Short Practice Walk 20th Feb

Practice Short Walk 20th February 2018

Malvern Hills in the sunshine

I've been doing lots of walking since Christmas. During my 20 sessions of Radiotherapy I walked to and from the hospital each time clocking up an impressive 140 miles over the period!!

Today was a warm-up walk trying to build up speed over climbing. I love walking Malvern Hills when its not too busy. There were quite a few folks out today but I think the cool wind and threatening sky kept the masses away.

This is a view of The Worcestershire Beacon with Malvern and the Severn Valley basking in the sunshine.

Really pleased with the speed of the 1st half of my walk. Please note that although I have 2 glasses one is water & the other beer!! 

                                                         A Spring Poem

Spring is sprung   (and the crocus & snowdrops) 

The grass is rizz   (as are the moles!!)

I wonder where the birdies izz?

The birds are on the wing

But that's absurd - the wings are on the bird!!

100 Mile Walk Challenge 2018

100 Mile Walk Challenge 2018

Walk to Commemorate & Thank the Ladies of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (A.T.S.)

Welcome Back to my Blog

My 2018 Walk

It’s that time of year again when I start the final preparations for my Solo 100 Mile Walking Challenge. I’ve been busy since I finished last year’s walk in Stratford upon Avon in March.

This year’s walk will be in Norfolk starting near Swaffham, Norfolk walking along The Peddars Way to Hunstanton and then along the Norfolk Coast Path to finish in Great Yarmouth. I have chosen this route because on 11^th May 1943 Whitfield House Hostel, where the A.T.S. were billeted, was bombed and 26 A.T.S. girls died. I hope to finish my walk at the Burlington Palm Court Hotel (which was built on the bombed site) where a memorial plaque has been placed.

Me & my Charities

My name is Margaret (Marg) Davies. I am Welsh (originally from Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire) & I have been walking for pleasure since my age was in single digits!! From school I went to Art College & then joined the Army for 5 years as a Short Service commissioned officer in the Women’s Royal Army Corps. From there I went back to college and re-trained as a primary school teacher. I remained in teaching for nearly 30 years in Nottinghamshire and finally in Worcestershire where I now live.

In 2007 I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. I went through a couple of operations & 5 years of treatment for cancer. In 2013 I was given the all clear. I thought I was home free but 2017 was the year that I discovered I was still living with cancer. I discovered another lump which proved to be cancerous and have undergone another two operations and 20 sessions of radiotherapy (I also had to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from my face!!) Unlike last time, when I had chemotherapy and felt quite ill, this time I was determined to try and stay fit and I’m more determined than ever to complete my Walking Challenge in May 2018.

This year I am raising funds for two charities that are very close to my heart. Firstly my local Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven charity that set up and run the excellent unit where all my diagnosis and care was organised. It is a small local charity that punches well above its weight! The care that I have received in and through this calm and peaceful unit in the grounds of Worcestershire Royal Hospital cannot be faulted. My other charity is the Women’s Royal Army Corps Association (incorporating the QMAAC & ATS Comrades Association) as it is thanks to their work in re-connecting and supporting ex-soldiers like me that I have the extra boost I need to continue to live my life so well with cancer. Through the Association I am able to be inspired by remarkable women who know the true meaning of service and dedication without losing any ‘joie de vivre’

If you’d like to sponsor me please follow this link:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

You could also contact either of my two charities and they will pass your details onto me so I can contact you directly.

2017 Last Post

Saturday 25th March - Thank You All

This is (!?possibly?!) the final post of my 2017 Solo Walking Challenge

To date I have raised an amazing £4,227 (£4,858.75 including Gift Aid) via my Virgin Money Giving Site. I intend to deactivate the site sometime around June 2017 so hopefully everyone can get any outstanding donations in by then.

The link to my Virgin Money Giving Site is:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MargaretDaviesWRAC

Or search for me under "Make a donation" - "What's your friend's name" and type my name - Margaret Davies

It has been an amazing week when I have met and been supported by some fantastic, inspiring people. It has been a challenge, and rightly so. Maybe I 'shared' a bit too much information at times!! I guess quite a few people now realise that my life revolves around walking, food and real ale!! (Of course family goes without saying!!) They also may know that I get 'a bit' crabby when not fed and that I don't like heights . . . . . or mud!!

I have walked through some wonderfully 'English' Pastoral scenery, marvelled at the ingenuity and skill of the canal engineers and navigators and enjoyed the best weather I could have hoped for. I consider myself privileged and, not for the first time in my life, extremely lucky. Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey and donated their time and money to support this crazy adventure.

 

Saturday 11 March 2017 - National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffs 

A Week of Walking 

Arriving at Stratford upon Avon Saturday 18 March 2017  

 

Women's Royal Army Corps Association on Parade 

Day 8 - Sunday 19th March

 Day 8 - Sunday 19th March - "Get on Parade"

Yesterday's welcoming committee of a Phalanx of WRAC Association members plus the wonderful Jazz Band was videoed - I'm still working on my technical skills to post it on here!!  Watch this space!!

👀  THIS SPACE  👀

 

Last nights dinner was a most convivial evening - around 250 ladies of the WRAC Association (including ladies of the Auxiliary Territorial Service) enjoyed a delicious meal accompanied by the Yorkshire Band of the Royal British Legion under their Director of Music, Louise Lingard-Snape (Ex WRAC Staff Band). After the meal Brigadier Fiona Gardner CBE gave an entertaining and very informative speech celebrating the strides that women had made and the barriers they had broken through over 100 years of service with the British Army. 

This morning the weather was kind as around 60 women, led by Lt Col Rowena Griffiths MBE and accompanied by the Yorkshire Band of the Royal British Legion, paraded near the Royal Shakespeare Company building. The salute was taken by Brigadier Fiona Gardner CBE. I think that we gave a creditable show to the people of Stratford upon Avon

  

Day 7 Sat 18 March Finish

Day 7 - Saturday 18 March Stratford upon Avon

Arrived to a massive welcome of WRAC Association Members and an (almost) local Jazz Band.

I'd love to write a proper Blog but I don't have any pictures . . . . . YET!!

Off to celebrate with over 100 Women's Royal Army Corps veterans and then a parade tomorrow at 10am.

I will finish my Blog tomorrow - if I've got some pictures to show!!

Thanks for all the support and the massive donations. Reached over £4,000 and rising,

THANK YOU ALL

Edit - Tuesday 21 March 2017

Here are some photos of my arrival at Crown Plaza, Stratford upon Avon and some of the celebrations. Thanks in particular to Heather Gaughran, Birmingham Branch W.R.A.C. Association, for most of the photos. Some of the others I have 'nicked' from other W.R.A.C. Association ladies - thank you!

Clockwise from top right-hand:

1) Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Here she comes . .

2) . . . Just a'walking down the . . . Car Park!!

3) . . . And the Band played on . .& on . . & on . . .

4) I'll get you back Heather Gaughran!!

 

100 Year Celebratory Dinner, Clockwise from top:

1) Left to right :Col (Retd) Ali Brown, Me, Lt Col Rowena Griffiths MBE, Maj (Retd) Sue Hatton, Brig Fiona Gardner CBE, Maj (Retd) Mack Maskyns-McIntyre

2) Table 12 - just in ear-shot of the Yorkshire Band of the Royal British Legion

3) Octogenarian In-Pensioner Charmaine (Bimbo) Coleman swaps caps with the teenage Drum-Major of the Yorkshire Band of the RBL

 

 

Day 6 Friday 17 March

Day 6 - Friday 17th March - Lapworth Junction to Stratford upon Avon

It was an easy day for me today as it was ONLY just over 12 miles!!


I started with a will as it was the final day of "proper" walking. I got to Lowensford and decided to look at my SATNAG! I had switched it on but it had failed to register!! It is a bit temperamental sometimes (wonder who it takes after??). I switched it off and back on again and this time it decided to pay nicely. I mainly use it to tell me where I am rather than as a pre-planned route pointer or distance marker! Its useful when I take a wrong turn - its easy to see where I went wrong. . . . . . . . And . . . . . . . . . . . As I'm sure someone will be saying . . . . . . . Don't give the officer a map!!








Anyway, the Stratford Canal has to be one of the prettiest canals I've ever walked. It runs through countryside that is quintessentially "English" Well manicured grassy fields, beautifully trimmed hedgerows, rolling countryside and the sound of sheep and horses. Even the bridges were delicate and pretty.








As well as being one of the first derelict canals in UK to be renovated The Stratford Canal is famous for its aqueducts. There are three of them - wrought iron troughs of varying length transporting the canal and its narrowboats over roads, railways and streams. They are amazing feats of engineering. The third one I came across was the longest . . . and highest!! Did I mention about me and heights?? There was a trough at about shoulder height - fine!! Then a narrow walkway to walk on and an open railing about waist high. Aghh!!

Spring was still Sprung and the weather held up - no rain - I was a lucky girl. I've added a better picture of Pussy Willows because a towpath closure diverted me to the opposite bank!! I had to hold it still because it was blowing a hooley at the time. I also saw my first lambs - I was on the aqueduct at the time so its probably a bit blurred from the shaking!!

 

Finally I arrived at Stratford. Not the finishing line yet - that's tomorrow morning but it was lovely to be so close to the end - 99.5 miles done!! I was met by my wonderful Denise who has been supporting me for the many months before, during and after all this is over. A huge thank you to her. . . . and she takes quite good pictures!!

 



Day 5 Thur 16th March

Day 5 - Thursday 16th March - Long Itchington to Kingswood

Today was spent solely on the Grand Union Canal. Phyl had served me a cooked breakfast and gave me another, in a roll, "To Go"!! She didn't want anyone to think that she and Elaine couldn't feed me as well as June and Den had the previous day!! Both households were amazing and fed & watered me "right Royally" My grateful thanks to all four of you. I ate my second breakfast near aptly named "Welsh Road Lock" before continuing down towards Royal Leamington Spa.


As you walk through these conurbations you don't ever get to see the town or city 'proper'. You either get to see the backside of it, the industrial estates and rubbish heaps; the 'rather nice' properties with manicured lawns and decking areas backing onto the picturesque canal.; or sometimes lush woodland sunk below town level. Often it is difficult to work out if you have reached your destination. Today I had time to photograph the spring flowers that had burst into life over this week of surprising weather.

I stopped for lunch after nearly 11 miles at the Cape of Good Hope!! Yes! I was surprised that I had travelled so far too!! It's a pub near the lowest part of the canal before it started to climb away from Warwick. The pub was on the opposite side of the canal and could only be reached via the lock-gate. I think I've mentioned before that I don't like heights!! It was scary going over . . . but even scarier coming back with a pint of  Shropshire Ale on board!!!


After lunch all that remained was a mere 8 more miles. Shorter but it did involve a bit of minor mountaineering, canal style, climbing the ladder of 21 locks of Hatton Flight. It started near the wonderfully named 'Ugly Bridge' and rose in a series of ladders. Climbing to the top one is rewarded with a tiny Tea Shop. I partook of a mug of Earl Grey tea and a rather delicious Apricot Drizzle Cake! Yummy!

Another 4 miles and I'd reached my pick-up point at Kingswood with quarter of an hour to spare! Denise and I decided to forgo the pint and head straight back home as I had a load of washing needing doing and had to pick-up all my "Stuff" for the weekend in Stratford. No, I will not be carrying it with me as I walk tomorrow. The journey, which normally takes 45mins took over an hour and a half thanks to rush-hour traffic. Never mind - last day of serious walking tomorrow then ready to party on Saturday!! Thank you to everyone who has supported me and cheered me on. Nearly there!!