On Saturday 29th May I will be one of the Rogue Bloggers setting off at 6 AM from Winchester Cathedral to walk the 34 miles to Woodlarks. It is a great charity and it urgently needs your help so please do sponsor it today HERE. So on Sunday I did my longest training walk yet, from my front door here in wales, along our fields, across the bridge and then on the English bank to the centre of Chester and back again. The proof that I made it to Chester is a shot of the amazing houses on the other side of the Dee a bit before my half way point.
It only rained for the last 2 hours of the walk. But it had rained heavily the day before and so paths that had been baked almost white two weeks previously where now a chocolate brown. It was slippy and with the river up to within 18 inches of the bank you really did not want to slip! at least in such conditions there were not that many fellow walkers although there was a bull in one field which I was glad to make it across without having to duck under the wire and onto a nettle filled riverbank.
A few weeks ago a good few folks would have been masked up. But all day I saw just one face nappy wearer. And as you passed folks going the other way, we just passed by, there was no panicked jumping into the weeds to practice social distancing.
I made it home while the Mrs and kids were still at Church, in a good time of well under 10 hours and that makes me think that I can do the real walk in, perhaps, 13 hours which is quicker than planned. But on the real walk your fellow walkers lift your spirits and your pace. But in the latter stages you may need to hold back to get weaker walkers across the line. Amazingly I think I am a mid-tier walker these days. we rogue bloggers start together and we will finish together.
Once again, Woodlarks is an amazing place. In its hour of need please do support it HERE.
