John O'Groats to Lands End - Day 31 Evening

Another great day along the towpath. Although, to be truthful, My
energy was pretty low all day.

I woke up feeling calorie deprived and a weary walk along the canal
brought me to a little place called Clayton-le-Moors. I couldn't
resist the Big Breakfast for £3.50 in Nancy's Cafe. It was the real
deal and I washed it down with a couple of mugs of tea. Lovely.

Clayton-le-Moors has a Co-op and a Spar so I was able to get a good
deal on a pack of Mars Bars and a can of All Day Breakfast. I got a
tin of Irn Bru just for the sugar rush and I was good to go.

I popped into the public library for some info on the Leeds Liverpool
canal and had a lovely chat with the two charming, helpful and
enthusiastic ladies who work there.

In the end I didn't really get going until noon. And all day I was
fighting weariness. I kept pushing though, walking and jogging, and
eventually covered just short of 30 miles I think.

I'm camped in a wood not far outside Wigan.

Despite my lethargy I enjoyed the day. It was a day for chatting.
First the library ladies, of course. Then an old chap who used to
drive trains to Ravenscraig to pick up steel. He gave me some local
history. And later a young student of English literature who was
reading Isaac Asimov and loved Alexandre Dumas. A canal towpath can
be quite a sociable place.

At some point yesterday I passed a sign which said, Welcome to
Lancashire, and since then the run has been something of a tour of old
mill towns, Blackburn, Burnley, even Accrington got a close miss.

Anyway, tomorrow I breakfast in Wigan.

Nighty night, folks.