Almost time to Start!

Friday 4th May 2018

It's almost time to start my 2018 Solo 100 Mile Walking Challenge in Norfolk. I will be setting out early from near Swaffham on Bank Holiday Monday and am set to finish the walk outside the Burlington Palm Court Hotel in Great Yarmouth at around teatime on Saturday 12th May.

I'm hoping that some folks might be able to meet up with me along the way so I'm posting my lunchtime and end of day stops here. If you do intend meeting up then please leave a comment here or on my Facebook page and then I will try my very best to be at the stop at the allotted times.

 

Lunch Stops –

Probably sometime between 1200hrs and 1400hrs (no guarantees!!)   

1) Harpley, Rose & Crown, PE31 6TW  

2) Brancaster, Ship Hotel, PE31 8AP    

3) Stiffkey, Red Lion, NR23 1AJ 

4) Sherringham, 2 Lifeboats, NR26 8JR  

5) Bacton, Tea Shed, NR12 0EP or  more likely Poachers Pocket, NR12 0LS  

6) Winterton On Sea, Fisherman’s Return, NR29 4BN 

End Stops –

Probably sometime between 1700hrs - 1800hrs.

(If no-one is waiting I’ll probably return straight to Norwich)

1) Ringstead, Gin Trap Inn, PE36 5JU (Only if I’m doing really well!!)   

2) Burnham Overy, The Hero, A149, PE31 8JE  

3) Cley-next-Sea, The George, High St, NR25 7RN

4) Overstrand, White Horse, 15 High St, NR27 0AB  

5) Sea Palling, Probable pick-up at NR12 0UE and drive to Gt Yarmouth, Burlington Palm Court for meal if anybody is planning to still be there!!!

6) Grt Yarmouth, Burlington Palm Court, North Dr, NR30 1EG    

Day 1 & 2 stops may not happen; it depends on how the walking goes, as these are the longest days!!!!

My fundraising is going well and my grateful thanks to all those who have sponsored me to date. My page will remain open even after I have completed my walk. My Virgin Money Giving page is at:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

Ireland Training

Saturday 14th April 2018

Training Walk in Ireland

One of my favourite holiday destinations is Denise's sister & brother-in-law's place in Donegal, County Donegal. I find it very relaxing and the views from their sun-room are stunning. This year I invested in an All Ireland Map Card to use with my Satmap Active 10 GPS "gizmo" and planned a training walk taking me up into the hills to the north of Donegal town. All I needed was a bit of decent weather!! Looking at the local weather forecast Saturday seemed the best bet.

Breakfast eaten, lunch packed (there are no pubs in them-thar hills!) and kit checked Denise & I set off by car to a point just north of Harvey's Point on Lough Eske where the Bluestack Way leaves the road and heads for the hills. The sky was a bit ominous and the cloud seemed lower than I would have liked but at least it was dry when I set off.

The higher I climbed the lower the cloud got and the damper it became until eventually I decided to swap my softshell jacket for my light-weight waterproof!! I'm sure the views would have been amazing if only the clouds hadn't obliterated most of the views! I should have been able to see Barnesmore and Croaghconnellagh to the east and north of the Lough as I climbed up and around the northern edge of Banagher Hill. As I crested the col and started to make my way down into the Eglish River valley in the rain I should have been stunned by the view of the Bluestack Mountains. Sadly the clouds hid a lot of the mountain but the view as I sat under the shelter of a solitary tree to eat my morning snack was still breath-taking. I heard the call of a bird of prey as I sat but I couldn't see a thing. I know eagles have been seen in the area but sadly my recognition of birdsong isn't the best.

Once I'd had my break the rain had stopped. I continued down towards the valley floor passing what I assumed was the last person to venture this way, a scarecrow in a high-viz jacket!! The going was firm underfoot being mostly a wide, stony track. I don't think my doggy friends Tam, Tate & Dara would have appreciated it though as there was little respite for their tender paws. At least there was no mud!! 

The only problem with walking up and then down a mountain on a circular walk is that, invariably, one has to walk up and down it again to get back!! At the Bluestack Way signpost which pointed me back the way I'd come down from Donegal town or onward to Ardara I chose to ignore both! I headed upward and south along a forest track towards Banagher Lough and Burns Mountain. Again I heard plenty of birdsong and identified a bullfinch by sight, pheasants by sound and some LBJ's by sight (Little Brown Jobs!) as I walked. There was evidence of shooting with cartridge cases of varying colours lying around but little sign of any other wildlife.

As is always the way the closer I got to climbing down off the mountain and heading home the clearer the weather became and the clouds lifted. I got a slightly better view of the edge of Bluestack  and beyond as I climbed upwards again.

Banagher Lough with Barnesmore in the distance

This clearing of the weather did mean that I was rewarded with some stupendous views of Donegal Bay and the inland cliffs beyond as I sat and ate my lunch. Duly fortified I headed home down the track to the roadway and then through Donegal town and back home for a nice pint of ale, a hot bath and an excellent steak dinner!! I'd comfortably walked 11miles. I'd successfully tested out the kit that I was going to use on my walk. Happy Days!! 

April Training Walk 2018

April Fools Up Sugar Loaf

I know it wasn't actually April Fools Day BUT!! . . . Monday 2nd April 2018 was not the nicest Easter Monday that we've seen. The weather forecast was not good for Abergavenny but there was the possibility that it might stop raining long enough to actually get some walking in to try and walk off some of the Easter Eggs!!

We all met up at the Llanwenarth Car Park in the mist and set off at a comfortable pace!! Its easier from there as the car has done a lot of the climbing!!

The mist was fairly thick but we skirted Cwm Trosnant and took the path to the south of Sugar Loaf. At the south-eastern edge, by Twyn Gwyn, we climbed the path to skirt the northern side of Sugar Loaf. The 'younger' members of the party forged ahead whilst this 'oldie' stopped occasionally to admire the view, wall-to-wall mist!!

We crested the western-most edge of Sugar Loaf where the path is much less distinct. Up until then we had been walking on a grassy (sometimes muddy and snowy) wide and clearly defined path. The way down towards the car park was now steeper, boulder-strewn with deep pockets of snow. The idea was that we took our time and placed our feet carefully. Sometimes ideas fail to become a reality!! We had all had a few slips and slides during the walk and one of us had earlier taken a sit-down unexpectedly! The steepness of the slope took one of the party by surprise and she descended quicker than she'd wished, twisting her booted ankle as she tried to halt. It was a scary time as she combatted the pain and we tried to find the least problematic descent route for her. Being a true tough ex-soldier she gritted her teeth (and saved us all the embarrassment of having to call out the  Mountain Rescue Team!) and limped her way painfully back to the car. Miraculously the mist lifted as we got nearer to the car park!! 

The following day she took herself off to be X-rayed but fortunately she hadn't broken anything. Its going to be a long road to recovery. Thank the lucky stars that she was wearing boots as I think anything less could have meant a break.

And the things I've learnt from this little episode?
1) Take your time & look where you're going.
2) Wear the right kit.
3) Be lucky!!

Do I think we were foolish walking that day? No because we had all the right equipment and it could have just as easily happened on a fine, clear day. Accidents happen - but maybe I'll stick to walking on the flat till my Walking Challenge is over!!! My thanks to my lovely friends for providing me with exciting training walks.

24th March 2018 Raffle

Statuette Raffle

Whilst I attended the WRAC Association AGM on Saturday 17^th March 2018 at the Victory Service Club in London I drew the raffle for the lovely Waffle-stitch Throw that my sister-in-law had made. At the end of the meeting I was approached by Cathy Munroe, MBE who kindly and very generously offered another prize for me to raffle. The winner of this raffle, which will be drawn in April 2018, will have the choice of any one of these three statuettes, engraved with whatever wording they’d like to choose and posted directly to them from Phoenix Rising Gifts.



If you win you choose which statuette and what wording

To be in with a chance to win all you have to do is donate £5 (or multiples thereof) to my walk with the word “Statuette”

Donate via my Virgin Money Giving page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

     (or search for me on the VMG site using my name “Margaret Davies”)
You can also donate by contacting me via the Comments on this Blog leaving contact details and I can get back to you.

The WINNER with No 25 was Pat Neale

Thank you to everyone who donated so generously

23rd March 2018

There’s Snow Stopping Me!!

Worcester to Birmingham Canal

 

It’s been a busy time since my last Blog entry. Despite the weather I have continued with my practice/training walks. I have tried to vary the type of training to focus on different areas of fitness. Sometimes I incorporate climbs (& descents) to strengthen my knees. I’ve also done a few distance walks just to prove to myself I can still walk that far!! My other focus is on speed walking mainly to build up my general fitness – it’ll also help me with my training for the Norwich 10K I’m doing in August 2018!! Most of these training walks have been mostly in and around Worcester and neighbouring Malvern thanks to the snow. Only trouble with snow is that it melts - leaving some local flooding.

A flooded Chapter Meadows with Worcester Cathedral in the background 

However, my main walking has just been for the pure pleasure of getting out in the fresh air, sometimes with friends, and enjoying the views, sounds and company. The Great Outdoors is a wonderful gym and walking keeps me reasonably fit, slightly less fat and bordering on sanity!!

 

Proof that I don't always end up in a pub!!
Half-way point on my distance walk round Worcester

I’ve also been busy raising funds for my charities. The raffle for the WRAC Colours Waffle-Stitch Throw was hugely successful raising an amazing £210 in total. A huge Thank-you to all those who donated so generously and congratulations to Shirley Taper on winning!! Keep a look-out for a couple more raffles with some amazing prizes.

Raffle, March 2018

Waffle Throw Raffle!

To raise funds for my 100 Mile Solo Walking Challenge 2018 I am raffling this lovely 1.5 metre square hand-crochet throw. It is in Waffle Stich (“How appropriate Marg!” I hear you say!!), in a flecked Burgundy and Bottle Green light-weight but warm wool with a gold border (think WRAC flag colours-ish!)

 

 
I will draw the winning number this Saturday 17^th March at the Victory Service Club in London where the WRAC Association AGM is being held.


 
Tickets are £5 per Raffle Number (I write your name against the next number on my list)

Please remember to give me your name & contact details for when you win!!

 Pay online at my Virgin Money Giving page  https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC
OR
Pay me at VSC on Saturday if you are going to the AGM
OR
PM/Message/Text/Email me & I’ll give you my address so you can post it to me.

February into March 2018

Walking into March 2018

My!!!  Didn't we have some snow!! We're fairly lucky in Worcester as bad weather tends to dump on the Welsh Mountains, Malvern Hills or the Cotswolds before it gets to us. It did tend to make my walks a bit shorter than usual but I still got plenty of exercise trying to keep my balance on the slippy surfaces.

Worcester in the Snow

Fortunately I have some hardy Walking Buddies who spurred me on to climb the Worcestershire Beacon on Monday despite the cold. After we'd warmed ourselves with a coffee and something to eat at Waitrose café we parked at the Clock Tower Car Park at the northern end of the hills and gradually climbed to the top of the Beacon.





Some of us are better at having our photos taken than others - unless we had entered a Gurning competition!!
When we reached the top we could see that on the Worcestershire side of the hill the snow had mostly vanished whilst on the Herefordshire side there seemed to be plenty of snow still around.
My thanks again to Ali and Jo (& not forgetting Tam the dog!) for their company on my training walks.

As we had filled our faces before the walk we decided to give the pub a miss - this time!! Maybe the next walk!!