Story
On the 6th June, despite the easterly winds blowing a gale into our faces, despite the continuous driving rain, despite the rough and wet terrain, the Turner & Townsend team dug deep and completed the gruelling 42 mile walk across the moors.
All rose at to make the 3.45 briefing, it was cold, dark and damp but spirits were high. The first task of getting the team out of bed and up to the start was complete...now all we had to do was complete 42 miles of hills, fern and bog!
The team started at a fast pace, covering the hilly start at roughly 3 miles an hour (not bad considering most of us did not realise there was more than one four o'clock!) visibility was poor due to the tough weather conditions but camaraderie was high. The team were determined.
A slight hiccup on the first leg meant that we added an extra half mile to our journey (we got lost) but we wanted to make it a proper challenge!
We reached the first check point and it still wasn’t 6 yet! But the team was in tact. Refreshed by some bacon sandwiches and a cup of coffee we marched on.
After a couple of steep hills the team opted to take the slighter longer route round the next hill only for the heavens to really open, the rain poured, we were soaked through (my £6 rain mac didn’t offer much protection), but still the team marched on, checkpoint two was passed with a flash as the team buoyed by Paul’s singing headed on the longest stretch of the walk between check points.
Suddenly there was a glimmer of light as the rain began to ease off and the terrain flattened to a long winding path, we opened the legs and ploughed through along the old train line. Some local knowledge meant we went slightly off piste, only to hit our first bog of the day, in fact the bogs pretty much lasted until the end !
Some amusing hip hoping across the wet terrain (apparently bogs are like custard you can run across them!) and checkpoint 3 was in sight, it was and we had been walking for seven hours...we were not even half way!
However checkpoint three was the T&T support team checkpoint and with a change of socks and new t-shirt we were off with some encouragement from the wives!
Some hobbling was beginning to creep in as we crossed the half way mark; blisters were setting in as was some dodgy hips and knees. But we were a team and at various points encouragement was required and delivered.
Checkpoint four meant more hot food, refreshed with a BBQ and some red bull the team marched on, moral was still strong as we headed towards the 30 mile mark. Some more Bog walking and before we knew it we had hit Checkpoint 5.
The walking sticks had come out and Paul was still singing so it was all good, with some superb navigational skills from the human map Rowan we managed to navigate through some more Bogs in what was undoubtedly the hardest part of the walk. Between checkpoint 5 and 6 was tough, the team rallied and despite the ravines, stepping stones, steep climb and unsteady terrain (were Gemma stopped for a lie down) at roughly we made it to checkpoint 6, we had been walking for 16 hours and the end was in site.
One last push and 16 and a half hours later we touched the trig stone (see picture) that meant we had completed our challenge, we were tired, sore and wet but all had enough energy to open a can of larger and drink to celebrate our achievement.
The celebration was made even sweeter in the knowledge that we had raised a significant amount of money, and to all those that donated we thank you.
It was a physically enduring challenge and the team made it as a result of pulling together and with the encouragement of the support team who did an amazing job so a big thank you to Louise, Julie, Donna and Richard.
For those that are still to donate, you will be relieved to know there is still time, so please continue to give generously, it would be great to realise our challenge by raising even more money for the Breast Cancer Campaign.
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