top of BrownWilly, saying the Train was stopping at Taunton. 95 miles away, at 16:30. Switching to fell runner in full walking kit mode, not recommended btw, I jogged back to the car and set off for Taunton.
There was no way I could make 16:30 and I needed petrol, so I pulled into Sourton Services, filled up and checked my texts. Our daughter had realised there was no way I could be there on time and was on her way to Taunton, well ahead of me.
So what to do now? I could head home, but as it happens Sourton is only a few miles from Meldon Quarry, my favourite car park for HighWillhays. It was just after 16:00 and I know I can climb the 400m in under an hour, so why not. I crossed the brook on the bridge, not something I normally do, but it was more like a waterfall today. The wind was also wicked but the sun was shinning as I pushed on at full speed to the summit of Devon's Highest peak. As I approached the summit the sun behind me bathed the summit cairn in a beautiful orange glow. Turning around though it was a different picture entirely. Within a minute the sun had gone and the next rain front stared at me with foreboding darkness. It was several miles way but travelling fast. Time for some more running. Ditching my plan to visit Yes tor on the way back, I pushed on as fast as my ageing legs would take me convinced I was in for a major soaking, as the front raced towards me.
Made it though and as I sat in the hatch back, nice and dry changing out of my boots the heavens finally opened. What a lucky sod I am sometimes.
Checking the local headlines this evening there wee not enough buses laid on at Taunton either, so top marks to our daughter for picking up MrsG up. we all arrived home together. A good day all around.
