Today was a milestone day for three reasons.
First, sometime today, I passed the halfway point between my starting point and Canterbury. While the English leg of my trip is the shortest leg, the fact that I am now more than halfway through this leg still feels significant.
Second, I turned left. Up to today, my journey had taken me generally southward. Today, and from now on, I head generally eastward, aiming more directly for Canterbury.
Third, I passed the test. Today was a very tough day. Not only was it the longest day so far, but the going was tough. Most of the day was spent going along a broad river valley that had clearly had a lot of rainfall in recent days and weeks. At best, the ground was wet and slippery – there were any number of times that only my poles kept me from taking a tumble. For long stretches, the trail had deteriorated into bog, with the mud ankle-deep or worse.
In some places the trail had completely flooded (yes, that is a trail marker).
But partway through the day I realized, with some surprise, that I was coping physically and mentally in a way that I could not have done even a couple of weeks ago. This journey is changing me, making me both fitter and more resilient. No doubt there will be tougher challenges along the way, but I can face that prospect with more confidence now.
Rome suddenly seems much closer than it did a day ago.
Day 18 Route: Stow-in-the-Wold to Charlbury via Heart of England Way and Oxfordshire Way. Terrain: river valley; field paths , tracks and roads. Weather: sunny with blustery winds. Daily distance: 34.5km/21.3 miles. Cumulative distance: 429.1 km/266.0 miles. Accommodation: The Bell, Charlbury.
Come Wind, Come Weather 
Wow Simon – well done today -that IS a milestone! I hope you manage to dry your boots out tonight! We too got wet feet today. It was such a wet weekend in the Lakes, and Oscar and I had wet feet, biking along a bridleway high above Ullswater today – the ground simply couldn’t take more water. It was exhilirating to be so high up – whenever we stopped, we could enjoy another view over the lake and Helvellyn. When we arrived back at the campsite, Jan inflated his packraft, bid us goodbye and paddled out of Ullswater and down the Eamont towards Penrith. We’ve all enjoyed an exciting journey today! Even Kirsten cycled 8 kilometres from Pooley Bridge to Howtown and back, though bribery was involved! You are making remarkable progress.
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“yes, that is a TRIAL marker” Fixed that for you.
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