The Towpath.

More on the long distance running stuff today.
The Ancholme canal near me is hardly used, but I had read of a newly laid footpath heading North that the council had commissioned, so after consulting the map to find out how far I could go I ventured to the starting town with my trainers on.  The plan was to go directly North until I reached the Humber then simply head back the same way.
There were plenty of folk fishing along the part in the town where I started, but the car park was relatively empty so I'm guessing they were all locals.  It was a bit cold, but no wind so a double t-shirt would be OK without having to resort to the jacket.  I set off on the grandly named 'Ancholme Way' which a graffiti covered notice board told me about.  I didn't stop to read the detail, but there was some guff about local points of interest.  The path was a well laid 10ft wide cinder type of surface which was ideal for me with my trail shoes on.  However, after 2 miles if abruptly ended and I found myself on a grass path - what would have been the towpath I guess.  A mile or so later and it's a rutted grass path, deteriorating further into a very rutted, sticky, slippery grass path which slowed my down considerably.  However, eventually this returned to a 'normal' grassy path where (I believe) tractors had no need to use it.  It squeezed in between the canal and a miscanthus field for a couple of miles before the last mile or so of decent grass path as I reached the lock gates at South Ferriby.  My Garmin informed me I had travelled 8.9miles, so with that in mind I turned and headed back.
The miscanthus path had not been to my liking due to overhanging hedges as well as some of the fallen miscanthus itself, so I decided to take a detour into Horkstow and Saxby to extend my route a little thereby avoiding the jungle.  I estimated this would add another 1 or 2 miles at most.  I felt reasonable good all the way back, although it was a relief to eventually get on the gritty footpath and put the slippery grass behind me.
All told, it was 19.3 miles without stopping so I'm happy with that as my 26 mile race looms in less than 4 weeks time.