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Tuesday 19 May 2009

Let's do a walk together...

An idea
With plenty of time to enjoy life and whilst still fit enough to do so (just!) I've decided to embark upon a long-distance walk. Many years ago I walked England's Coast-To-Coast long-distance path of 190 miles, backpacking across carrying tent, sleeping bag, stove etc etc. I did this in 10 days. Enjoyable, but now the bones are somewhat older they're less forgiving of relentless pounding of the ground encumbered with a 35lb rucksack!

So... I feel the time is right for another long walk but travelling fewer miles each day and with a much lighter pack this time!

So - where to go and how to do it?
It didn't take much thought before I found the 'where'; I live in a beautiful part of England in the county of Shropshire and England's longest river - The Severn - passes within a handful of miles from home and I'm continually drawn to it for various walks and nature forays. So I was more than a little pleased to discover that a long-distance path - The Severn Way - follows as closely as possible the course of the river from its source on a lonely and remote hilltop called Plymlimon in Mid Wales right down to the Bristol Channel - a total of 210 miles.

So this was to be my route. But how to do it? Logistics. Transport. For maximum comfort it has to be in stages this time with home returns in between. I still do the occasional back-packing trips in the mountains but just for a couple of days or so. Doing the whole walk with all the kit at say 10 miles each day sounds more of a mission than a pleasure. I'm not keen on overnight stays at B & B's or hotels either. Maybe I could do mostly day-legs with the odd camping leg? (By that I don't mean that one of my walking limbs is actually a tent-pole!).

To walk with a companion or not?
I'm mainly a solo walker, prefer it that way really - less distractions, walk at my own pace, stop when I want etc etc but that means a linear walk is more difficult to organise - with 2 cars you can have one at each end of the leg. How do I do linear stretches on my own?

Well... I could do each stretch as a circular walk but that would more than double the length of the venture. Also, there might be times when circular walks were just not possible and that would entail walking from A to B and back the same route - something I have always avoided, and again it doubles the whole walk.

So... you see dear reader, you're actually here - right here - at the planning stage of my walk, you could also offer help, advice and yes - a little encouragement maybe? Just drop in a comment below whenever you can.


I'm off!

I've decided to plan each leg more or less as I go, using a mix of car, buses, trains, boats, taxis to get me to the start of each leg and also for my return home at the end of each leg. Does that sound logical? Then that's what I'll do.

I'll be setting aside one day each week starting from Monday, May 18, 2009 (chances are that by the time you read this I'll have completed stage 1). Allowing for holidays and an average of 10 mile legs this will take till the first week in November to complete. Now that's a leisurely stroll if there ever was one! And it will give me plenty of time to take photos and write up each leg for the blog in between.

Follow me
By that I don't mean don your boots and follow in my footsteps but follow my venture on this blog where I'll be posting each stage of the journey with accompanying pics of the fabulous scenery, the wildlife, doubtless a little fun, along with all the trials and tribulations. I invite you to follow my trip(!) by entering your email address top right to get automatic email-alerts every time I make a post which will be for each stage - one per week if all goes according to my undetailed and rather loose plan! Or instead of email alerts you could, of course, subscribe by RSS feed. Either way I would be more than pleased to have you with me! It'll be great fun! And don't forget to join in with some welcome banter as I bimble and amble along the fabulous Severn Way.

Catch you in a few days with an account of Stage One...

16 comments:

Iain Ainsworth said...

Hi Paul.

I envy you my friend!

I too enjoy long solo walking. I did The Pembrokeshire Path a few years back in 7 days (186 miles) which was hard work but wonderful.

I was picked up every day and dropped off the next morning where I finished, so I could enjoy a long soak in the tub and a couple of beers!

Good luck with yours mate! And enjoy!

Iain

Ses said...

Hi Paul, I wish you a wonderful leisurely walk. I am very envious of you having the time freedom to be able to that, one of my goals on my dreams board is to do the coast to coast walk. Have a great walk.

Simon

René Remington said...

This walk sounds like fun to me. Id' be happy to come along with you.

René Remington said...

This walk sounds like fun to me. Id' be happy to come along with you.

René Remington said...

Hi Paul,

I'd be happy to take the journey with you along the river.

Rene

Robert Coggin said...

Paul, I always enjoy your walks, pictures and comments, and you relationship building method is graet too.

I hope you enjoy and can use this great quote that I saw on a tee shirt recently -

" Better a rainy day on a hill -
than a sunny one in the office ".

Which I feel sums up what we do in running a home based business.

Enjoy your walk.

Robert

wudbskibum said...

Just like to wish you luck with your venture.
Hope you find some good pubs along the way, and don't get too wet.

Take the O out of OAP! said...

Hello Paul, Lucky you! I love rivers especially where they are fast and narrow. I like the idea of doing it the way Iain Answorth did it - if the rest of the day is not a hassle you would enjoy the walk more I think.
Good luck anyway. Janet

Paul e Watts said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul Hardingham said...

Fantastic. What a superb idea. I guess I might need to wait until the children are a little bit older before I can enjoy that sort of thing. I too like Iain Ainsworth's way of doing it.

Enjoy yourself.

Red said...

Hi Paul,

Your description of the walks and
the slide show is excellent and I look forward to the forthcoming postings.

Some of the greenery and the small brook reminds me of my early days as a youth (1930's) in Southern Quebec when I used to pretend I was an explorer. Through you I am recalling those happy days.

Neil Verlander said...

Hi Paul

Having walked the Malvern Hills with you for charity I know how much you love the outdoors.

Thanks for sharing this fabulous journey with us all!

Neil

Paul e Watts said...

That was a fab walk too Neil - thanks for 'joining me' on this one - albeit from your lovely home near the Malverns.

Unknown said...

Hi Paul,
Looking at the picture, I was wondering if you were using a walking stick?
Whenever I used to go for long walks, I always had a walking stick. A good stout hunk of fir cut to size. It serves both as a walking aid or protection against four-legged (or two legged) trouble. We are with you on your voyage, even if only by blog!

Raven

Anonymous said...

hi every person,

I identified followmywalks.blogspot.com after previous months and I'm very excited much to commence participating. I are basically lurking for the last month but figured I would be joining and sign up.

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Glen / Kent Today and Yesterday said...

Hi Paul - just found my way to your blog. Sounds like fun.

I'm also a solo walker based in Kent. We have over 4000 miles of footpaths to explore here including long distance routes like the North Downs Way, Saxon Shore etc.

I write about my walks on my blog. http://kenttodayandyesterday.blogspot.com

Glen