My name is Dan Smith.
I am 39 years old, with an amazing wife and two small rugrats that I adore.
Having lived a very active and outdoorsy life, serving 14 years as an adventure PTI and GMLRS Commander in the British Army and running a fitness and outdoor company, I am always on the lookout for the next challenge.
I have always wanted to do a solo challenge for a charity, but it needed to be something that pushed my body and mind to extremes and do something different; something that hasn't been done before.
The charity I'm supporting is the Royal British Legion, as they are very close to my heart. The RBL are at the forefront of the general welfare and aftercare of our armed forces, past and present.
In order to give something back and undertake a lifelong dream of a solo challenge, I am embarking upon:
The Paddle of Britain
Setting off on August 29, 2018, I plan to kayak solo from the top of Scotland to the bottom of England. The distance is roughly 910 miles, and I've given myself 60 days to do it. I will be wild camping at night and only breaking to rest, sleep and eat.
The terrain will be a mix of water, mountains, moorland and hopefully some light trekking on pathways - which will be much needed with a kayak and all my gear in two (weighing in at 75kg).
Rules
I will be using inland waterways only with the occasional sea loch and estuary, meaning myself and all equipment will need to negotiate non- water sections on foot with an improvised pulling device for my kayak and kit.
I plan to use an improvised trolley/harness - which has taken months of design, trial and error to create - to pull my kayak and gear.
However, my journey starts now and I thank you for taking the time to visit this page and read my story.
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