The Longest Day Walk finished (at last)

Well I am glad that's over!


After 87 miles and 33 long hrs I finally made it up Beacon hill to the end of the Ridgeway.

To say I found the last 3-4 hours hard would be a bit of an understatement. Very, very grim! But very glad I have done it.

There is no way of expressing the range of feeling that pass though your head on these sorts of things other than to say without the help and all the support I would not have got even half way. The sight of Susie, Amanda all the boys, Alfons with Mark and his girls, All the Cole family, Richard and Jules Sainter all walking out to meet me at Bledlow Ridge will always be a very special memory!
Thank you to everyone!

The Walk: Chris, Rob and I set off in fine spirits. We had flown down in the back of Jo's car roof down, sun on our faces feeling great (thank you Jo). We sailed along for the first 20 odd miles in the sun with moral high and feeling good. As it got dark and we pushed on towards Jerome at the second stop, I started to realise how difficult it is to judge distance and time in the dark.

It's not often that I would be grateful to see a large hairy man looming out of the dark at midnight and l slumped into the deckchairs provided whilst Jerome waited on us with Fred's home made chicken and vegetable soup (very nice, thank you Fred).

Leaving Jerome we had a 12 mile, 4 hr stretch to West Ilsley which turned into a real mental battle, conversation and the warm soup soon dried up and all of us were locked into our own little world of doubts and fears. Presso as always lead, pulling us along without a head torch, singing and trying anything to keep us going! I found it impossible to keep track of time or distance with each mile seeming to take hours. By the time we got to Presso's car it had started to rain and we all fell into it saying very little, even though we had finished another section we all felt in a bad way.

Enter Richard Morris! Richard bounced into the car and chatted away trying to lift spirits and get us going, the three of us stared blankly back at him. Richard chirped away for the next 3 hrs. By the time we worked our way down into Streatley it was clear that Chris and Rob were ready to stop, to be honest so was I, but I had Steve and Jen waiting (they had been up since 4am and had driven down from Cheltenham) I was not going to tell them "sorry I've had enough".

The next few hours were strange. From starting out thinking I would walk for just a couple of miles before giving up. I followed Steve's pace, Jen and Steve chatted away and raising my spirits, whilst the miles didn't quite fly by, I felt much better by the time we got to Nuffield.

We stopped briefly for some much needed repair work to my feet (thank you Steve!). Selwyn and his bike then arrived and we walked on to Swyncombe. More chat and the sun on our faces made me feel that things were looking up! When Selwyn left to cycle home again and a mile or so later Steve and Jen got to their car at Watlington, I was left to walk on to Bledlow. I had half been looking forward to a section on my own! After about a hour that idea had fled and the realisation that I would never have made it this far let alone finish, without people around. (my mind is far too fragile!). After a few wobbles along what is the very dullest 5-6 miles I was very pleased to meet Jules and Marty who cycled next to me and took my mind off the walking. (the novelty had worn right off).

The last half mile into Bledlow made the whole event worthwhile; lots of people and shouts of encouragement, it felt like the whole village had turned out. I walked the next 4 miles with Max, Freddie and Oliver then another 6 or so miles on my own, with Wendover and the last stage to buoy my spirits. These sailed by and I even managed a jog down the hill to meet Rob, Liz and Stella. I breezed into the car park had a quick bite to eat and set off. Mark, Susie and Paul Daly had also come out to do the last section. With a nice big group and lots of chat it was more of less over!

After about an 1.5 hrs we were working our way up through the woods, it was about 9.40 I had been going for 29 hours it was now getting dark for the second time on the trip. I was spent! It was clear that both the terrain and my fatigue were going to mean there were a few hours still to go! I had already exceeded the dose of the Pro-plus and Neurofen so had decided not to take any more past Wendover. The lack of sleep, the problems with my feet and my mind shot, it was all I could do to follow. With Mark on one side talking away to me and Rob on the other navigating, they man-handled me onwards and onwards (the desire to stop and sit down was intense) Susie as ever holding my hand and asking if I was alright! I was not. 5 hours of hell.

In my weaker moments earlier I had thought about how I would feel finishing. I thought I would break down "an emotional wreck". In the end it was just "done" can I sleep now!
I know I would not have made it to the end without everyone's help. Thank you.

Chris