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Published: July 27th 2006
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Please note that this Blog has been written by Zita in conjunction with
‘Rent-A-Friend-To-Walk-With-Helen-For-A-Day’ who sponsored the event. So I arrived at Bridgnorth, on the stream train, to meet Helen to find out that we weren’t walking that day as she was having a day off...Hoorah! But she advised me that we would need to prepare for the day ahead nonetheless. Preparations consisted of; A lovely girlie-lunch in a cool restaurant, an afternoon siesta, a little stroll around Bridgnorth, seeing Johnny Depp at the cinema whilst eating loads of popcorn, a Chinese dinner with crispy duck and finally a dose of Big Brother. (Oh and there was a quick stop at the convenience store to get some provisions for the ‘Day 17’ walk.) It was tough training but we managed to successfully get through it and called it an early night.
The B&B had chandeliers, even in the bathroom…my kind of place! The owner of the B&B was a lovely lady who even made the effort to get up to say goodbye and wish us well on our journey. Bless. Helen and I would both recommend staying there. (Churchdown House, Bridgnorth)
Alarm clock went off
Getting Ready
A good cup of coffee in our small room! way too early and all systems were go - on with the walking gear, moisturising hand-wash was expertly applied to feet, back-packs swung on, map showing route dangled from neck and complimentary sweets in pocket. We were looking good! It was a beautiful morning for ‘Helen’s Long Walk Home’. The aim was to follow the River Severn along its last leg of the Severn Way to Ironbridge and all started off well along a nicely manicured golf course. Mood was buoyant. It was a lovely feeling being in the fresh air (not too much of that in London these days).
The Shropshire countryside was a joy to behold. It felt like we were walking in a Jane Austen novel, England at its most glorious. Of course that was until we had to dodge the pesky flies, trample through brambles and side-step the stinky cowpats when ‘glorious’ was not a word that came to mind. Unfortunately we didn’t come across Mr Darcy which was a shame but Helen did manage to chat up a fisherman from Manchester. You go girl! We were really fortunate that for the most part we were sheltered from the scorching sun by the gorge
On the Way
Helen doing a spot of aerobics. or the trees…Luck was on our side. We only stopped a few times en route, once for a breakfast on the bank of the river (banana and apple - how healthy) and then later on a pathway bench for an Orange and some Jaffa Cakes (not so healthy - but low in fat apparently).
On hindsight offering to carry Helen’s back-pack for a while wasn’t the best idea I’d ever come up with. I can confirm that when she says it is heavy she is speaking the truth. It’s amazing that Helen is managing to walk more than 1 mile a day with that on her back! Having said that even when our limbs were beginning to cry out for a Jacuzzi and a massage we were still laughing.
Helen advised that we had made good progress during the day and arrived at the B&B ahead of schedule. To be honest I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get to apply any survival techniques that I’d been swotting up on by watching Ray Mears on the telly. But the disappointment was quickly alleviated by the wonderful shower, gloriously large lunch, scrummy ice-cream and tasty toffee
Child of the Corn
Just checking the crops. cake and coffee that we managed to cram into the 4 ½ hours before I had to get my train back home. So for any of you out there who’d like to consider joining Helen for a day’s walking I’d recommend it…You eat well!
Today’s Stats
Start Time - 6:15am
End Time - 11:45am
Miles today - 8.73 miles
Miles Cumulative - 157.48 miles
Steps Today - 15,761
Steps Cumulative - 319,607
Blisters - None
Chocolate/Granary Bars - 1 Yummy Mars Bar
Rain - None
Temp @ Noon - 30c
Also I just wanted to say that I feel very touched that Helen chose Macmillan Cancer Relief as her charity. Helen was a great help and support to me and my family when my father was dying from cancer (whom the Macmillan nurses aided). She was truly a wonderful friend then and continues to be so. Thanks Helen…you’re a star!
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andrewB
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Still laughing at the giant jokes. I will touch the ironbridge one day. Keep going Love Andrew