Gary's Coast to Coast Walk 2012: March 2012

Sunday 25 March 2012

Training Walk 25.03.12

The sun was on my side today! Walked over 13 miles today in 4 hrs and 45mins, keeping a steady pace of 2.76 mph and managing to walk a mile in under 22minutes, beating my previous best time. Check out the route and stats at the link below:

Training Walk 25.03.12

Was chuffed with today, made good time and went further than I've ever walked before. My route took me through Swithland Wood, round the top of Swithland Reservoir, followed the route of the Leicester Round and skirted the edge of the quarry. I walked through Mountsorrel, across the busy A6 (which I did cross carefully on foot), across the Mountsorrel Marshes, through Cossington before turning back towards home passing through Rothley and back home to Cropston.

A broken, old bridge in the marshes behind Cropston

The longest, straightest path across a field! Leading up to the bridge to Swithland Reservoir.

Busy and beautiful today.

The sun dappled avenue down the side of Swithland Reservoir

Just catching my breath having legged it across the busy A6.

Chanced upon two noisy horses grazing by the lock on the Soar in between Mountsorrel and Sileby

Sileby Lock Boatyard

Cossington Marshes - so much wildlife!

Cossington Marshes is massive! Seemed like it took ages for me to walk through here!

Just missed the train as it went over the footpath! Damn!

It was a great walk today, although my feet and legs started to feel the burn at about 10-11 miles. It was good route with plenty of great views and a few ups and downs to give my knees a workout. Sat and had my lunch just past Swithland Reservoir and took in a lovely view. It's really given me an idea of how I'm going to feel walking this far, and made me think about some of the days which are even longer on the walk. But even though the going got tough, I'm not put off, and I'm still looking forward to the challenge.

The new boots were amazing, and felt really comfortable and by the end of walking over 13 miles I've only got a small hot spot on my big toe.

Musical highlights on the MP3 player this week included various tracks by Kate Rusby, 'Mr Blue Sky' by E.L.O., 10 out of 10 by Paolo Nutini and a podcast of satirical Radio 4 Extra comedy show 'Newsjack' (which is very funny - check it out if you get the chance).

Thanks to everyone who is supporting me, particularly big thanks and much love goes to Helen, who is becoming a bit of a 'walking widow' because of the increasing demands of my training schedule.

Keep checking back for more updates on my progress, and don't forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think.

And . . .oooh, just remembered, must make sure there's a bottle of beer in the fridge . . .

Sunday 11 March 2012

Training Walk 11.03.12

What a beautiful day for a walk out. Did just shy of 10 miles today, heading out of Cropston towards Bradgate Park, but striking out north through Swithland Woods, walking along the roads to Woodhouse Eaves, cutting back south west across Lingdale Golf Course, and back into Bradgate Park. Over the top by Old John, past the Abbey ruins, and then back to Cropston round the south side of the reservoir. Pics below:

Cropston Reservoir looked amazing in the morning light

Just past Swithland, invisible from the road, is a hidden tower and ruin by a small lake. Didn't expect that!

Entered Bradgate Park from Hunts Hill side, but no time to stop and dawdle - I'm making good time

Having stopped by Old John for a quick early lunch, this is the view from the other side.

The views from up by Old John are amazing, and as usual, the pic doesn't do it justice.

Those houses in the distance are Cropston.

Had a lovely chat with one of the very 'well-to-do' ladies on the golf course who, mid-round stopped and asked me where I was headed. Found a couple of old golf balls in the rough just off the footpath on the edge of the golf course which I took home as a present for Lachlan. "Wow Daddy, these are the best golf balls ever, and I can hit them with my golf stick!".

Great tunes on the MP3 player today included 'Never Buy The Sun' and 'Accident Waiting to Happen' by Billy Bragg, and 'And She Was' by Talking Heads.

Made fantastic time today and had loads of fun and managed to complete the route in exactly 3.5 hours. Check out the route here:

Training Walk 11.03.12

Please put some comments on this post and let me know what you think.

Saturday 10 March 2012

Support from a famous Coast to Coaster

Recieved some correspondence today from a famous Coast to Coaster, in support of my charity walk. I've scanned it in so you can see it below.

Thanks very much Julia, and thanks to Gina, Julia's PA, for helping to get Ms Bradbury's support for the walk.

The road out of Grosmont, N.Yorks - 1:3!

I've now watched her Coast to Coast series all the way through and it is so useful to be able to see where I'm going to be walking, specifically how long and steep those paths are going to be in some places!

Everyone has been so supportive and I am already a third of the way to my fundraising target. Dad and I have planned the route, stops and accommodation, and are almost ready to go. Got a training walk tomorrow - 10+ miles. I'll keep you posted . . .

Thursday 8 March 2012

New Boots?

Finally, sorted a new pair of boots for my epic cross country traverse of our great kingdom.

The old ones have given up the ghost, so I've got myself a new pair to break in.

Got a training walk planned for Sunday, another 10 miler. Check out the blog for the route and update after Sunday!

Thanks to everyone who is still donating to the JustGiving page and keep checking back as I might have a surprise pic to post on the blog - watch this space . . .

Thursday 1 March 2012

THANK YOU!

A big thank you to the person who donated £20 today on my JustGiving page but chose to remain anonymous.

Going to try on some new boots this weekend, and get together with my Dad and start to finalise our plans for our expedition!
Keep checking back to see how things are going . . .

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Thanks for taking the time to visit my website.

So why am I raising money for the Miscarriage Association?

Someone has to. They need a relatively small amount of money to keep going every year, and the work they do is really essential.

In 2009 and 2010, Helen and I lost 2 babies in the space of 5 months. The loss we felt was immense and still is.

So, in 2012 I will be completing Wainwrights Coast to Coast walk, from St Bee's Head on the Cumbrian coast, to Robin Hoods Bay on the North East coast, a walk of approximately 200 miles.

It should take about two weeks and I will be camping whenever possible to keep the costs down.

You can donate by jumping to my JustGiving page

Don't feel you have to give lots -

every penny really does help.

Send the website address to everyone you know - all I need is for 1000 people to give £1 each and I've made my target.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Thank you so much.

So Who's the Fat Bloke?

Hi. I am a 38 year old primary school teacher who lives in Cropston, just north west of Leicester with my wife, Helen and 5 year old son, Lachlan. I've been walking in Leicestershire, Yorkshire, the Lake District, Cornwall, Derbyshire and the Malvern Hills, and love being outdoors. I've been camping in most of these places and in Norfolk and Devon. I enjoy playing the Ukulele as often as I can, singing, darts, golf and growing my own veg.

I'm looking forward to completing the walk, blisters and all, and being able to say that even while enjoying a great outdoor experience, I can raise money to help others who have been through the same experience as Helen and I. And yes - I will be taking my Ukulele with me and I'm hoping someone might sponsor me for a song played at each stop along the way!

What is Wainwright's Coast to Coast?

The Wainwright Society says this about the Coast to Coast:

'A Coast to Coast Walk was devised by Wainwright himself, and set out in his 1973 guidebook to the route.

The route is a 192-mile (although according to a recent re-measuring the real distance is almost 220 miles) unofficial, long distance footpath in Northern England. It passes through three contrasting national parks: the Lake District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and the North York Moors National Park.

Wainwright suggested a way of breaking the walk miles into stages, each of which to be completed in a day. With one or two rest days, this makes the route fit into a two-week holiday. However, Wainwright explicitly stated that he did not intend people to necessarily stick to these stages or even to his route: for example, by reducing day-lengths to 10 or 12 miles, the walk becomes a much easier three-week trip with time to 'stand and stare'.

In 2004 the walk was named as the second best walk in the world according to a survey of experts.'

I'll be breaking the walk into 14 stages, walking an average of 14 miles a day. However, this varies a lot - my shortest day is only 8 miles and my longest day will be 20 miles.

Whichever way you cut it this walk is one of the best long distance walks in the world and I'm very lucky (as well as a bit bonkers?) to be attempting it this August. Let's hope I enjoy walking it as much as I've enjoyed organising it!