Thanks to everyone who sponsored my I have reached my target. next one is 2015 JOG to LEnd now I know most of the route

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I have now completed my walk, starting in  Arbroath on 19 May and finishing in Poole on 12 Jul 12, to give you a day to day account would take to long and use up the whole of page, if you check out my Facebook page WALK AID you could see the day to day account.  Well the dreaded day was here 19 May  got up at 0530hrs to a nice sunny day and a bit apprehensive about the walk, my daughter and Grandchildren came and  pick me up to take me to Condor at 0815, but by the time we got there it had started to rain.  We were met by a few work colleagues, members of the RMA and some  friends who was  walk the first part with me,  my next door neighbour Mike Robertson who had  taken time off his work to walk with me for the first week .  We were set off  at 0900hrs by the CO  Lt Col Mike Tanner and RSM   Martin Small, (picture) who had only just moved up from Poole, who wished us well  on our journey.  When we got into Arbroath  weather improved  and the sun was shining, and luckily that was to remain for the next fortnight. 

The Coastal path  from Dundee to the Forth Road Bridge was not to difficult,  along some deserted  beaches, lovely harbours and open countryside views as well as out  to sea.  There was many busy  Golf courses,  were you had to keep your wits about you for that flying  white ball going passed  or towards you in one case.  There was a few angry words from some golfers, what the Fck are you doing on our golf course, which we  ignored and carried on walking as we had the same rights as they had, after all it was the Fife Coastal Path and a recognised walking route.    Met by some oddly dressed people in Second World War Military uniform,  Dave Stokes,  Mike Smith , Paul MacDonald,   and a kilted Scotsman who piped us across the  Forth Road Bridge.  Our route that day took us into the Murrayfield  area of Edinburgh, where we met up with Graham Dunlop at the Roseburn bar next to the Rugby ground, had a few drink with him prior to continuing our journey out to Balerno/Currie on the Leith Cycle Path.  We stopped at the Kinleith Arms for supper and then said our goodbyes, I was then to continue the journey on my own  for the next week or so.   

The journey then took me cross country to Town Yetholm and the start of the Pennine Way, during this trip I lost the Royal Marine bear I had as a mascot somewhere near Blackhope Farm on the Moorfoot Hills.  A search party went out but could not find him, they did send me some pictures of  some sheep pens to see if I could recognise them, all the pens looked the same to me, and to most other people I would think.  When I got to Kelso  I managed to get my clothes washed  in the Launderette,  just like the TV advert, but had to go into the toilet to get my kit off and had to wear my shorts and T shirt whilst my other clothes was getting washed.   As I was ahead of schedule  I started out at lunchtime on the 31 May to begin the Pennine Way and I was to meet Dave Stokes on the 2 Jun at the Yearning Mountain Refuge Hut which was only about 20 miles away.  As soon as I put my foot on the Pennine Way the weather just changed and from then on it was wet, wet and wetter, with only some breaks during the day when the sun tried to come out.  

 Night time 1 Jun I committed a school boy error, (picture)  ensure you fasten your footwear on properly before you go for a piss during the middle of the night, or you could land up with this injury.   A  few drops of TCP and after coming down from the roof  I put some Compeed  plaster on and that fixed the problem, but 5 days later I had to go and get it fixed by the Casualty department at Alston after it started to smell a bit, but that was due to the dead skin and they cut that off and advised me to keep off it for 2 days, which obviously I did (not). 

I was joined by Keith Hardman a former RM at Alston and after a riverside walk (not as easy as you think, some very narrow stiles, and many of them) to Garrigill,   then a uphill  walk  towards Greg’s Hut (Bothy) just short of Cross Fell and would be staying  the night  there, Keith was not a walker and had not done any for a long time.  The weather closed in and we got rather wet, although we had waterproofs on, still got wet.  At the hut was a nice stove if we had enough wood we could have a nice fire during the night, we had passed some logs on the way, so I emptied my Bergen and went back to get some,  Keith thought I was mad as it was a couple of miles back, and it would have take ages, 1hr 45 min I was back with a Bergen full of logs which kept the kettle boiling and us warm all night.  Next day was the climb to the infamous Cross Fell, (picture) which I had heard about and quite a few walkers had got lost on, which we did,  this was due to the weather as we could not see a thing and although  we had set a bearing, I found out afterwards that due to the hills having a high iron content, a compass was not accurate.  We eventually got to Great Dun Fell   but had missed Little Dun Fell which was between them both.    “During this time Keith had a few choice words, like we are Fck lost what are we going to do now,  I replied we shall have to climb and get to the high ground, reply was taff I am fed up of climbing and Fck climbing, and then suddenly we seen the  mast, which was the top of  Great Dun Fell.  We eventually got to Dufton and about 1400hrs on 8 Jun and said goodbye to Keith.  He phoned me the next day telling me he had enjoyed himself but could hardly move.  From Dufton on the 9 Jun it was a stiff climb up to High Cup Nick (pictures) but worth every penny with the views up and down it, and then towards Middleton on Teesdale along the River Tees (see picture HIGH FORCE)  a very enjoyable day.  The next day the weather was not good and the going was very boggy and nearly lost my boot going over the Cotherstone Moor and Frummington Beck to Tan Hill, this is the highest pub in England, and it’s a place that everyone should visit, I had ordered my pint and turned around to speak to someone behind me when they started to laugh and when I turned around to get my pint there was a chicken taking a drink from it.  I did not find that funny at all but I did get another pint, there were dogs, cats and a bantam running around the place shitting everywhere, and the owner having to clean up after them. 

Couple of days later arrived at Horton in Ribblesdale after seeing Pen-y-ghent for the first time quite impressive view.  After pitching up at the Camp site, went into the pub for supper and met a former RM Jim Wheeler who had served in 45 Cdo and left the Corps in 1966, he was walk parts of the Pennine Way with his son , so we had a few Tots together.   Climbed Pen-y-ghent (Picture) next day and carried on to Malham (Pictures). Another impressive walk and the rain stayed off all day until I got to Malham, when it came down in sheets and had to head for cover very quickly.  Moving on to 15 Jun when after climbing out of Mankinholes Youth hostel and going alongside the Warland, Light Hazzles and Blackstone Edge Reservoir near the A58, which was a nice stroll if it had not been for the wind and the rain, passed an opportunity to have my picture taken with the Olympic torch,   I had seen these people in shorts and T shirts and Union Jack Flags and told them they need more on than what the had when they reached the top, as it was blowing a whooly  and the guy that was with them said that it was the Olympic torch, but by the time I had realised what he said they were 50mtres away and they did not here me shouting at them.  Missed opportunity. 

The next couple of days was hard graft, weather was terrible and the ground was soft and muddy with streams (rivers) due to the amount of rain we had, had to find crossing places which was difficult to do.  Had to take the bull by the horns and just go in and get wetter than I already was.  I was pleased when I got to the end of the Pennine Way at Edale,  but also got a surprised as my brother Clive had brought  my mother there to meet me.   She  also got to start the Limestone Way with me as well. (see Picture) 

Limestone Way is 46 miles long starting at Castleton and finishing at Rocester just short of Uttoxeter (you cannot camp (in a tent) next to the race course if they have any event on the next day)  this was a fairly easy walk with plenty of lush countryside, rolling hills and riverside walks, where you could see the fish and the ducks swimming along minding their own business.  The only problem I found during this part of the walk, you had to keep your waterproof trousers on all the time as the farmers had not managed to get their hay cut due to the weather. And most of the walk was through fields.  The next part of the journey took me through the Heart of England Way through Cannock Chase and plenty of roads, woods and more farmland. At Litchfield I arranged to meet and 84 year old Marine Jim Brittain and his wife, a former RMPTI who had been watching my progress from the start on Facebook,  I was sitting have a cup of tea in the park when I heard a voice shouting out “stand by your beds” I turned around to see him with his Beret and Corps tie, his wife wearing a Corps  colours  scarf and  smartly dressed, we talked for about ½ hrs. I continued my journey along the Birmingham and Fazley Canal, and then decided to re-route my path and go along the canal to join the Grand Union Canal and then the Stratford and Avon Canal.  This part turned out to be quite a boring walk along the river, not much to see and very few boats moving along the canal, stopped at a pub in Kingswood Brook and spotted a  29lbs Conger Eel (picture)  caught in Poole Harbour on  3 Jul 1985 by John Bruce.  Arrived at Chipping Campden on 28 Jun and got my dobie done at the Volunteer Inn and stayed the night there.  Next was the   Cotswold Way,  102 miles long , runs from Chipping Campden to Bath and  along the western edge of the Cotswold Hills. The path  runs through rolling countryside, along streams, over farmland through woodlands, and villages built from Cotswold Stone.  Steve Heyworth joined me at Hailes Abbey and walked with me as far as Dowdeswell Reservoir,  weather was not to bad for us and a good day was had  we climbed to the highest point of the Cotswold,  Cleeve Hill where you have a good views of  Cheltenham and beyond.  Then my cousin Ellis Williams joined me for the day as far as Birdlip, another enjoyable day not to much rain and fairly easy going passed through woodland and plenty of rolling countryside.  Met up with Dougall Loadman the Unit Press Officer  at 40 Cdo   at Dursley and walked as far as Wotton Under Edge it was great to meet a current serving member and chat about what the Corp was going through at present.  After climbing out of Dursley and at the edge of the Golf Course we picked up Jessica who was walking the Cotswold Way, wearing a pair of trainers, and sleeping in hammock with a poncho throw over the top, brave girl especially with the weather we were having.  Once we had said goodbye to Dougall we picked up other walkers and walked with them for the next 2 days as far as  Cold Ashton just 10 miles short of   Bath.  The path was not difficult and the scenery was magnificent with views of the Rivers Severn and the Welsh hills beyond, we could also see the Severn Bridge before we crossed the M4. The company was great and one of them  Steve    knew my brother and worked with him at Rolls Royce in the late 80s, what a small world.  From Cold Ashton to Bath was joined by my Nephew Gareth and Jan Drew a native of Bath and got a history lesson of the battle of Lansdown as we passed through the area.  The ground was wet and slippery and Jan took cover a few times, he was lucky that we did not get a phot of this as we were ahead of him.  The end and start of the Cotswold Way is at the Abbey, but there is not a plaque to say this.  Thanks to all the people that have donated so far, as this illness strike every family in the world in one way or another. 

Next days journey from Bath to Frome and was joined by Jan, his son in law  Keith and Gordon Smith who had travelled from Reading to join us.  This turned out to be an adventure, we had planned to do the Collier Way, but due to it branching off and adding mileage to our journey we decided to make up the route as we went along, through fields and picking up any track heading south and in the general direction that we wanted to go, we eventually got to Frome after we had got on  a supposedly disused railway line (the rails looked to shine),  and then the path along the river into Frome, where we parted company.     Next day carried on with my journey towards the Stour Valley Way and joining it at Stourton.  Jan text me to tell my that the river had burst its banks and to choose a different way to Poole, text back to say that I had already been up to my knees, he replied it going to be over your Fck head.  Off course I carried on going and followed the intended way, but had to deviate in some places as it was water logged.  I was informed by the locals that the water had dropped 9ft in 6 hrs which was hard to believe, after I passed the weir (picture) between Stourpaine and Durweston I was stopped by a cyclist who asked if I had come across it as he could not cross it that morning and had to do a detour of 6 miles to work.  I was joined next day by Rae Gunning who steered my to Wimbourne from Blandford stopping at the Vine Inn whilst the thunder and lightening passed over.   Last day from the Willet Arms into Poole was joined by a few old and bold, from the RMA at Poole, (picture) and  Janet Trent, (the only female) my old next door neighbour in Poole.  This turned out to be a bit of an Assault Course with the path been closed off as trees had fallen on the path, did this stop us, well no we had been serving Royal Marines and a little thing like that was nothing to us Royals.  Arrived  at the  Jolly Sailor on the Quay at about 1230hrs before we headed for the final destination of  Lake Pier        arriving there are 1500hrs.  I was standing outside the Sailor and speaking to Maggie from the DWP at Dundee telling her I was at Poole and nearly finished, who did I spot coming towards me was my Mum, Aunty Janet and my Uncle Bill I was gobbed smacked and a little bit of rain just dropped into my eye.  All in All I enjoyed the adventure, only a cut foot hardly any blisters, the only down fall was the wet weather, would I do it again, YES I would.  Check out WALK AID on Facebook for pictures and to donate

 

 www.justgiving.com/ArbroathtoPoole, www.bmycharity.com and Find a friend enter Taff Davies and choose either or both RMCTF or SBSA.