On the mend ..

Two weeks ago I had to cut short a planned run because of a pain in my left calf. Since then I have decided it was due to a problem with over-stretching my Achilles tendon. I have been resting since then (no walking and definitely no running). The pain seemed to have finally gone away so today I ventured out and walked into town. And I'm pleased to say there was no pain on the walk and none since. So I will carry on with the stretching for a few more days and then will go for a tentative jog around the block and see how my left Achilles feels afterwards. If all is okay, then I can restart my training for the Bath half-marathon (now only 8 weeks away).

Ouch ..

Just when things seemed to be going well, an injury that has stopped any further running for a week or two.

I set out on a 9ml run on Saturday morning but didn't get far. 1.5mls into the run I started to feel a pain in my left calf. I stopped and tried stretching the calf muscle hoping it would help. But when I started running again the pain got worse so I had to abandon my run. The 1.5ml walk home took me 40 minutes and everyone was over-taking me as I was having to take very slow, short strides.

What is frustrating is that I did the usual pre-run stretching routine that I do every time I head out. So I would love to know what has brought this on. Three days on the soreness has mostly gone away. I can drive without any problems and can walk around. It is only when I take a slightly longer stride or go up or down stairs that I notice how 'tight' the calf is.

So I am stretching the leg as often as possible and will just have to give it time to improve. And because of this problem I will spend even longer stretching and warming up before any more runs. I remember a very good stretch that my physio showed me the last time I was being treated - so will be including that one as well in future.

I am guessing it will be January before I can head out again or get on the treadmill and start trying to get myself (literally and metaphorically) back up to speed.

Mission accomplished

The previous long weekend was a busy one with trips to the local recycling centre and a party to attend on Friday, a pre-xmas family get-together taking place on Saturday and more garage de-cluttering and recycling centre visits planned for Sunday. Add being on-call from 10am on Sunday morning to the mix and I was beginning to wonder when I would be able to complete my planned long run. I realised that the only solution would be to get up early on Sunday morning and do my long run before starting the on-call session.

In the event I managed to get out for a run although getting out of bed at 7am seemed a trifle odd (after all, it was the weekend). But I had my breakfast, let it settle, got changed into my running gear and was out of the door by 8:15am. And it was a beautiful morning to be out running. No wind, not too cold, a very light drizzle that soon petered out and not too many dog-walkers out and about in Cirencester Park. For once the other runners I saw outnumbered the dog walkers. Early runs on Sunday mornings are obviously more popular than I realised.

I was planning to up my long run distance to 9 miles. But because I needed to be back home by 10am I had to stick to 8 miles. But even though it was a shorter run than planned, towards the end of the run I reached a target I set myself back in January. I had already worked out my target of 500 miles in 2013 would be reached as I approached the subway at the top of the hill on Tetbury Road. And my cunning plan of balancing the phone on the subway barrier and using the self-timer on my phone worked as you can see ..

I would love to tell you the blurring is due to the sheer speed that I was running past the phone but you would call me a fibber anyway so I won't bother :-)

Plans are afoot

I've been making plans lately - so it's probably time to 'fess up and explain what I have in mind for 2014.

Having said 'never again' after the Bath half-marathon in 2011 (when I got cramp in my calf after 9mls exactly as had happened in 2010) I have had a change of heart. My running has been going well this year and I am well on course to reach my target of 500mls. The scores on the doors show I'm currently at 481mls so I should reach my target in the next couple of weeks (I must try and remember to take a photo when I get there for the '500mls in 2013' thread that I post on). So, having been able to train regularly and managing to get a PB at the Tring Ridgeway Run (9.7ml) in October, I have taken the plunge and entered the Bath half-marathon which is on 2nd March 2014.

I worked out earlier that the Bath HM is only 13 weeks away but I'm currently managing 8mls on my long runs. So I feel better prepared than in previous years and have put together a training plan - the main aspect of which is gradually increasing the distance of the weekend long runs to a maximum of 14mls. I'll try and remember to pop back here regularly and post updates on how the training is progressing.

Once the half-marathon is out of the way there is another challenge I have set myself. It will also need a training plan of some sort with ever-increasing distances. After the Thames Path in 2012 and the Ridgeway in 2013, my goal for 2014 is to complete Wainwright's Coast To Coast path. I've booked with a company that transport your luggage and provide a guide. These were concessions that I allowed myself as the path isn't marked like the previous ones I've done. And the route from St.Bees on the east coast, via the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North Yorkshire Moors to Robin Hood's Bay on the east coast, is 190mls long and involves lots of climbing. There are some long (20ml) days where we will be out walking for anything up to 9hrs. So preparation (and lots of it) will be the key. But before that, there will be a visit to Cotswold Outdoor very soon to get some new walking boots and get them worn in.

The C2C is something I have dreamed about doing ever since seeing some 'coast to coasters' near Ennerdale while on a walking holiday in the Lake District. I promised myself I would do the C2C myself one day and the time seemed right so I decided to get it booked and do it rather than keep dreaming about it. Again, I'll try and remember to pop back here and post updates on how preparations are progressing.

Tring Ridgeway Run 2013

Since finishing our walk along the Ridgeway back in June I have been concentrating on my running. I did the Tring Ridgeway Run in 2012 and remembered it as we completed walking the Ridgeway - so I entered the race again this year. Here's my thoughts on the day ..

I’m sitting in my car at Tring Park Cricket Club, its warm and cosy, but outside people are scurrying around in the rain, some wearing that well known fashion item, the black bin-liner. Others are running around in shorts and vests – is it warmer out there than I think? 25 minutes to go – I emerge from the car wearing my jacket and realise the answer is no, it’s not! Any thoughts I had of not bothering with a jacket rapidly evaporate. A quick jog around the field to ‘warm up’ (literally) and I notice one or two men admiring the scenery through the hedge and make a mental note that the queues for the toilets must be long – luckily I didn’t need to find out. 15 minutes to go - I have warmed up a bit and the other runners are beginning to make their way to the start so I join them. 5 minutes to go - gallows humour is the order of the day as we stand in the wind and rain, spectators nearby wrapped up in coats and huddling under umbrellas. It’s cold, it’s wet and we are all about to run 10miles in this weather.

There is no hooter or whistle - people just begin to shuffle forward soon after 10am and then we’re off and running. The first mile is flat and along a farm track and I pick my way through the puddles. We cross a road soon afterwards and run along a grass verge. By now I am picking my way through mud as well as puddles. There is a delay while we queue to enter the first of many footpaths and begin a gradual climb through the woods. We emerge at the edge of a golf course and running on grass makes a welcome change. Then it’s over another road, through a farmyard and the mud returns with a vengeance. I’ve given up trying to avoid the mud and puddles by now and just splash through regardless.

Then it’s time for the first big climb up to Bridgewater Monument. I try to run up the footpath but the slippery mud and steepness defeat me. I walk as fast as I can and start running when I reach the top. My family are there to meet me and cheer me on. The first 3 miles have been done in around 37 minutes - about what I expected. We get some respite then and are running on a decent track through the woods along the top of the ridge. We reach the halfway point and I have settled in with a group of 5 or 6 other runners.

Just after 5 miles we start down a sloping footpath – the mud is worse than ever here and I feel my feet slip a few times. Then the inevitable happens and I go over. I land on my right side and slide in the mud for a metre or so. I get up, the other runners stop to check I am okay, I seem okay, so I wipe my muddy hands on the grass and we all set off again. 

Soon after that we reach Inchcombe Hole, a steep grassy descent. I feel my feet begin to slip again and am taking no chances so I walk until the slope lessens. At 6mls we cross another road and I can see Pitstone Hill ahead. The time is around 70 minutes so I still seem to be on schedule. My family are there again – I give them a quick wave and I try to run up the hill but admit defeat and walk (like everyone around me). I’ve lost contact by now with the other runners who were nearby and am by myself.

After another flat ridge section we start to slowly descend along the route of the Ridgeway Path through the woods. There are some flattish sections here but it’s mostly downhill on muddy paths and towards the end there are even some steps. I don’t take any chances and walk down them. A couple more muddy footpaths to negotiate and then we emerge onto the road and run back along the grass verge to the original farm track. The traffic stops for the marshals, I cross the road and am relieved to finally be back on solid ground.

I look around and see I am a long way ahead of the runner behind me. Ahead I can see the stragglers of the group I was with in the first half of the race. We’re all struggling by now and having to take short walk breaks. On the plus side the heavy rain has washed most of the mud off my legs. I eventually pass under the start banner and realise I am into the last mile. I have gradually been catching a couple of ladies ahead of me. I pass one as we take a left-hand corner and 100yds up the road I pass the other lady. By now runners who have already finished are making their way back along the route looking for their slower friends. They don’t get in the way and get growled at and I make my way through some trees and turn right onto the road leading back to the cricket club. I can’t see anyone ahead of me by now. I glance back and the ladies I passed are both walking again so I risk a final quick walk break.

Then I see the entrance to the finishing field across the road ahead of me and start running. I reach the entrance, the marshals hold up the traffic, I cross the road and run through the gate, their shouts encouraging me to attempt a sprint finish. After one final effort and I cross the finish line to the cheers of my family who have made their way back. I look at my Garmin and am amazed to see that despite my earlier fall and having to walk down the steep sections I have beaten last years’ time by a minute and I’m left wondering what might have been if the weather had been better.

The marshalling was excellent throughout and the signs everywhere meant there was no chance of going astray. I collect my tech t-shirt (a tasteful shade of day-glo orange this year!) and wander back to see my family and explain how the run went and about my fall. I am soaked through and it’s too cold to stand around for too long so I say my goodbyes and head back to the car thinking I’ll more than likely be back again in 2014.

Ridgeway Photos (Part 1)

Well, it was the highlight of the walk and the culmination of eight day's walking, so why not start at the end?

And then once we had got back to my sister's, it was time for a little celebration with my family. Pictured from L to R - Steve (brother); myself; Margaret; Paul (brother-in-law); Mum. My sister Julie was behind the lens ..

Ridgeway Path - final thoughts?

It's been three weeks since we finished walking the Ridgeway Path. As Margaret (Autumn Chicken) pointed out, the official length is 87 miles but with various diversions to reach b&b's we ended up walking 92 miles in total. I suppose I would describe the terrain as 'comfortably hard'. There were some flat stretches and some wonderful ridge-walking (as you might expect from a ridge-way path!). But there were an awful lot of hills and descents - some of them steeper and longer than others.

We were lucky to have good weather during most of the days we were walking. Apart from the penultimate day that is, when I was out walking the path by myself in torrential rain and strong winds - I just wanted that day's walking to come to an end! On the good days, we revelled in the glorious views to be seen when we reached the tops of the hills and walked on the ridges with scenery all around us. But the walk also had stretches through woodland, alongside the River Thames and on occasions passed under motorways or across golf courses. The variety of countryside and the ever-changing scenery made for a very enjoyable week's walking. 

Walking those 87 miles, tiring as it might have been, would have been a lot harder if it hadn't been for a 'backup team' who helped out in various ways and I want to record my thanks to them all for their assistance ..

Ed - who transported our luggage each day and helped us to and from our b&b in East Ilsley; Joan - who collected us on day 1 and delivered us to the start of the path; Alan & Diana - who met us on day 2 and delivered us to our b&b in Woolstone; the landlord of the White Horse, Woolstone who drove us back to the path on day 3 and saved us a 1.5ml uphill walk; the landlady of the Cherry Tree, Kingston Blount who drove me back to the path on day 6 and saved me a 1ml walk along a fast, straight race-track road); Julie & Paul - who met us on the last leg of the walk (day 8), provided us with a picnic lunch, met us again later in the afternoon and encouraged us up the final hill, took some photographs to record the event, whisked us back home for tea, cake and glasses of fizz, then delivered us to our hotel.

And finally I want to say how proud I am of Margaret for having done the walk with me. The pace was a little too fast for her - sometimes because my estimates of the distance we needed to cover and the size of the hills were a bit ambitious! But Margaret persevered with the walking, dealt with the blisters, didn't complain, and kept me company on what would otherwise have been a long lonely walk on the days when hardly anyone else was around. As she said herself, it was outside her comfort zone and she could easily have decided it was 'too difficult' and not tried.

So .. do I have any other long-distance paths in my sights? Well, Margaret and I have toyed with the idea of walking the Cotswold Way together. But we know that would be an even tougher challenge than the Ridgeway so it’s currently on the ‘maybe’ list. However, I am considering walking Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Path in 2014. Since I first walked in the Lake District and discovered Wainwright, I’ve always wanted to walk this route. It’s something I would need to get myself fit for because it has some strenuous walking days. But there’s something very appealing to me about a ceremonial boot-dipping in the Irish Sea at St Bees on the west coast, then walking the 220 miles through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors to arrive at Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast some two weeks later before finishing with another ceremonial boot-dipping in the North Sea to mark the completion of the path.

NB: I managed to take a few photos on the walk and will post them here when I have had a chance to sort through them, tidy them up and identify where they were taken! :-)

Day 8 - Wendover to Ivinghoe Beacon

What a difference a day makes. After yesterday's wind and rain today was a total change with sunshine for the final leg of the walk.

Leaving Wendover, the path was flat at first but then started steadily climbing. We got slightly delayed at a farm as some sheep were being moved into a field across the path. I couldn't help smiling as one sheep had other ideas about where it wanted to go. Then it was a case of carrying on climbing up through the woods to the top of the ridge. The path was level(ish!) for a while but then it inevitably started descending. Then it did a strange thing .. The signs pointed down into a large ditch running up the hillside and then up the centre of the ditch. We took the easier option of the path running along the top of the ditch.

Some level walking across fields and through a small village and then we were entering Tring Park. This was where we had arranged to meet my sister, her husband and my brother. My sister brought along some lunch for us and we had a nice break looking out over the park and Tring beyond. Then we set off again and the three of them walked with us until we reached the edge of the park. They had already said they would meet us at the end of the Ridgeway so we agreed a rough time when we thought we would arrive. 

Some downhill walking and level paths brought us to Tring Station and then we inevitably started to climb again, this time in an area called Aldbury Nowers. The path steadily climbed up and I recognised the paths where I had run last October when taking part in the Tring Ridgeway 10ml run. The path eventually levelled out for a while but then as you may guess, we were soon climbing up again. 

At the top of the path we were walking on a grassy ridge. We were now getting glimpses of our final destination but before we would reach it the path had two stings in its tail which we had to negotiate. The first was after we descended off the grassy  ridge and crossed a minor road. We were by now heading for Inchcombe Hole, a steep-sided valley which the path winds around the end of. At the top we looked back to see the line of hills we had negotiated during today's walk.

We made our way over the top of the hill above Inchcombe Hole and met up with my sister and brother-in-law. Then it was time for the final section. A short steep descent brought us to a minor road where my sister had seen a sign saying "Overton Hill  87 miles". She took some photos then we crossed over and started the very steep climb up onto Ivinghoe Beacon itself. My BIL walked ahead and took some more photos of us climbing up the last few yards (at a very slow speed it has to be said!). We were both getting very tired by now and our legs and feet were sore.

And then - we were there. We came over the final small ridge and found the trig point marking the end of the path. Some more photos to record the event and time to celebrate finishing. Unfortunately the car park at Ivinghoe is some way from the finish so we hadn't quite done our walking for the day. We went back to my sister's afterwards and she produced a bottle of bubbly to celebrate our achievement (and took a few more photos!). My mum and brother had driven up to meet us and congratulate us and afterwards my BIL drive us to the hotel in Aylesbury where we are staying tonight.

Back home tomorrow and I will try and write down some final thoughts. But one final fact before I sign off. On a clear day, from the top of Ivinghoe Beacon, if you look in the right direction, you can STILL see Didcot b****y power station!!! :-)

Day 7 - Kingston Blount to Wendover

The road from the Ridgeway to Kingston Blount is straight, fast and dangerous to walk on as we discovered last night on our way to our b&b for the night. So a thank you to the landlady of the Cherry Tree for driving me back to the Ridgeway this morning. Margaret wasn't with me today - the 16 miles yesterday were too much for her and she was completely worn out. We knew today's walk would be a tough one so she wisely decided to save her energy for the last leg tomorrow.

In the event the walk today was even tougher than usual because of the weather. Strong winds, horizontal rain, steep climbs, slippery descents. I found my hands becoming numb with the cold wind and rain.

I would love to give you a full description of the walk but to be honest I spent most of today with the hood of my waterproof up and my head down so a lot of what I saw was the few yards of the path in front of me. It was just a case of keeping going and getting to the end. 

I could almost say today's blog is brought to you in association with Romney's Kendal Mint Cake because this afternoon when I was beginning to flag it kept me going. There were some things to mention such as the old quarries near Chinnor which have been flooded and where the water has turned a turquoise blue because of the chalk. Or walking across the drive leading to Chequers and noticing the security cameras everywhere. But the wind and rain meant sightseeing was not a priority.

Suffice to say I was pleased when Wendover finally came into view. After 12 windy, wet miles it was just what I needed. When I got to the hotel room I found that everything was soaked through and my hands were numb. But a cup of tea  followed by a hot shower revived me.

I have spoken to my sister tonight and she and my brother-in-law will be meeting us tomorrow to walk some of the way with us. And apparently the weather tomorrow will be sunshine. Let's hope so!!

Day 6 - Wallingford to Kingston Blount

Today's walk was even longer than I thought it would be. And it was a walk whose character changed in various ways.

We took a different footpath from Wallingford back to where we had left the Ridgeway yesterday. As we started the Ridgeway itself it wound its way through trees and crossed over a busy A-road. We were then walking on Grim's Ditch which is a bit of a misnomer as it is a raised bank for a lot of the way. The path mostly followed the top of the bank but sometimes dropped to one side or the other. And all the time we were following Grim's Ditch we were gaining height as the path climbed steadily.

After 3 miles or so we reached Nuffield. Passing through the village we were directed towards the Hunterscombe Golf Course clubhouse and at this point the path traverses the golf course. We had to follow a succession of white-topped posts which directed us across fairways (watching to make sure no golfers were in the vicinity) and naturally we avoided any bunkers. After crossing the golf course, the path made its way between two houses and down their gravel drive!

Crossing another main road the path dropped down through a wood. At the end of the wood and at the other side of a field you saw a white post in the distance which you had to aim for. The path was very distinct so there was no problem finding our way. This was followed by a crossing of an even larger field. Again, the path was distinct so there was no question where to go. Just as we got to the wood at the far end of the field a hailstorm started. We decided this was an opportune time to have lunch.

The field had been in a large valley and these downhill sections followed by uphill climbs (and vice-versa) were to be a feature of the next stage of the walk. The path crossed over a number of wooded ridges and valleys and the weather was changeable as well .. Bright sunshine and blue skies for a while, followed by rain and more hailstorms. At one point I looked out over the vale of Oxfordshire stretching into the distance and saw an old friend. There yet again were the cooling towers of Didcot power station. I am beginning to think that if it's a clear day when we reach Ivinghoe Beacon I will probably still just be able to make out the towers from there.

The steep climbs followed by steep descents eventually finished and we were back walking on byways through fields. By now we were walking at the foot of the Chilterns past various steep hills ( thank goodness we weren't going over them!). Long before we reached it we heard the M40 and we eventually passed underneath that and then shortly afterwards crossed over the old A40. Then it was a matter of keeping going until we reached the road into Kingston Blount. And all the time, the weather was changing from sunshine to rain or hail and back again.

I said at the beginning the walk was longer than anticipated. When I checked the Garmin this evening it showed we had walked a total of 16 miles today. Longer than I had expected and far hillier than I thought it would be.

Day 5 - Streatley to Wallingford

Starting in Streatley today and walking to Wallingford brought back some memories. 

Soon after starting out we passed Pierrepoint Cafe. This was where Alan and I finished a bike ride from Chiseldon quite a few years ago. It had been a damp, drizzly day and we had got a bit muddy. We were desperate for a cup of tea but didn't want to make a mess so went inside and waited on the doormat. I seem to recall it was a Sunday and everyone else in the cafe was dressed up and we attracted quite a lot of attention. Anyway, we got our take-away teas in double-quick time and I imagine they were relieved we hadn't wandered in all over their nice clean floor!

Another memory was of the last time I attempted the Ridgeway. I had to give up at Streatley the time before due to an enormous blister on the sole of my left foot. I remembered how disappointed I was then and how pleased I was today to be able to carry on. 

And I remembered walking the Thames Path last year. It was almost a year to the day (24 May 2012) when we were walking on the west bank of the Thames between Goring and Wallingford. Now we were walking on the east bank following the Ridgeway as the two paths run parallel to each other for around 5 miles.

The character of the Ridgeway has changed. We have left behind the wide open countryside we encountered earlier. Today we passed through the suburbs of Goring and some small villages (South Stoke and North Stoke). But we are now in a much more wooded environment and with the riverside walking, have been passing by reed beds as well.

In South Stoke we stopped at the Pike and Perch for a break. We had to wait for them to open and then the landlord was in a meeting with the brewery area manager. His wife served us but as the bar wasn't her 'end' (she seems to run the restaurant 'end') she didn't know the price of the drinks or even where to switch on the lights. The landlord's meeting ended by the time we had finished our drinks and I was able to pay so we could continue on our way.

In North Stoke the path goes through the churchyard. We stopped off to look inside as they have medieval (14th C.) wall paintings of biblical scenes such as the Last Supper. They are obviously very faded but what is interesting is that the characters in the paintings are English and dressed in the manner and costume of the day.  

The Ridgeway Path turns east about a mile from Wallingford which is where we are staying tonight. So we left it at that point and kept heading north until we reached the outskirts of town. The final memory of the day was connected to the George Hotel where we are staying. As we entered the courtyard we remembered that this was where we stopped at the end of the day's walk last year. It had been unbearably hot then and long, cold drinks were the order of the day.

Tomorrow we have one of the longest stretches of walking (13mls) and the weather forecast isn't looking very favourable with rain promised. We are just hoping they have either got it wrong or are exaggerating how much rain is promised to fall just to cover themselves! 

NB: Just over 8 miles walking today which brought up the overall mileage to 52.5 miles. We may be past the halfway point (35 miles to go) but we have some tough walking ahead of us.

Day 4 - East Ilsley to Streatley

We've arrived at Streatley and that means we have reached the halfway point both metaphorically and physically. Tomorrow morning we cross the River Thames and leave behind the North Wessex Downs to say welcome to the Chilterns. For the first few miles we will be walking along the east bank of the Thames. Last year when we were walking the Thames Path we walked along the west bank of the river from Streatley heading for Wallingford.  Tomorrow we are heading for Wallingford once more, but this time by a different route.

This morning Ed transported us back to Bury Down where we had finished yesterday and he had picked us up. The first mile or so was on more wide grassy track and if it hadn't been for the A34 might have been peaceful. Once through the tunnel that passes under the A34 we were heading through fields and as we made our way along the path we caught glimpses of East Ilsley where we had stayed the night. Peace had finally returned, broken only by the sounds of birdsong and the sound of horse riders galloping past. Red kites soared overhead at regular intervals. After a flat stretch the path turned left and we began to make our way downhill. While looking for some nearby tumuli I noticed an old friend in the distance .. the cooling towers of Didcot power station. I'm sure eventually it will disappear from view! :-)

At the bottom of the hill we crossed a disused railway - the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Junction Railway. The cutting is nowadays totally overgrown and I'm sure will eventually totally disappear from view. What goes down must inevitably go up and we could see track rising up ahead. As usual we  made our way steadily uphill and took advantage of a grassy bank for a break. 

At this point in the path there are a large number of tracks that criss-cross each other but with good signs all along the way (and the guide book as backup) it is difficult to go wrong. Further on along the path the ground drops away dramatically on the right .. this is Streatley Warren. The path begins to go downhill at this point and it continued like this for the next mile or two. 

Earlier on we had passed, and then been passed by, another walker carrying the familiar looking national trail guide that I am using. This seems to be par for the course on these long distance paths. You see people early in the day and spend the rest of the days walk passing and re-passing each other.

The downhill stretch eventually flattened out as we reached the outskirts of Streatley. The track joins a road which passes the local golf club .. the road becomes lined with more and more houses and joins a more major road .. eventually this road joins the main road heading for Reading. We knew we had arrived properly when we began walking down the road on a (gasp) pavement and were pleased to see the Bull at Streatley appear in view. 

Stats time! The total mileage is now 44.4mls. We have completed half the path but I can see from the guide that after the flat path along the Thames, there is a fairly flat stretch to Nuffield. Unfortunately, after we reach that point I can see that over the next few days, the hills ahead seem bigger and steeper than anything we have walked on so far. 

Day 3 - Woolstone (Uffington) to East Ilsley

There's no two ways about it - today's stretch was a bit of a slog. We completed another 12.5mls and for some stretches we were walking on hard tracks. The weather was cloudy, misty and very breezy .. We couldn't help thinking if it had been warm and sunny these tracks would have been horrible to walk on. However, other parts of the walk were on wide grassy stretches which made up for it.

The pub landlord gave us a lift up from Woolstone and the first hill past Uffington Castle wasn't as bad as we had expected. I obviously need to improve my map reading. I was expecting undulating countryside but we had a couple more big ups and downs before the flatter sections of the walk.

We passed by another hill fort at Segsbury and later on walked past the Devils Punchbowl which looked more spectacular from further on along the path when we lookd back. We had been seeing red kites soaring overhead all day .. later on we were lucky enough to see some lapwings too. 

This was the first weekday walking and the path seemed a bit quieter .. just other walkers and the occasional cyclist. We were both tiring by the end and the last couple of miles were hard work .. it was just a case of keeping going. We eventually reached Bury Down where Ed met us and transported us down to East Ilsley where we are staying tonight. The Crown and Horns is a real find .. A lovely spacious room with a 'wet room' and very tasty food. 

I am sat here yawning and my eyes are beginning to close so it's obviously time to bring this post to a close. Just time to give you the stats .. 12.5mls done today and the total mileage stands at 35.8mls. My Garmin also tells me we have walked for a total of 14 hours at an average speed of 2.5mph. It also tells me we have stopped for breaks and lunches for 4.5hrs so the overall average speed is just under 2mph. Don't you just love gadgets!!! :-)

Day 2 - Ogbourne St George to Woolstone (Uffington)

One thing I forget to mention yesterday was the glorious walking down Smeathe's Ridge from Barbury Castle to Ogbourne St George. Halfway down there was a seat with a plaque in memory of Bert Toomer, chairman of Wiltshire Ramblers from 1976-1988. From the seat you could look ahead to the ridge between Ogbourne St George and Liddington. Today, once we had climbed up from Ogbourne onto the ridge we found another seat, this one giving a view back to Smeathes Ridge. Sadly not to remember another rambler but in memory of a 33yr old man who loved the countryside. 

At the start of the ridge we had seen lots of wild flowers .. Bluebells, celandine, violets, speedwell and others we did not know the names of. Even the fields of yellow oilseed rape look nice this time of year and the smell isn't yet overpowering. The birds we singing all around us, buzzards were soaring overhead and the path was quiet. We saw other walkers, some horse riders and later on a group of motorbikers. But they we soon lost in the distance and peace and quiet returned. 

There is a nasty stretch of the path that follows the road from Liddington Castle to Foxhill. We had to walk on the narrow verges and we we glad to get over the M4, past Foxhill and back up onto the hills. I would love to say it was peaceful but for a while we had the noise of a scrambling meet to contend with. However, we eventually got far enough away for the noise to subside.

The ridge we were walking along was now passing villages such as Bishopstone and Ashbury. Lunch was taken sat on a grassy bank looking out over the vale below. A lady passed us .. She said she would be back .. A little later she did wander past in the opposite direction. She said we would see her once more. Sure enough, when we started walking again our paths crossed for the third time. I checked .. She was training for the White Horse walk in July between Marlborough and Devizes. 

We passed by Waylands Smithy long barrow and were met by my friend Alan. He was going to meet us at Uffington but had decided to drive a little nearer to see if he could meet us earlier than planned. He transported our rucksacks so we could do the last mile more comfortably. He walked with us for a bit then went back to the car and we met him and Diana near Uffington Castle and from there he drove us down into Woolstone where we were staying for the night. Alan and Diana stayed on and we had a lovely meal with them.

For the stattos amongst you today's stretch of the walk was 12 miles bringing the total walked to 23 miles.

Day 1 - Overton to Ogbourne

First day's walking completed and we are obviously a bit out of practise. We are both suffering from tired feet and legs tonight after completing the first ten miles of the walk. As expected, the Ridgeway is proving a little tougher than the Thames Path was last year. No really steep hills to contend with but plenty of ups and downs.

The rewards for the walking were the fabulous views we were presented with. Today's walk climbed steadily at first giving us views across to Cherill and Avebury. Later on we we able to see Broad Hinton and further afield. By the time we reached Barbury Castle we were able to see across the wide flat valley to the ridge we will be walking along tomorrow towards Liddington Hill (and beyond). 

We were lucky to have dry weather and a mixture of cloudy conditions and sunny intervals. The path was fairly quiet - mostly just other walkers, runners and cyclists. We did meet up with some motorbikes. We stepped to the side so they could pass and they drove straight towards us slowly and then stopped. The lead motorcyclist switched off his engine and asked why we were giving him such an angry look. "Because you drove straight at us of course!" we replied. At which point he claimed some of his party were struggling with the conditions and needed to keep to the flat path ie. the part we were walking on. He then decided to lecture us about how the Ridgeway had been a path for thousands of years and used by drivers .. If we didn't like them sharing the Ridgeway perhaps we should go and walk along the M25. I couldn't help thinking what an arsehole he was! In the event we just turned our backs on him and walked away.

On the plus side, we enjoyed listening to the skylarks and watching the swallows darting to and fro. And no stiles to contend with either. Plenty of sheep in fields all around us and on occasions, racehorses and gallops on either side. And just the one field of cows - who to be honest, we're more interested in the nearby water trough and lush grass around it.

Tomorrow we have a long 13mile stretch to cover from Ogbourne St George to Woolstone. I know after a steady climb up onto the ridge to Liddington Hill it will be flat .. It's the ups and downs after that before we get near the Uffington White Horse that I am not looking forward to quite as much.

What's in store?

It's the question I keep asking myself. Here I am, the day before setting out to walk the Ridgeway Path with my partner Margaret, wondering what's in store over the next 8 days?

If all goes to plan, my friend Joan will be coming over to pick us up at 10am tomorrow morning. She has kindly agreed to drive us to the start of the Ridgeway at Overton Hill (3 miles west of Marlborough). That should take us about 45 minutes so by 11am we should have our rucksacks on and be on our way. We are hoping to raise money for a charity called Arts Together by doing the walk and Karolyne who runs the charity has said she will be there to wave us off.

The path is 87 miles long and we have planned for it to take us eight days. The b&b's are all booked so it will just be a case of walking (plodding?) along each day to our next destination. The first day is a 'taster' as we only have 9 miles to cover to Ogbourne St George. Then things get a bit more 'interesting' .. we have two 13 mile days (to Woolstone and East Ilsley) before a shorter day of 7 miles to Streatley. The second half of the walk was easier to plan for overnight stops so we have three 11 mile days (Wallingford, Chinnor, Wendover) before the final 12 mile walk to Ivinghoe Beacon. Some of my family have promised to meet us on the last day - the path passes close to Tring where they all live and my sister and brother-in-law plan to meet up with us in Tring Park. Then my brother-in-law plans to join us for the last few miles walking to the end of the path. Which is where my sister will be waiting to meet us and to transport us to our hotel. Where, after eight days walking, we will no doubt be indulging in some heavy-duty rest and relaxation.

The daily walking will be just like the Thames Path last year with two main differences. Last year was basically flat - we walked from the Thames Barrier to the source but the incline was so slight it wasn't noticeable. This time we have proper hills to contend with. And the Thames Path was largely peaceful for long stretches - parts of the western half of the Ridgeway can be used by motorbikes and 4x4's as well as walkers, cyclists and horse riders. So it has the potential to be noisier and busier. I just hope that after the weekend, things will quieten down a bit.

The biggest unknown is of course the weather. But come rain or shine, we will be walking the path so we've tried to get the correct gear to make things as comfortable as possible.

I will be trying to keep this blog updated as we walk (wi-fi access permitting) so pop back to check on our progress and I'll try not to whinge too much about my tired legs, sore feet, blisters, the weather etc. etc. .....

Day 13 (Fri 22nd Mar) – Homeward bound and final thoughts

Suitably refreshed after a good night’s sleep (in a bed that was not rolling around and with no tannoy announcements to disturb us) we had a leisurely breakfast. Neither of us felt like a full English. So we both had a big bowl of porridge (some proper ‘comfort’ food to start the day!) before making our way home. And after a trouble-free journey down the M4, we arrived home just after lunch.

And to be honest, once we were home, it all felt a little strange. We were staying where we were. All our home comforts were around us. We had different rooms to go into, all of them bigger than our cabin! :o) There was no daily schedule to peruse. There were no excursions to think about. We didn’t have to get dressed in lots of layers of clothing before venturing outside. We could choose what we wanted to eat and when to eat. I’m not kidding when I say it took most of the weekend to re-adjust.

I have been back at work for almost two weeks and (apart from the Easter weekend) it feels like I am back into the routine of ‘normal’ life.

I took around 250 photos during the cruise and even now, I am still wading through them and sorting out the best ones!

Final thoughts? 

Seeing the Northern Lights was a wonderful experience – there’s something almost magical about seeing the lights appear and move around in the sky. Seeing a different country and hearing about the history of various places we visited was thought-provoking and interesting. Meeting people on the cruise and swapping experiences and thoughts and ideas was great fun.

And would I go on another cruise? I think despite the wonderful scenery and seeing new places each day, and despite the amenities on the ship, because I started to long for some different surroundings, the answer is no.

Day 12 (Thu 21st Mar) – Alesund to Bergen

In retrospect, going to dinner yesterday evening was a bad idea. The food was too rich and I suffered a recurrence of the effects of the stomach bug and was awake during the night. On the plus side, when I was awake at 2:45am and looked out of the window I saw the Northern Lights again. Margaret was fast asleep so I crept around the cabin to retrieve my camera and was able to take some more photos through the window without waking her.

We had been instructed that cabins had to be vacated by 10am and suitcases left near the closest lift. So an early start was needed to have time for breakfast and packing. Once we had left our suitcases near reception we found ourselves (along with most of the other passengers) trying to find somewhere we could wait until 2:30pm when we were due to dock at Bergen. We walked around on deck 5 for a while but eventually ended up in the café on deck 7 while all around us, crew members were busy cleaning up in readiness for a quick turnaround when we reached port before the next cruise started a few hours later.

It was a relief to finally reach Bergen and start the journey home but it was a long day. A bus to Bergen Airport was the first stage but this was followed by a long wait for the flight to Copenhagen at 18:10. In complete contrast, we only had 35 minutes at Copenhagen to make the transfer to the onward flight to Heathrow (we did make it but it meant a very quick walk between arrival/departure gates!). I’m sure it was due to being tired but it seemed a long wait for the courtesy bus to collect the car from Purple Parking. And when it did arrive, some people who had arrived after us tried to get on the bus first. Thank goodness the driver was on the ball, casually enquiring if they were first in the queue. The result was, we got on the bus and they had to wait .. in the rain (no, I didn’t snigger .. honest).

Even that short journey appeared to take ages - 10:30pm on a Thursday night and we seemed to be in a traffic jam! It turned out to be some temporary lights for emergency roadworks and by the time we had collected the car and were driving away the queues had subsided. I was completely worn out by this time so I was glad we had booked a night at the Premier Inn. And being a large hotel, we were able to drop our bags in our room and have a hot drink and something to eat. With all the travelling we had not had a proper meal earlier that day.

Day 11 (Wed 20th Mar) – Trondheim to Alesund

I eventually woke at 8am on the wed morning, feeling better than I had for the previous 36 hours. I felt well enough by then to get dressed and leave the cabin but wasn’t sure whether or not I was actually over the bug. I had a light breakfast (2 slices of toast) and then later on a light lunch (1 cheese roll). And having been cooped up in my cabin for so long, I felt the need for some fresh air so we went out onto deck 5 (promenade deck) for a while.

I still wasn’t really paying much attention to the ports we were calling at or the surroundings as I was still feeling weak. But I felt a bit better by the evening and decided to go to dinner.

Because some passengers were leaving the ship at Trondheim, the previous evening had been the ‘farewell dinner’. Jon & Mike (our dinner companions) told us about the special dessert they had been served which was brought out with lighted sparklers (they had been amazed the smoke detectors had not been set off). They also said a lady on the next table was celebrating her birthday – apparently the waitress had all come out dancing and waving Norwegian flags when the cake was presented to her. And they mentioned the bottle of champagne which we had missed out on!

I tried the starter (fish soup) and the main course but couldn’t finish either. But I did manage to finish the dessert! ;-)  As it was the last time we might all be together in one place we swapped email addresses so that we could keep in touch and swap photos at a later date.

Day 10 (Tue 19th Mar) – Ornes to Folda

Sad to say, the tenth day of the voyage passed me by without my seeing or doing anything.

Having gone to bed the previous evening, I felt more and more ill as the night wore on. It wasn’t sea-sickness and I knew by then I had come down with the stomach bug. I was awake during the night and I’m sure I don’t need to spell out why! I had no energy and spent most of the following day asleep. Although Margaret had caught the bug as well she didn’t seem to be affected as badly. She was able to leave the cabin occasionally and looked after me. She brought me a cup of tea during the afternoon but because I didn’t feel like eating, I spent the rest of the day surviving on a couple of sugar lumps, some Mentos and lots of water.

While I was laid in bed the only scenery I saw was what was reflected in the tv screen from the cabin window behind me. But to be honest, I had lost all interest in the scenery at that point. Various ports of call came and went, various announcements were made over the tannoy - but they all passed me by. Despite having been asleep for most of the day, I managed to sleep for most of the following night too.

Day 9 (Mon 18th Mar) – Harstad to Stamsund

Five hours sleep later and we were up and about getting ready for the day’s excursion – “A Taste Of Vesteralen”. This was a bus tour starting at Harstad and ending at Sortland where we would meet up with the ship again. After docking at Harstad at 08:15 and boarding the coach, the first place we visited was Trondenes Church and Historical Centre.

The original church on this site on a headland overlooking the harbour, dates from the 11^th century. It was replaced in the 12^th century and again in the 15^th century from when the current building dates. As we entered the church we saw the MS Finnmarken leaving port on its way to Sortland and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one wondering what would happen if anything should make us late for our later connection at Sortland. In the church they held a short inter-denominational service for our benefit (with translations into German and Japanese for the benefit of other tourists) before we visited the nearby centre to read more about the history of the area.

After touring the exhibition we continued on our way. As we toured the frozen landscape, the guide explained amongst other things, how he has two cars .. a four-wheel drive fitted with winter tyres for when the snow is on the ground .. and an Austin-Healey 3000 that he uses in the Summer (presumably for just a month or two!). We travelled on along the coast via Kasfjord and Borkenes marvelling at the mountainous scenery until we reached a ferry at Refsnes.  On boarding the ferry, we were provided with drinks and nibbles in the shape of waffles and the local cheese.

After docking at Flesnes we continued on our way to Sortland via Sigerfjord. As I’ve mentioned before, the Norwegians are well used to driving in ice and snow with their (studded) winter tyres. But the surface must have been a bit worse than they are used to. The coach driver slowed down while driving through one village mentioning to the guide the road was a bit ‘slippy’. There was another point in the journey when the guide casually mentioned we had just finished passing an area prone to avalanches! The area was said to be good for spotting moose and sea eagles but we saw none.

The coach guide had been in touch with the ship during the tour to ensure we synchronised our arrival. In the event, we were a bit earlier than planned and pulled into a lay-by. But after a few minutes wait (and with no doubt the practise of having done the same thing many times over), we started to make our way over the bridge to Sortland as the MS Finnmarken steamed underneath, ship’s hooter blaring out and passengers waving from the decks (I think they had made an announcement on the ship as well).

Back on board, the previous late night and early morning start had taken their toll so I needed a ‘power nap’. So at 2:30pm in the afternoon I crawled under the covers, set the alarm and managed to sleep for a couple of hours. Later on at 18:30 we docked at Svolvaer where we took the opportunity to visit the gallery of a local artist who has some of his artwork aboard the MS Finnmarken. The artist (Dagfinn Bakke) has a collection of humorous cartoons on the ship – my personal favourite being the one of a man looking at a plan of the ship with a ‘you are here’ arrow pointing to one deck and a ‘your wife is here’ arrow pointing to another deck at the other end of the ship.

I went to dinner that evening and some of our party of six were missing having been struck down with a tummy bug. I started to feel a bit light-headed and queasy myself and feared the worst. We had just begun to cross a stretch of open water so I hoped it might be sea-sickness instead. I excused myself, skipped the rest of the meal and went back to the cabin to take a sea-sickness pill and to lie down. But instead of feeling better I gradually started to feel worse ..

And then ...

 .. the postings stopped and you may be wondering why?

Unfortunately, I caught a stomach bug that had been doing the rounds of the ship. It took me several days to get back to feeling okay again and normal life (blog included) ground to a halt in the meantime.

Now I am back home I will be able to post some info about the last few days of the cruise. And once I have sorted through my photos, I will be able to update some of the earlier blog entries as well.

Day 8 (Sun 17th Mar) - Honningsvag to Tromso

The ship set off southbound from Kirkenes overnight and made early morning calls at Honningsvag and Havoysund. Mid-morning we tried an 'energy' coffee .. A mixture of coffee, chocolate and chilli, which had the expected kick in the tail and a warming effect (ideal given the below zero surroundings).

At Hammerfest we had time to go ashore. There was only about a foot of snow lying around and it was very icy. The temperature was -3C but with the wind chill it felt much colder (even colder than it had at North Cape). There was a strong wind blowing the whole time but the gusts increased dramatically and we were having trouble staying on our feet, despite the grippers. So we headed back towards the ship.

Before boarding we stopped off at the Polar Bear Club (or to give it the full title "The Royal & Ancient Polar Bear Society") which despite it's name, was only created in 1963. You can join the club and as well as a certificate signed by the town mayor, you get a lapel pin of a polar bear and the right to attend the annual meetings of the club in Hammerfest Town Hall.  I think it is quite an imaginative way to raise funds to protect polar bears. But if the half a million members all decide to attend the AGM one year it is going to be a very packed hall.

The wind was still very strong as we made our way to Oksfkord. We watched the world go by from the observation lounge on deck 8 for a while, then later on had dinner before heading for bed at 9pm. Sounds early I know, but after several late nights looking for the lights I was feeling worn out. And I knew I needed to get some sleep because we had booked ourselves on a very late excursion.

I had set the alarm for 11:15pm and we got ready to leave the ship at 11:45pm when we docked at Tromso. The late excursion was the Midnight Concert at Tromso Cathedral. The concert was a collection of Norwegian folk songs .. the soaring soprano voice of the lead singer, along with the other two voices and with flute and piano accompaniment at times, made for a wonderful experience, with the acoustics of the cathedral enhancing the atmosphere.

We did not return to the ship until 1:30am and it took a little while to settle down and go to sleep. Which was a bit of a shame because with immaculate planning we had booked ourselves on Monday's excursion which started at 8:15am :-) 

Day 7 (Sat 16th Mar) - Kirkenes

I was very lucky last night. Feeling worn out from two late nights watching the northern lights I wasn't really sure I had the energy to get dressed up to go outside on deck yesterday evening. I decided I wouldn't bother so was in my pyjamas and had been reading a book. Before laying down to sleep I decided to look out of the cabin window in case I could see anything. So imagine how pleased I was to see the lights in the night sky up above. I was able to watch and photograph the lights from the comfort of our cabin.

I took my last photograph at 12:50am so no wonder I didn't wake up until just after 8:30am this morning. We had a leisurely breakfast and got talking to the couple next to us - it turned out they are from Stroud. What's that they say about going on holiday to far-away places and bumping into people who live nearby? We docked at Kirkenes soon after. This is the northern-most port of call on the cruise and the turning point. It is 1540 miles from Bergen where we joined the ship and started our journey. 

We are above the arctic circle here, at around 69 degrees North. The local temperature was -20C and once again we were lucky with the weather .. It was bright sunshine and there was no wind. However, despite the sunshine, the water in the fjord was a sheet of ice just to prove how cold it is. We had a slight moment of panic when leaving the ship. The steps that are lowered began to move upwards and inwards as we went to leave. And the doors back into the ship had been locked. I had to use the emergency phone to call reception and get them to stop what was happening. Thankfully they stopped quickly but we were unsure what was going on and naturally had visions of being squashed.

Panic over and steps down again, we donned our spikes and walked into town. Despite the cold temperature, it didn't feel as cold as I thought it would. Maybe it's because it is a dry cold rather than the wetter type we get in the UK? My only problem was my sunglasses steaming up from my breath. The scarf I had over my nose and mouth had a layer of frost on them by the time we returned to the ship.

We got round to using the gym on the ship after lunch. It is the first time I have tried running on a treadmill on a ship that is rolling on the waves (though thankfully, not rolling around too much). Then afterwards, we used the jacuzzi on the deck outside. Sitting in a hot tub, on the deck of a ship, with the outside temperature at around -10C has to be one of the most surreal things I have ever done.

The forecast for the lights is good again tonight (still set at 3). I am in bed at the moment .. we have set the alarm for 11pm and will go up on deck later to see if any lights can be seen.

(to be continued)

We were woken at 10:45pm by an announcement that northern lights could be seen. We got dressed as quickly as possible and went outside to watch and photograph them. They didn't seem as good as on previous nights (we spoke to someone after breakfast who said we should have been there just before the announcement!).

We needed to come in after a while for a hot chocolate drink to warm ourselves .. we went outside again afterwards but the lights had not improved so we called it a night.