The obstacle is the way

Today got off to an inauspicious start, being greeted on the first footpath of the day by a memo that I managed to miss during myextensive preparations:

At least this only wasted a quarter of a mile. Speaking of the East West Rail Phase 2, I assume this is it:

Some hours later I was somewhat taken aback to discover a heap of horse manure, about 10 feet high and 30 feet wide, completely blocking the footpath. No way to go around, and no way was I going over.

To think I used to be put off by footbridges like this one:

The next challenge was courtesy of some new build houses on the outskirts of Brackley:

I thought this was a badly run tip when I first saw it, but there are new builds to the right

One footpath I decided not to take:

A couple of miles from the hotel I was rather downcast to discover this swamp with handily placed extra-slippery logs to tempt the unwary into crossing.

And finally, the only obstacle to defeat me today. I went out of my way by over a mile to avoid this 400 yards of wall to wall stinging nettles.

It brightened up my day to see this sitting on it own in the middle on a gigantic field:

Stats:

• Sleep last night: 7hr 49min (still unconvinced)
• Miles covered: 26.2/75 (today/total)
• Miles to go: 135 (estimate)
• Steps: 55,435/158,808 (today/total)
• Calories expended walking: 4,799
• Walking speed (kph): 3.5-6.4
• Arrival at hotel: 14:50
• Motorways crossed total: 3 (M25, M1, M40)

Route:

• Winslow
• Padbury
• Buckingham
• Westbury
• Brackley
• Hinton-in-the-Hedges
• Farthinghoe
• Middleton Cheney
• Banbury