On the way down through Cutsdean we a saw a pump house and filter on the stream - it seems a bit of an overstatement to call it a river here, even if that is what the map says. So local houses are still getting drinking water from the Windrush it seems, and that also seems a very good reason to protect it from pollution. We are definitely going to come back to that circle of life giving purity as we travel downriver.
There were more signs of pumps, now derelict but once an essential water supply. Clean water, coming out of the springs. Who would even think about polluting groundwater? We will come to that over the next few weeks.
Were those Hobbit footprints?
I never used to think about this but, having worked on this campaign for a couple of years I now really do worry about when to let my dog drink from a river or stream.
Here he was worrying more about not getting a frog in his throat! Or a toad.
And deciding it's OK.
Tomorrow we may reach the first sizeable sewage plant... will keep you posted!