PAST 1000 KM & REFLECTIONS ON A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE ‘SUPPORT TEAM’

A solid breakfast usually around 8am followed a team meeting on the day’s walk to decide a suitable lunch spot as well as the final pickup point if the team was not walking to our accommodation, which was often somewhat off the walk route.  All of us would pack the wagon and the walkers would set off in shorts or full wet weather gear – usually the later, as July was one of the wettest in UK records.

 I would then spend an hour or two catching up with emails and any business demands, coffee and then, if time, find a gym (3/4 times a week) then meet the troops for lunch if there was a inviting pub as there usually was, on the route.  If I located a suitable golf course or someone I knew, would play one or two rounds during the  week.  There have been some great courses with standouts Royal North Devon, Burnham Berrow, Taunton, etc.

 All this sounds a bit like a walk in the park however consider this – the route follows long distance walking tracks through some of the loveliest and more isolated (if that is possible)parts of  the UK involving very narrow lanes and roads, often one car width with irregular passing points.   Some were not on the larger maps and able to confuse even the GPS so getting to some of the pubs and particularly the pick up points could be tricky; then add in driving rain and traffic, always cars, more cars and much time and swearing would eventuate.  Then actually finding the accommodation, particularly B & B’s was another, sometimes very difficult, hurdle.  On arriving later in the afternoon I would check our booking (only two pubs have ‘lost’ ours to date) and then take the girls cases to their rooms, inevitably up one or two flights of stairs 

Finding the walkers and the agreed point was quite challenging in the lanes and they were very often much later than estimated because of the track or weather conditions.  The rain was a real factor and of course when picking up the ‘walkers’ who, despite good wet weather gear, would look rather drowned, as well as very tired and then all piling in for a ‘steamed up’ trip to the accommodation.  Then we add Yvonne’s daughter Jo, and David’s friend LT, who joined us in Bath for a couple of weeks, to the mix!

 At the half way point had a great stay for a few days with our friends Alan and Ingrid Gilbert in Manchester and much needed recuperation and a really nice party with some local walkers.  A sorry farewell to Jo and LT followed ……… and then back to our core group

 Then on to the Yorkshire moors, rain and more rain and much more mud – peat bogs this time, one of which nearly swallowed up Yvonne!

 Despite driving over 1500 km in these conditions I was pleased we had only one underside dent caused by a lane side hidden rock in one passing episode!  Can we say the same about the condition of the walkers?  Indeed we can, what a great team they are, for despite muscle soreness, foot problems and tiredness they have come through stronger than ever with Yvonne setting a new record for the number of walking shoes brought and used!

 Now looking forward to the final push to the summit – John O’Groats, over the next month with expectations about much improved weather for Scotland including the Edinburgh festival.