Day 2 Tuesday 24th March 2020

Well the Prime Minister's directive last night has put a slightly different slant on things. Denise and I have to remain socially isolated (we've already been doing this). Only one of us will be doing any shopping about once a week so little change there, just not going together. At the moment neither of us has any call upon any part of our health service although I'm sure my future dental appointment will be cancelled. 
The 'interesting' ones are the exercise and no unnecessary journeys. Once a day walking, running, cycling or going to the allotment allowed. My brother & sister-in-law (in their 70's) have been taking their car to a secluded spot and then walking because where they live has busy roads and lots of people. Is that an unnecessary journey?
So where does that put me and my walk? My form of exercise is and always has been walking. Denise prefers gyms (not allowed) and gardening.

 
Not just her own garden but she volunteers for two healthcare gardens, Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven and, more recently, St Cloud Nursing Home. The work that she does outdoors brings great comfort and pleasure to patients and residents. Are either of these unnecessary journeys? If she is allowed to journey there and I tag along for the ride can I then walk back home?

Needs thinking about. I'll let you know what I decide . . . . or what is decided for me!!


One of my main reasons for doing this walk right now is that my cousin (who I used to walk out and about in her pram when she was a baby and I was about 8!) was due to go into the  Royal London Hospital for a cancer operation today but its been cancelled. I had dedicated this year's walk to her for her speedy recovery and return to good health. She is one of many family and friends who are going through cancer at the moment and I know how that feels.

Walking in isolation

Today I went out for my one walk at 0745 this morning in the hope that there were not too many other people doing the same. It was another cool but sunny morning as I headed from home back along the Monarch's Way towards Powick Bridge again. 
I have decided that I'd give you another bit of history of the area. 

Firstly I was able to overlook the confluence of the Rivers Severn and Teme today. Yesterday there was a young lady enjoying the peace and quiet so I let it be. 

Probable site of Boat Bridge
across the River Severn

Today I was able to stand and picture in front of me the bridge of boats that Cromwell had strung across the Severn. This was the tactic that won the battle, his ability to move his troops rapidly from the eastern side of Worcester (Red Hill and Fort Royal) to  the western side at Powick and to repel the Royalist at both Fort Royal and those advancing from St John's.



I continued my journey beside the Teme tramping through the early morning wet grass.

I noticed that my walking boots appeared to shine in the sunlight as if I had "bulled" them for some ceremony.


I hadn't! It was just the dew glistening.


And so it was back to Powick Bridge again (the site of the first skirmish of the Civil War)

This time I was concentrating on Powick Mills on the western side of the bridge.It is thought that there have been mills on this site since Medieval times. They used water power, initially from Laughern Brook and later, more reliably by diverting part of the Teme. 

In the 18th Century it became an Iron Forge where pig iron was brought in by boat, heated in furnaces and hammered using water power. Later a rolling mill was developed which squashed the bars into sheets again using water power. 

The same technology was also used to crush material for the Worcester Porcelain factory.

In 1894 a hydro electric power station was built on the site. At the time it was the largest one in Britain and the first one built by a local authority.



This is the structure that we see today.

From Powick Bridge I made a detour to Powick Church another site closely connected to the Civil Wars. Cromwell's reinforcements from Wales were harried by snipers in and on the church tower. 

If you look closely at the second picture you can see, to the right and a little below the larger tower window, some round pitted marks on the wall not far from the modern drainage pipe. They are reputed to be shot holes from musket fired at the Royalist defenders. 





Today I managed to walk 10 miles in one go although my technology would tell you different! 
My Satmap said 10 miles when I stopped it but only 9.85 miles once I'd saved it!! 
My phone App decided it wasn't playing after only 3.36 miles!!





I think I'll stick to flowers 😃 

Day 1 Monday 23rd March 2020

Unusually, & weirdly, the day started outside my own home!!

That’s never happened before. I had decided that, as my walk was originally supposed to be in Scotland I would try and mirror the distance, terrain, ascents/descents and where possible the type of locations. I posed the question yesterday; “Where would I walk that would mirror Fort George, Cawdor Wood and Culloden Battlefield near Inverness?”

My first stop was Powick Old Bridge which spans the River Teme. This was the site of the first skirmish of the English Civil War in September 1642 (before the Battle of Edge Hill in October1642) Prince Rupert and 11 of his troops confronted Parliamentarian, Colonel Brown (!!) and 10 men.

The ensuing Battle of Powick Bridge was engaged by 1000 Parliamentary & Royalist troops and the first shots were fired by the Royalists and was countered by a Parliamentarian cavalry charge. It was a bit of a tactical mess by both sides but afterwards lessons were learnt and tactics re-considered by both sides.

From Powick I had to make my way up to Worcester Woods, by County Hall. Because of the recent flooding and major roadworks on the A440 some of the off-road footpaths were waterlogged or closed. I had to walk beside the busy road but at least no-one else was mad enough to be walking that way!

I managed to wend my way to the woods, skirting and through housing estates, only meeting a few dog walkers. We all gave each other wide berths!

Worcester Woods was also quieter than I had expected. Again there were mainly dog walkers, including a family with three young children who were having fun in a muddy creek. I managed to peak over the fence at the garden of the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven before heading back towards home via Perry Wood. 

I had another brief walk beside the main London Road before entering Fort Royal, the remains of a fortified site protecting the city of Worcester. This saw one of the fiercest actions of the Battle of Worcester which ended the Civil War in September 1651.

It was a wonderful place to stop for my mid-morning snack of marmalade sandwich (I’ve been practising my Paddington Bear “Hard Stare” too!)  I walked down the hill from Fort Royal to the Commandery, which was the Royalist Headquarters during the Battle. Charles Stuart watched some of the battle from Worcester Cathedral Tower. 

From the Commandery I made my way to the River Severn which I crossed at Diglis Bridge. Now I was on the west side of the river again so I headed home for a brief respite (& loo!!) Apple and sandwich devoured with a large glass of water. 





Then it was off again, back to the river and heading south along the Monarch’s Way. This 615 mile Long Distance Path follows the escape of Charles II after the Battle of Worcester.

It took me past the points on the River’s Severn and Teme where Oliver Cromwell cleverly constructed two ‘bridges of boats’ which allowed him to move his troops easily toward the battlefield.

The strongest and saddest connection between this walk and the one that I was supposed to be doing in Scotland is that the majority of Charles II’s army at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 came from the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. Charles had an Army of 13,000; they’d marched hundreds of miles south with him from Scotland. Cromwell had put into the battlefield 30,00 men, consisting of professional soldiers and part-time militia. Many  of the Scottish soldiers died, many were captured and sent to the colonies virtually as slaves. Very few of them returned home.

Day 1 done and dusted, and just over 18 miles under my belt (well, feet!) The weather has been glorious and I’m feeling good.

 Where will I be tomorrow? It was supposed to be the biggest day’s climb of the whole walk. Now where would that be round here?

Marg's 2020 Walk 2nd Update

WOW!! This 'thing' is moving fast. 

I have decided that I am going to start my 2020 "Was-to-be-Scotland" 100 Mile Charity Walk tomorrow, Monday 23rd March. 

As I have already said in an earlier post, I have had to re-rout the walk from Scotland to Worcestershire. I'm trying to match the route terrain, elevation and kinds of locations that I'm walking. It's taken some extra thought and planning. 

Day 1 originally was due to take in areas around Inverness on the northeastern coast of Scotland. I had intended walking around Fort George on the coast, Cawdor Estate Woods (Cawdor has a link with my home-county of Pembrokeshire and finally the battlefield site at Culloden. 

My question for you folks, particularly those who know Worcester & Worcestershire well, is to see if you can work out each day where I might be walking. I will still be writing my Blog every evening so you can see if your guess was right!

             

                                 




Please feel free to donate to my two charities, Cancer Research UK and Women's Royal Army Corps Association, who are working particularly hard during these trying times. The research into fighting cancer must continue. These are also particularly trying times for many Association members experiencing even more isolation and loneliness during this Coronavirus outbreak; the support continues. 
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

Marg's 2020 Walk *Covid-19 Update*

My, oh my! How quickly have things happened? Hi from Worcester.

Worcester Cathedral

Malvern Sculpture

In the light of recent Government & Health advice I will NOT be doing my 100 Mile Solo Walking Challenge in Scotland but, as I am under 70 years of age I WILL still be doing my 100 Mile Walk but locally, around Worcestershire, avoiding contact with humans where possible!! If necessary I'll have to "borrow" a dog!!

The timing of my walk remains the same and will be:

Start on Friday 17th April 2020

End on Thursday 23rd April 2020

I would still love to reach (& hopefully exceed) my fundraising target for my two charities who support vulnerable people particularly at this trying time.

You can still donate via my Virgin Money Giving page at:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

Worcestershie Beacon

I am planning possible routes which will replicate the type of terrain that I was due to walk in Scotland. Well, it gives me something to do now that I'm a bit more limited in my social gallivanting!! It is going to prove a good mental challenge to plan suitable new routes at short notice.

They still have to cover similar distances and elevations on all 7 days. 

Hopefully we are going to have less rain than we've experienced in the last couple of months or else this walk could end up as a swim . . . or a mud bath!! 

Although I will be based at home and doing many of the walks in familiar locations, often where I have previously walked with friends, I will still need to get into 'the zone' or 'mind-set' as I will still be walking day after day for 100 miles. I find this easiest when solo walking, just head down, step out and go for it. So, self-isolating works for me!!

March 2020 - "Stormy Weather"

Me in a snow storm!

Just over a month to go before I start my 2020 Solo 100 Mile Charity Walk. As has been well publicised in the media my part of the world has had some interesting weather over the last few months. We’ve had Storm Ciara, Storm Dennis and Storm Jorge with their winds and rainfall causing chaos. Needless to say my training has suffered a bit. Some of my planned training walks had to be abandoned or re-routed thanks to floods and some of my journeys to walks took detours thanks to fallen trees and floods.

Worcester & River Severn Flooding

Worcester - some properties became
islands

Having said that I have managed to keep up my mileage to build stamina. I have also succeeded
in losing some weight thanks to a mostly ‘Dry January’ and being more aware of the food that I’m
eating. Both of these have not been easy thanks to the many ‘social’ WRAC events that I’ve been
attending. We’re a very sociable group!! 

Majorie (statue), Vera (dec)
& Margaret Walkeden

Margaret Walkeden at the WRAC
plot before it was re-vamped

I’m looking forward to another gathering of WRAC Association ladies at the National Memorial
Arboretum on Saturday 21st March. It will be a very special occasion when we dedicate a new
statue to the WRAC honouring all those who served between 1949 and 1992.
The new statue (named “Maureen”) will be standing near her predecessor (named “Majorie”),
a lady of the ATS honouring those who served during World War II between 1938 and 1949.
I am hoping to drum up a few more donations via a raffle for some WRAC related prizes and
my wonderful Mascot “Piper Angus”

Piper Angus -
hand-knitted by a
WRAC veteran friend

At the moment I’m trying to keep the soles of my feet in tip-top order whilst also keeping up with
my walking and general fitness training. I have received loads of brilliant suggestions regarding
staying blister-free; all I have to do is work out which ones work for me and my feet!!

Once again my grateful thanks to all those who have donated to my two charities, either in person,
through raffles or through my Virgin Money Giving Page:
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

Training and Planning Jan 2020

Proper Planning and Training, January 2020

My, oh my! I did have a good Christmas and New Year. I think I hoovered every bit of food and drink in sight! So much so that I've put on a fair bit of weight. For a number of reasons that's not good news. Being overweight at my age increases the chances of contracting breast cancer and I don't need a third dose. Being overweight also puts extra pressure on my aged knees which would not be advisable.

This month's planning has not only involved catching up on the admin involved in organising the walk and advertising it in order to raise donations to my two charities but also planning some sensible eating and a variety of frequent shorter walks to build stamina and fitness.

So, no alcohol and cut out the snacks, together with a sensible and healthy diet, should sort out the weight. I've got a couple of months to loose about stone. Then its a case of walking at every opportunity: eg. into town shopping, around Worcester walks and longer walks with the ladies of Hereford Branch WRAC Association.

This year's walk is going to be just as challenging as previous years. In deference to my advancing years I'm taking a whole week to complete the challenge instead of my usual 6 days. My walk starts with some 'gentle' ambles around the Inverness area taking in Fort George, Cawdor Estate and the Culloden Battlefield to loosen up my limbs after the long drive north and also to add another 20 miles to make my walk up to its 100 mile challenge. Then it's off on the Great Glen Way traveling south to finish in Fort William.

My training walks in January have included many walks on the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, a damp and muddy walk around Ledbury in Herefordshire, a much-loved walk around Much Marcle Ridge in Herefordshire. For the most part I've been sticking to higher ground as the soggy weather often means parts of the lower walks are under water or mud.

Much Marcle Ridge Tower

As well as the training I've been organising the admin side. Virgin Money Giving page set; emails sent out; accommodation organised; raffle prizes building up. I'm hoping to have at least three large raffles so watch this space!!

You can donate via my Virgin Money Giving page at:  http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

2020 The Planning Has Started

Marg’s 100 Mile Inverness & Great Glen Way Walk 2020

It’s that time of year again and I’ve been planning my walk for 2020. I’ve completed most of my annual 100 Mile Walks in various parts of England and one in Wales. 
I felt it was time to redress the balance so this year’s walk is in Scotland - the flattest bit of Scotland I could find - the Great Glen Way (plus an extra day’s walking to make it up to 100 miles) 

I intend to “bimble” around Inverness on Saturday 18th April 2020 visiting Fort George, Cawdor Estate and possibly Culloden which makes up the miles. My walk ‘proper’, along the Great Glen Way, will start on Sunday 19th April at Inverness. I’ll walk approximately 79 miles of the Great Glen Way via Fort Augustus and onto the finish in Fort William on Friday 24th April. 

Each year my supporters amaze and humble me with their generosity. I’m hoping to raise funds for two charities this year. The first is Cancer Research UK as I have no doubt that it is thanks to their research that I have survived two separate brushes with breast cancer and that a number of my friends have also benefited. Sadly, we all know of friends or family not as lucky who cancer has claimed or who are living with the diagnosis of a life-limiting disease. The research into the many aspects of this terrible disease must continue in order to try and give everyone the best chance possible. My second charity is the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association, the only veteran’s charity set up specifically to cater for the needs of female veterans. Females are often the forgotten ‘heroes’ - forgotten by society in general but also frequently under-resourced by ‘Veteran’ society as well. The WRAC Association gives not only financial support to female army veterans but also provides emotional support to a section of our community that often suffers from isolation and loneliness. The WRAC Association is a safe haven where female veterans can find the support and friendship that is often all that is required to overcome their difficulties.

This year, in view of the fact that I’m not getting any younger, I’ll be taking 7 days instead of the usual six. According to all the guidebooks most people start at Fort William and finish in Inverness. I contemplated that at first but, after looking at the profile of the walk I soon changed my mind. It seemed far more sensible to me to get the steep, nasty, ‘climby’ bit over and done with at the start when I’m fresher. And, when you look at the map, it strikes me that walking from north-east to south-west looks as if you’re walking downhill!! 

                         (I’m walking the green Low Route not the yellow High Route)

As usual I am hoping to raise funds through Raffles and Events but mainly via my Virgin Money Giving site at:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

If you have any queries or comments please contact me via the comments section of this Blog. 

Thank you for reading this far!!