There comes a time when you must leave family, friends and work behind and go off alone, looking within to discover your changes in the circle of life. Despite your fears, you know this is something you have to do. The Vision Quest is the name of this journey.
As many of you will know who are reading this, I decided to do a sponsored walk for the woodland trust, a charity which has very worthwhile benefits to both us and the wildlife around us. So, on Saturday 25th August, me and my dog Ellie Beagle set off from Hessle to embark on the Wolds Way, a 79 mile national trail walk. Here is the blog of my walk.
Saturday 5.50 am - The morning of the walk and need to get going. Kit is already packed, just need to do some last minute checks. Take the dog out for a quick wee, not go too far though as she is about to go on the longest walk she has ever been on ! Catching the 6.50am bus into Hull and then the 7.30am to Hessle.
7am. Ellie is on a bus for the first time, seems to be o.k, just realised though she smells a bit "doggy" and I can see the other, thankfully few, passengers are probably not impressed. Think one girl might be allergic to dogs as she keeps sniffing, maybe its just hayfever?
7.15am. In town, walk Ellie to the other bus stop, the plan of taking her for a morning toliet run hasn't worked fully as she poos right outside McDonalds !! (I pick it up you will be pleased to know... Hull is "sh*t" enough ! boom boom )
8am - Arrived in Hessle Square, after a few funny looks, (as people think I am a homeless man who is carrying his entire belongings , even got the token dog !) I head towards the foreshore.
8.05 am OH MY GOD ! No word of a lie, my straps of my rucksack are already digging into me, my rucksack is all unbalanced and this is NOT a good start. I laugh, probably more out of fear, at the situation as not even a mile into the walk I have issues.
8.10am. Arrive at the start. Picturesque views await me. Sort the rucksack out, things are now alot better. So, here goes ....
9am - Follow the wrong sign at North Ferriby, end up going round Swanland, which I later find out has probably added an extra 4 unecessary miles onto the already long enough journey ! Saw some nice houses though, bit out of my price range yet !
10.30am. First stop - just before Welton. Get the brew on and take in some of the nice views.
Dinnertime ish - Just walked through some nice woodland at Brantingham - It was a welcome break from the hot sun. Sat down to have some dinner. Just as I get the stove on a farmer comes towards me on his quad bike. Luckily for me he has no problem with me stopping for some food and asks me to shut a gate for him that was already open when I got there. Oh great now I have responsibility ! Knowing how bad my memory is, I tie my kit to the gate in question so I definitely won't forget and be the cause of 300 sheep roaming freely around the Wolds !
mid afternoon ish - Head into South Cave for supplies. This means adding a few miles onto the journey, but have no option as need to re stock water supplies. Stop off at a pub and have a drink so that I can sneak into the toilets to refil the water bottles. Realise when I am in the toilet looking in the mirror I have just ordered a drink with black soot off the stove on my face !! ALready done stage 1 in the book and still got a good 5 hours in the day before dark, so I head for Market Weighton.
5pm ish - Just walked through a nice grass valley, am starting to get hungry again. Found a nice ash tree to sit under, again to find some shade from the sun. Get the stove on and give Ellie her tea. We sit and take a nice rest. I plan the next part and looking at my water supplies it looks like I will have to detour into Market Weighton, again this will add on a few miles but it has to be done.
6pm ish - Walking along top a section of the wolds. The sun has suddenly gone and it is bleak and grey. The wind is quite strong and although it was a godsend in the heat it is now making the walk feel gloomy. This sectiion of the wolds feels desolate. It is just bare fields and hedgrows. Really not liking this.
7pm ish - Arrive in Market Weighton. Just passed the football pitch where i have played many a game on. The eveing sun is now shining and the football pitch looks like it could be a good place to camp, as it's nice and flat, I know though I still have a couple of hours and want to carry on as the full scale of the walk is now hitting home and I don't want to spread it over any more days than I have to.
7.30pm Have a quick drink in the pub. Get myself some real milk as the powedered stuff is just not nice for my cups of tea and I head to see if I can make it to Londesbrough to set up camp.
8.45pm - Don't quite make Londesbrough but find an ideal field for camp. Ellie is already sat asleep on my tent before I have it fully put it up ! I get the kettle on and have my nice cup of tea with real milk. End of Day 1
Day 2
5.30am Awake to a beautiful early sunny morning.Want to get packed up and off early before some farmer finds out I have been in his field. Also want to see if there are deer about.
6am - All packed up ready to go. Bit off a nip in the air so I put my army field jacket on, I am now in FULL army gear carrying my kit AND, not only that, I put some balck leather gloves on as my hands are cold...it's a look that would not look out of place in North Ireland with the Para's !
7am Head through the quiet estate of Londesbrough - Quick photo opportunity I think. Have not being taking many photo's as I switched my phone off on the journey to save battery life.
Mid Morning - Heading for the village of Huggate - Already so far have been chased by some cows and had to jump over a fence to escape the stampeed !! The sun is getting hot again, luckily I find a water tap to drink from along route. I see a man in the house next to the tap and signal with thumbs up that I am o.k to help myself. He seems to nod back. Then as I am drinking out of my refilled bottle he comes out and tells me people let their dogs drink from the tap !! Nice ! Head towards Millington Pasture. Nice views of Millington down below. I can see that the track goes down into the valley before climbing up a steep hill. After again avoiding some cows that are "giving me evils" (said like Vicky Pollard)I stop and eat a fruit and nut bar to give me energy for the steep climb. Even with the restock of energy it takes me 4 attempts to get up it, stopping for a 10 second breather at a time. I may look like a Para, but I don't think I would have made it through selection based on that effort !
11am evetually I make Huggate, only to find I am too early for the pub. I decide to walk to Frdiaythorpe as I have now been working up an appetite and feel a Sunday luch would be a well earned treat.
12pm - Arrive at Fridaythorpe - drop my kit off and dog outside the pub and I go in walking like an invalid and all dirty and sweaty to the stares of people out in their best Sunday wear. Thankfully don't get refused service and I opt for the Sunday Carvery and pile on the most ammount of trimmings you can possibly fit on one plate ! I allow myself an hour, which is the longest stop I have done yet. After being fed and watered my next journey is through thixendale and towards Warram Le Percy. I want to aim for Wintringham by the evening as there is a nice woodland area that looks ideal for camping.
Mid afternoon - Again the wolds way takes you through some beautiful scenery. At times I really I aren't seeing too much of it as I am walking with my head down out of pure grit and determination. I stop and have another rest, this time I need to take my boots and socks off and let the air get to my feet. Outside of Thixendale the views of the North Yorkshire Moors come into view, it hits home how far I have walked as I have a Grandma who, when I get to Warram Le Street lives only 6 miles down the road in Malton!! I text my boss Gary in Warrem le Street as he and his wife Inga are going to meet me the next day. I had already told them I would meet them in North Grimston, but with 4 hours of good walking to go I am already there. I also fear they are not going to be able to meet me as my mobile is only allwowing emergency calls only.
Early evening - It is now the other side of Wintringham - Ellie Bealge is panting and at times I have to encourage her to keep going. She looks tired so I promise her a stop off just after the next bit. We stop for a brew and a rest.When she gets up she walks really weakly. This is the first time she has looked like this and it worries me. I let her off her lead to see if she walks better on her own, but she doesn't. I press her paws to see if it is her feet, but she doesn't flinch; this makes me think it is more her leg. Luckily I have a signal on my phone and I ring my mum. No answer. I try my sister. No answer. After another rest I try and set off again to make camp. But she still looks weak. I start to feel guilty that I have hurt my dog so I try my sister one more time and this time get through.
Waddy's Walk at 8pm on Sunday evening had prematurely come to an end. With only another 20 or so miles to go the frustration and annoyance was beginning to set in. At 10pm Sunday evening, unexpectedly, I was in my own bath, blisfully enjoying a long soak of the feet.
Monday 6am - I awoke early, suprisingly, as my bed had never felt so comfy on the night. I lay in bed feeling guilty that I had failed my challenge. I texted my boss Gary to let him and Inga know what had happened(something I later found out was not apprecited on a non work day monday!!) While waiting for my sister the previous evening, I had had the thought that if my boss was coming to meet me the next day I could get a lift with him and continue the rest of the walk the next day. In my head as much as I wanted to do the last bit of the walk, in reality with the time it would have taken to get back up there it would have been early lunch before I would have been able to start the walk again and this would have meant a night out "in the field" . Sadly this was not going to be possible as I had no arrnagements for Ellie (who by the way is o.k now and still sleeping as I write this, 36 hours later !)
On reflection I am happy with my achievements and although I did not finish what I set out to do, I did, with detours, probably hit the 55-60 mile mark. I hope those of you who have sponsored me, will look kindly upon my chosen charity, even though I was not succesful in my challenge.
Oh and one last thing.. the blog started off with the intentions of "a vision quest".. so here is the vision...........
If I ever mention about doing something like this again , please feel free to stop me ! ha ha