In December 2008 I was involved in a serious road accident, when a white van drifted onto my side of the road and hit my car head-on. I was cut out of the wreckage, with various injuries including multiple fractures, and transferred to Addenbrooke's Hospital by the Herts Air Ambulance. I spent the next two months in hospital, and then another month at home in bed or a wheelchair, before I could start putting weight on my fractured right hip. After much time and physiotherapy, I am now largely recovered. Although everyone in the emergency services and at Adenbrooke's was superb, I believe that my recovery to this level may well not have happened were it not for the rapid treatment I received from the Herts Air Ambulance team.
For a while, I had hoped to celebrate my retirement by walking the Danube path through Austria, from Passau on the German border to Vienna. Unfortunately, since the accident, a walk of this distance is not viable. As a compromise, I plan to walk around what is probably the most beautiful section, the Wachau, between Melk and Krems (and back), following the paths on both sides of the river. The total distance (as far as I can tell, the exact locations of some of the river crossings are not on my maps!) is a little under 100km, and I plan to do this during the week of 9-15 August 2010.
If it were not for the Herts Air Ambulance, it is highly unlikely that I would be able to do this walk, so PLEASE sponsor me! Unlike all the other emergency services who helped me, the Herts Air Ambulance must raise all their own funds. The minimum amount I would like to raise is £1300, as it costs £130,000 every month to keep the Herts Air Ambulance flying. If we can raise more, that's even better.
Sunday 8 August: Arrived at our hotel in Spitz, our first base.
Monday 9 August: Early postbus to Melk. Left Melk, and walked along the south bank of the Danube to Armsdorf, ferry to Spitz, and walk back to hotel. Good weather, nice walking, mainly off-road, including a nature reserve. Well over 20km in total. 2 blisters!
Tuesday 10 August: Postbus to Melk again. Crossed the Danube on the main bridge, and walked back to Spitz along the north bank. Sunny weather again, but little shade, and lots of the path was alongside the main road. Just over 20km. Survived yesterday's blisters and today's 3 more. No problems with hip.
Wednesday 11 August: Big change of plans. Storms and rain are forecast for later in the week, so combining 2 days. Drove to Dürnstein and left the car. Took ferry to Rossatz, walked to Armsdorf along the south bank, ferry to Spitz, and walked back to Dürnstein along the north bank (via excellent heurige at St Michael and bar at Weissenkirchen!). Lovely welcome from our friends in the hotel at Dürnstein. Well over 25km today.
Thursday 12th August: First ferry to Rossatz again, walked to Mautern along the south bank. Crossed the bridge to Stein, then into Krems. After a little liquid, back to Stein, the Loibens and Dürnstein by 13.30.
WE WALKED THE WACHAU IN 3.5 DAYS!!
David
This walk would not have been possible without:
Police, fire and ambulance services
Herts Air Ambulance
Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge
Hertford County Hospital physiotherapy department
My dear wife Monica, who walked all the way with me
Compeed
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