A Glass Half-Full

When Josh started this walk I had concerns but it was clear that he had made his plans and wanted to test them to the full. I think that he has done that, and succeeded for the most part! He may still have some miles to go before he completes his personal challenge, and he may have to wait until next year to take that walk into Edinburgh, but he has fully succeeded in raising the funding for the Motor Neurone Disease Association that he had set himself. He has also succeeded in testing his equipment and his own stamina, learning much about what he can expect in the second half of this journey. The walk, so far, will have a lasting affect on Josh and has given him far better foresight so that he can be better prepared for part two, which is likely to be far more arduous.

A little over a week ago I started getting ready to meet Josh at Manchester, to walk with him for about five days through the Pennines and into Yorkshire. Well, I had to buy a few things in preparation for the journey so I cycled into Kingston, with my daughter, Charlie, in close quarters on her bike. She not quite 10 years old yet and is still not as cautious on the roads as I would like so we took the route through Bushy Park, (part of Henry VIII's old hunting grounds at Hampton Court). It is a lovely route to take and offers some bumpy trails that Charlie thoroughly enjoyed. On our way home I, foolishly, had a carrier bag hanging from my handlebars and as I looked back, over my shoulder, to see how Charlie was doing, my front wheel went down into a dip and the bag swung into the spokes. The bike came to an abrupt halt, crumpling beneath me, and I shot forward landing hard on the left side of my chest. To cut a long story short, it turned out that I had torn muscles around my ribcage and it would take about another 3 weeks to heal. When I explained to the doctor that I was intending to join Josh backpacking he just smiled and warned me, what I already knew, that I shouldn't risk further damage by carrying heavy weights. Backpacking was out of the question for the next three weeks and Josh could have finished his walk in that time!
Josh took the news very well and he seemed just as determined to get back out on the road alone as he was to have a companion to walk with, so my initial concerns were alleviated somewhat, but it must have been a bit of a disappointment to realise that he would be going back to that lonely, isolated trudge into the unknown rather than having someone to share it with. Perhaps these things happen for a reason. Who knows? Perhaps this journey was meant to be done in two halves. Certainly his financial preparations have to be adjusted to take into account all the little things that he hadn't properly considered, like having to occassionally take refuge in a B&B or hostel, purchasing additional maps and equipment, having a good meal now and then and having something left in his account when he is finished. Josh will be coming back and getting himself a job for the remainder of the summer so that he has everything in order for the start of university in September. He has already started writing an article for a magazine, about his experiences walking from Thatcham to Manchester, and I hope that he will be expanding this blog with pictures and words that were not possible to include on a daily basis. I am sure that Josh has learned an enormous amount from this journey that will help him in many aspects of his life. He has certainly made alot of friends along the way and has a much greater appreciation of human kindness... and showers!

We look forward to Josh's return tomorrow night. He will be taking a coach from Manchester to Heathrow, where we will meet him, and then we can get a good look at the state of those feet!

Sue and I are very proud of Josh and what he has achieved on this journey and, to be quite frank, I am rather pleased that he will now have time to digest what he has learned from part one and prepare properly for the second part.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Josh over the past three weeks! I hope that you will continue to look in here from time to time to see whatever content Josh has added and to see how preparation for part two is progressing. If you subscribe to this blog you will automatically be sent an email to inform you whenever this blog is updated. (It is completely free! Just click on the 'Subscribe' buttons in the side column.)

For now I just want Josh to come home, take off his shoes and put his best foot forward... so we can take a look at the other one. ;-)

Total distance walked so far: Approx. 326 miles.

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Josh's MNDA donation page at http://www.justgiving.com/hike4 will remain active until the 31st of August so please continue to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association through that webpage. We will publish the final total in this blog.

We hope to see you in Part Two!

Day 25: It's not over!!!

Just received from Josh:

Today at 2:42pm

Ok, as you will know, either from my last message on facebook or by reading my blog, I am now in Manchester and have been since Friday. It was written that on the third day of rest, the walker would rise from his bed and continue on his pilgrimage. Unfortunately when it was written, certain circumstances were not foreseen. Although I would like to base the suspension of this hike purely on my knee playing up, and by feet and back having practically no skin on them, I am sorry to say that I can not continue on my journey, mainly through lack of finances. That's right people, a trip designed to shake off the shackles of modern living and get back to a simpler life style has been halted by a need to retain a connection with reality. Walking and camping still requires money. In fact it is quite an expensive business when you take everything into account.

Now as the title of this blog suggests, it isn't over yet. So far I have completed around 350ish miles, and I will be returning home within the next few days. However, it's not over until the fat lady sings, and where better to find one than at the Edinburgh Festival. So I shall be completing the last 300 miles from Manchester to Edinburgh roughly this time next year when I have had a chance to build up some savings. I really do appreciate the support you have all given me over the last 3 and a bit weeks and I am sorry I have not been able to complete it in one go. But, please rest assured, it WILL be completed.

Thanks again for all of your support and I hope to see you all very soon!

Josh

Day 24: Manchester

Josh is spending the day in Manchester, picking up a few things in preparation for continuing his march tomorrow.

Day 23: Manchester

Josh is in Manchester and taking in some of the city's sights and sounds. He is staying with his uncle Chris, has had a wonderful shower and said that last night he had the best meal that he has eaten in months. I'm not sure that his mother will be pleased to hear that. He has only been on the road for three weeks. ;-) But she will be pleased that he is happy and off the streets.
Josh says that he is impressed with the liveliness of Manchester and the last text message that I had from him was to say that he had just finished watching a live jazz band and is now going to a free film exhibition, whatever that is. He hasn't seen a doctor yet and he is obviously still capable of walking so perhaps it is not as bad as his mother and I imagine.
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The following arrived from Josh:

Ok, I'm well over half way now and it feels amazing. The wonderful feeling of having no skin on my feet will never grow old, unlike the lack of music I have endured over the past 3 weeks (with the exception of my less than perfect harmonica playing) as my ipod decided to run out of batteries exceptionally fast. However! I have made it to Manchester and although I am not medically trained, technically speaking, I am pretty sure I have managed to find a pulse, which my sources inform me means I have infact made it here alive!!! (insert canned applause here). This hike so far has been such an incredible experience for me. I have met some fantastic people who have really revived my faith in human kindness. Speaking of kindness, I would like to take this opportunity to thank EVERYONE who has donated to the Motor Neurone Disease Association on my sponsor page (www.justgiving.com/hike4). I am half way on my hike and have already managed to reach my £600 target that, when I set it, I perceived as un-achievable. Thank you all. As my official blogger (aka Dad) has said, I am staying with my uncle this weekend to allow my wounds to heal and my muscles to relax. It is fantastic to be under a roof that isnt supported solely by two folding poles. I did have a fantastic meal last night (and mum, rest assured, I have still found nothing to beat your enchiladas or spag bog) which was a very welcome change from pasta. I have spent the day looking around Manchester city and I truly am impressed, it is a wonderful area full of culture and events. A very active but relaxed city. After I finished reading the book, One Red Paperclip, which i really enjoyed (thanks mum), I popped into Waterstones to get another one to get stuck into between my walking and Spanish lessons (Earlier in the hike I invested in a "Teach yourself Spanish" book). I have walked away with Terry Pratchett's Small God's, under recommendation from a friend. I have the mission tonight of deciding the route for the next half of my journey as tomorrow I need to venture back into the city to buy my maps. In just the one day that I have been in Manchester and not dragging round my 85litre bag I have recovered so much. I am going to rest tomorrow as well and then come Monday morning i should be good to go. This break has really helped, but i have to say that what has really helped keep me going is all of you. I don't want to sound all preachy but you have helped so much with your support and your comments, (although I'm not quite sure what was meant by, "go go gadget boy"), and I don't think I would have got here if it wasn't for you. Thank you. Please keep your comments coming and I will try and post another personal blog on here as soon as possible, although I will try and keep the next one a bit shorter. Thanks again. This is Hike for MND, I am Josh Forwood, GOOD NIGHT!!

Day 22: Beyond the wall. Knutsford to Manchester

Josh packed up his belongings this morning and put on his walking shoes. His feet are a total mess and are agony to walk on but he was so determined to get into Manchester today and then recuperate. Sue and I have been getting quite concerned about his deterioration over the last 24 hours. I was monitoring his progress this morning and I could see that his pace had slowed to a crawl and his voice had become croaky and drawn out. He was trying so hard to push himself forward but his energy was almost depleted. We were concerned that on top of the wounds to his feet, shoulders and back he was possibly suffering from too much sun. He wasn't complaining of feeling sick or dizzy but I know that it is too easy to fool yourself, and push yourself into a dangerous state, when your determination to do something is allowed to completely dominate your common sense. I've not wanted to sow any seeds of doubt in Josh's mind about completing this challenge but I did try to get him to see that it would be foolish to continue to punish his body like this, especially as he now mentioned that his knees were painful. He had another 12 miles to go until he would reach Chris's flat and it was about 2:00 PM. At the pace he was moving he just wouldn't make it until the early hours of the following morning and whatever was slowing him down needed attention. I told him that he should try to find a bus to just take him those few miles into Manchester and if he was as drained as he sounded that he should just get a cab to the hospital to get checked over. Of course Josh was completely against the idea and restated that every step of the journey must be on foot but he sounded shattered. About 15 minutes later he called to ask if I thought it would be wrong of him to take a bus. I insisted that if he was feeling as bad as he sounded that he should definitely get a bus but, looking at the road on Google Earth, thought it an unlikely route for a bus. Josh said that he hadn't seen any bus stops and then he asked me to hang on a minute while he asked some workmen if they knew of any busses that passed this way en route for Manchester. By coincidence these workmen where just fitting a new bus stop and they told him that a bus should be along soon so he waited and then took the bus into Wilmsow where he caught a train for the last few miles. I was very relieved to hear that he had made it to his uncle Chris's flat and I could detect some relief in Josh's voice too. But will he allow a doctor to inspect his feet? I know Josh is feeling pretty low right now but I'm sure that seeing Chris will lift his spirit.

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I received this information from a friend:

Hello Paul

"Day 19: Poor reception continues to affect communication with Josh. He is getting close to Jodrell Bank so maybe that is something to do with it."

Nope. Jodrell Bank is a collection of radio telescopes, which are entirely passive detectors - they don't transmit anything that would interfere with comms.

Stuart

Thanks, Stuart! I stand corrected and the good people who live anywhere near Jodrell Bank can sleep more soundly in their beds tonight. Sorry for any misinformation.


Distance walked today: 5 miles.

Day 21: Beeston Castle to Knutsford

After packing up and saying goodbye Josh walked on until he found a cafe where he started the day with a full English breakfast. The weather is fine again today. Sunny but with a cool breeze. He is in fine spirits, having just received notice that he should receive confirmation that his university accomodation has been secured within the next few days. He can see today's route clearly and there is the prospect of a campsite and shower at the end of the day.

19:00 - Josh has reached Knutsford and is completely exhausted. His feet are not fairing well today either. With the heat they have been sliding around enough to bring on new blisters and at the moment he can hardly wait to get to his uncle Chris's flat in Manchester so that he can rest for a day and soak his feet, not to mention that shower that keeps evading him. Poor Josh isn't going to get his shower tonight either as the only campsite that we can find in this area is just a field that is hired out by prior arrangement. This is not really a camping area as it is situated just at the end of the runway for Manchester airport! I will be happier when he reaches Chris tomorrow and when he is back out in the countryside again next week. For the moment he has no options other than seeking a pub with a garden but there doesn't seem to be any in Knutsford. There are pubs, just no pub gardens. Apparently there is a flower show in town at the moment and all guest rooms have been taken so that isn't an option either. I suggested that he just finds a quiet area in the park and discretely pitches his tent. He could then soak his feet in the lake for a while. But Josh is trying as hard as he can to not break any laws or offend any locals and authorities. This must be the lowest point of his trip so far. A local man that he spoke to has suggested that he tries asking the people who are camping at the flower show if he can put his tent up in their company and that is what he has hobbled off to do.

He really needs a guardian angel tonight!

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After further thought I texted Josh to tell him to ignore my previous suggestion about bathing his feet in the lake as it is probably not the cleanest water and he has open wounds on his feet. He laughed and texted me back to say that there was no way that he inteded to dangle his feet in any bacteria infested water. Phew!

It seems that local man was a guardian angel in disguise. Josh has pitched his tent with all the flower show people and they have extended their hospitality to him, thank goodness. There are toilets, there is a bar and they have told him that he is welcome to join them for a cooked breakfast in the morning. What a relief! Unfortunately there is no shower but there should be sinks with clean running water.

Distance walked today: Approx. 21 miles.

Day 20: Bangor-is-y-coed to Tarporley

Walking, walking, walking in the muggy heat of the day. Still walking still pushing forward. His shoulder is raw and his feet are being held together with Compeed blister plasters but the rest is holding up. Getting closer to the campsite. Just a few more paces and then a cool, refreshing shower...
What?!
Campsite Closed!!!
Nothing else on this route for about 15 miles!
And it is 5:00 P.M. Ugh....

Josh is tired, hungry and desperate for a shower but as he moves north east the options seem to narrow. He walks from the farm, (the farm that the internet still has registered as a campsite), and he resets his stamina to cope with another ten miles, just when he had accepted that 18 miles was enough for one day. He walks on until he finds a Tudor looking hotel set back from the road, (The Wild Boar Inn), and he decides to ask if there is any chance that he can pitch his tent in their grounds for the night. The management make an effort to oblige but, inevitably, for security reasons. they refuse. The staff offer drink and food to Josh. He accepts the drink and would like to accept the food too but time is pressing and he needs to find his pitch for the night. He walks on.

Wild Boar Inn: http://www.information-britain.co.uk/showPlace.cfm?Place_ID=9854

Eventually, at 20:18, I received a text to say that he had just been fed, given a drink and offered a garden for his tent. The landlady even returned the cost of the drink and the meal. So it is a big THANK YOU to the very hospitable people at the Beeston Castle Hotel!

Beeston Castle Hotel: http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/tarporley/bar-pub/1p1o99/beeston-castle-hotel?agoal=3_2

Distance walked today: Approx. 20 miles.

Day 19: Oswestry to Bangor-is-y-coed

This seems to be big news in these parts.

Poor reception continues to affect communication with Josh. He is getting close to Jodrell Bank so maybe that is something to do with it.

The weather was much warmer today and Josh found that he was having to take short breaks more frequently, taking refuge in the shade of trees. At one point, while sitting on a grassy bank he noticed that his legs were feeling sunburned and when he took a closer look he realised that he was sitting on top of an ants nest! Ouch! (I can sympathise as I once pitched my tent on an ants nest in Spain). What with bee stings, brambles, sun, wind, rain and ants his legs are taking a beating. I hope you managed to get some antihistamine cream on those bites, Josh.

Josh has a beautiful collection of detailed Ordnance Survey maps but only a less detailed, large scale map of the part of the country that he is currently crossing and he doesn't have any campsites marked out. I have been finding it progressively more difficult to find affordable sites that are on his route. This is not good for Josh 's morale. When he has a definite goal to push for each day he just gets into gear and goes for it but when there are only tentative possibilities of an achievable goal, preferably with a shower at the end of it, it sows doubt and slows his pace. Today he found himself at a crossroads and having to decide whether to walk on for another 2-3 hours or to change his course slightly and take a chance on the closest campsite. He really wanted a shower and was feeling like he had had enough for the day so he stopped into the Royal Oak pub at Bangor-is-y-coed, (Bangor on Dee), to get a drink and make enquiries about any other campsites in the area. That was at about 18:00. I had a text from him at 20:30 to say that he was still at the Royal Oak and that the landlord had asked him if he would like to stay the night, Josh didn't even have to ask. The old inns still seem to be the best port of call for the traveller on foot.



You're doing well, my son! Just be careful where you pitch that tent! And if you are having a beer at the end of the day just be careful to limit it because it will only add to your dehydration. I hope you feel in top shape in the morning.

Distance travelled today: Approx. 14 miles.

Day 18: Welshpool to Oswestry

Not much to report today. I last heard from Josh at about 19:30 as he was approaching the campsite that he will be staying at tonight. The phone reception was so bad that it was difficult to communicate but it was clear that he was happy and had enjoyed a full day of walking in sunshine. The temperature was pretty cold last night, and he's had his fair share of wind and rain on this journey so far, so he was glad to catch a few rays. The forecast is for higher temperatures as the week progresses so he may find himself trying to remember what was so bad about a chilly wind before long. He is using his sun block and keeping himself hydrated... so you can all relax.

Josh's tent is currently pitched about 2.5 miles NW of Oswestry.

Distance walked today: Approx. 21 miles.

Day 17: Newcastle to Welshpool

Today's walk continued north along the Offa's Dyke trail, except for the last couple of miles. Towering storm clouds threatened to unleash their might on all those who dared to walk the hills. But they just passed by, rumbling and groaning like angry giants, seeking out something else far away and more deserving of their mood. (Well, that's the way I imagined it as Josh described his view of the sky as he trudged on.) The meandering trail and the rise and fall of the land continued to slow Josh's pace but he phoned me at about 13:30 to say that he was standing on top of a hill and looking ahead at the last of the major hills for as far as he could see. Ahhh. At last! What a wonderful feeling!
Of course perspective plays a part in making those distant hills look insignificant and I'm sure that he still has a few to overcome before he reaches Oswestry. Still, having put the last of the major hills behind him, his pace quickened and he arrived at a campsite, about 2 miles south of Welshpool, at about 19:30. Early enough to relax in the last of the evening light, read his book and cook up a meal of ...noodles. It always seems to be noodles or pasta, noodles or pasta. Actually Josh told me that he passed by a fish and chip shop in one village and almost succumed to the desire for a filling portion of hot and tasty chips but the expression on the face of the proprietor, frowning back at him through the window, persuaded him that he would save the experience for another day. It may be time to change that T-shirt, Josh! ;-)

It's tough being a long distance back packer. Everywhere you go you have your house on your back. A big, cumbersome, heavy mass that swings about threateningly every time you twist or turn. Just having an animated conversation with a shop keeper can be enough to send his blood pressure soaring as he desperately tries to follow your dialogue with half of his consciousness while the other half is constantly recalculating collision paths between the swaying mass on your back and the contents of his shop, including the customers. But a backpack is your survival kit and you can't leave it unattended. Someone should setup a chain of backpacker's lockups, like deposit boxes, that could be discretely housed in most villages where backpackers congregate. That would be a weight off everyone's minds, (and backs). In the meantime I suggest that you take your pack off when preparing to enter a chip shop. I would still recommend changing the T-shirt though, Josh. ;-)

Josh told me that the campsite where he stayed last night had very good toilet facilities. In fact the shower impressed him so much that it seems to have been the highlight of his visit. It was a power shower with multiple nozzles that spray jets of water to massage every part of an aching body from all directions at once. And what's more... it had a radio built into it! So he tells me that he was able to sit on the toilet this morning and listen to a whole episode of "The Archers". Luxury! (Sorry. That may be a little too graphic for some.)

Tomorrow Josh hopes to reach just NW of Oswestry to another campsite, also on The Offa's Dyke trail. He will be following roads tomorrow so he expects his pace to pick up.

Distance travelled today: Approx. 17 miles.

Day 16: Knighton to Newcastle, Wales

Knighton.

Josh didn't manage to set up camp until quite late last night and after such an arduous day yesterday he decided to take it a bit easier today and set out to get about half way to Montgomery. Before he left Knighton he walked into the village where he was able to get access to a computer and catch up with his email. Josh left Knighton very late, at about 15:00 and set off along the Offa's Dyke trail, which kept him away from any traffic and made the journey more peaceful but probably slowed him down quite a bit. Once again he met another hiker who is walking the same trail and as they were chatting Josh asked him where he was planning to camp tonight. The hiker replied that he would probably make for Newcastle tonight. Josh looked at him stunned. "But I am going to be passing near to Newcastle on my journey to Edinburgh and that is weeks away yet!", he exclaimed. It took a few minutes for the penny to drop that they were talking about completely different Newcastles. Newcastle in Wales is a small village just 6 or 7 miles NW from Knighton and that is also where Josh has pitched his tent tonight. The other hiker hadn't showed up when I spoke to Josh, earlier this evening, so he had the field completely to himself. Next week the schools break up for their summer holidays so the campsites will start filling up and the narrow roads will be crammed with caravans and holiday makers.
Enjoy the peace while you can, Josha!
I get the feeling, as he slows his pace northward, that Josh is very reluctant to leave Wales. I can't say that I blame him. The country is beautiful and so are the people.

We are so excited about all the people that have started to contact us, leaving encouraging messages and making VERY generous donations! Thank you all so much ! I am also excited about new contacts that have been made with distant branches of the family and am looking forward to discovering lots of interesting facts that I never knew before.

I am also preparing to join Josh for a few days. I hope I don't slow him down too much! Maybe that is what today's slow down is really about. Getting into training for "old codger" mode. ;-)

Distance travelled today: Approx. 7 miles.

Day 15: Hay-on-Wye to Knighton

Josh is moving like a steam train! The miles are flying by as he pushes himself forward, over the hills and down through the valleys. Sheep calling, horses or cows occassionally trotting along after him and wasps bouncing off his forehead.

He is meeting so many lovely people along the way, wishing him well, buying him drinks and food and making donations. He has had many people stop, as they drive by, and ask if he would like a lift. Of course he refuses. He is adamant that every step of this journey must be on foot. Josh was telling me how very impressed he is with the way in which most people have been treating him, even though he hasn't washed his T-shirt in four days! People are willing to open up their hearts and homes to him. He is feeling alot of love from all of you so thank you so much for that.

Today he travelled north to Kington where he stopped at, guess where? That's right! He stopped at a pub for a cold drink and a meal. What would a traveller do without a pub in most villages? He told me that he met some very interesting and friendly people in that pub today who have lifted his spirits immensely. Some people like to tell him that he must be crazy to do this walk but it is all in good jest and he does feel their respect .

Josh walked all day from 10:00 until 20:30 with just one break. He met another hiker and they walked together for a few miles and had a good chat. This made Josh aware of how much a few minutes of human contact in a day of almost complete solitude can lift his spirit and renew his stamina. He is learning alot about some basic things and he is loving it.

He arrived in Knighton and called in at a pub for a drink and to ask for directions to a campsite. The last I heard someone had taken him to their house and given him provisions of beans and pasta and goodness knows what else! I'm not sure where he pitched his tent but I just know that he is alright tonight.

Distance walked today: Approx. 23 miles.

Making a mark

Click the image above for a larger view and then click the "Back" button to return to this page.

As this marks the completion of two weeks of being on the road I thought that I would post a pic of Josh's progress so far. The red path is where Josh has travelled from Thatcham, West of London, to Hay-on Wye. It looks to me that if you were to stretch that line out between London and Edinburgh that he would be about half the way there by now. Josh feels that he is well ahead of his schedule though and feels more confident that he will make it to Edinburgh before "The Fringe" wraps up in August.

I will get around to posting a klm file for Google Earth, when I find the time to learn how to do it. That way others can fly over Josh's route in Google Earth and discover for themselves some of the features of the landscape and much, much more.

Total mileage to date: 198 miles.

Day 14: A day in the Hay

Today was a good day to rest. The weather forecast showed rain for the next few days with the heaviest downpoars expected today so, while camped so close to the town, and in such a pretty spot, why not give that tortured body a break and enjoy the location for a while. Hawling that heavy backpack up, down and across the Black Mountains yesterday has made Josh aware of some muscles that were not taxed so much on flatter ground. A day of browsing the very bookish Hay-on-Wye, replenishing supplies and relaxing with a copy of "One Red Paperclip" was just what was required. The weather turned out to be drier than predicted, with just a few showers, but the temperature was rather chilly. I hope that Josh is keeping warm. He is starting to look quite weatherbeaten!

Tomorrow's goal is to reach Knighton, or nearby, so I hope he is getting a good night's sleep tonight.

Miles travelled today: (None that count.)

Day 13: Across the Black Mountains to Hay-on-Wye

In the Black Mountains

Today's walk must have been so different from previous days as Josh was travelling across high exposed ground for almost the whole day with unobstructed views all around. He walked down the north slope into Hay-on-Wye and is now camped just across the river. He has met a fellow hiker from Bristol University so they have gone up to the pub for a chat and a cold drink.

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all the people who have been making donations and leaving comments! Your support is really spurring Josh on.

Distance walked today: Approx. 18 miles

Day 12: The road to Abergavenny

From the top of Little Mountain, Pontypool.


Hmm. Sheep!


Josh walked from just west of Pontypool to Abergavenny, where he recharged his batteries, ( the real ones as well as the metaphorical ones). On the way he walked up to the top of a large hill and followed a path through a wood that was overgrown with brambles and nettles. He hacked his way through to the other side to join up with the old path but came out looking like he'd been in a tiger fight. I hope he has pictures! Anyway he found his way back to the road and covered some lovely ground today. I hope the weather was as good today in Wales as it was here in London.

After resting for a while, in a pub in Abergavenny, Josh set off NE to a campsite situated at the foot of the Black Mountains, which he will cross tomorrow. He is camping across the road from The Skirrid Mountain Inn which is reputed to be the oldest inn in Wales. It is also reputed to be haunted! http://www.skirridmountaininn.co.uk/
He is perfectly situated for the Offa's Dyke trail in the morning and I sure wish I was there right now.

With all of this talk of Josh stopping off at pubs I had better make it clear that he doesn't drink alcohol. He just went on a health kick one day and hasn't had anything but juice or water since. He still enjoys socialising at the pub though and I'm sure that he will have spent some of the evening across the road tonight and hopefully will allow himself to enjoy the occassional glass of beer along the way. Josh is unable to upload any images tonight, probably due to being in a valley... or maybe it's the spooks!
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(Edit: Okay. A few pictures have arrived so they have been added to the blog now.)

Distance travelled today: Approx. 23miles!

Day 11: Road to Pontypool

Josh decided to change his route, after talking to locals at the Royal Oak last night, and has cut across to Pontypool instead of taking the more northerly route. A bit of a shame really because he missed out on a nice campsite and some beautiful scenery. Still, he's doing alright and happy with most of the journey today.

A few pics of his route to Pontypool:

Tomorrow's journey should be a not too arduous 13 miles to Abergavenny where he should have been met by friends but, alas, they will not be able to make it. (Fair weather ramblers!) LOL

Distance travelled today: 14 miles.

Just a thought

If just 335 people each donated one pound sterling we will have reached my target! If you know 335 people who each have a pound please tell them about Best Foot Forwood. (LOL)
Thanks!

Day 10: Cardiff to Abercynon

After a late start, wanting to begin this leg of the journey freshly showered and smelling sweet, (probably the last chance for a few days), Josh made his way NW out of Cardiff, getting rather confused by the spaghetti junction where the A470 crosses the M4. (Not really a pedestrian route). Eventually he was off and moving in the right direction again and glad to be getting closer to the mountains. The route that he is taking at the moment follows very close to busy roads but he has managed, (partly by accident), to break away at places and wander through some of the back roads, weaving back and forth across the river Taff and through some more interesting scenery. Unfortunately his tight shedule does not allow him to take in all the sights that a holiday maker might seek out but every bend still provides a new treat. As I was talking to him on the phone this afternoon, helping him to find his way back to his path after taking a wrong turn, he was talking about the mountains starting to rise around him and the elation in his voice was a joy to hear.




The river Taff near Pontypridd.



The new Ponty bridge runs tight alongside the old one.
For a better view of the bridge and some historical background: http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Pontypridd_New_Bridge.jpg/240px-Pontypridd_New_Bridge.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontypridd&h=135&w=240&sz=8&hl=en&start=10&um=1&tbnid=z4rzhyuE8sXkTM:&tbnh=62&tbnw=110&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dponty%2Bbridge%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN



If only there was time for rock climbing!




The river Tre.

I must just say here how wonderful Google Earth has been for tracking Josh's movements from home and how much fun it is to hear him describing, from the ground, the path that I am viewing from above. I was able to lead Josh directly to the pub where he will be pitching his tent tonight.

Tomorrow he will be passing through Merthyr Tydfil and moving NE towards Abergavenny where he hopes to meet up with friends for the treck across the Black Mountains to Hey on Wye on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Distance travelled today: Approx. 20 miles

Day 9: 12th July 2008 - Cardiff

A day to relax, explore Cardiff and catch up on a few chores. At last an opportunity to wash clothes and replenish supplies.



This is all actually just one building.



Looking back from Robyn's flat in Cardiff towards the Severn bridge. Oh what a long walk that was yesterday.

Day 8: 11th July 2008 - Caldicot to Cardiff

The road to Cardiff.

Cardiff at last.

Josh made it all the way to Cardiff today and phoned me to say that he was sitting on a sofa. Ahhhhhh. He will be staying with his friend, Robyn, for a day before setting off again for the Black Mountains.

He covered more miles today than on any previous day.

Distance travelled today: Approx. 27 miles!

Day 7: 10th July 2008 - Bristol to Caldicot, South Wales

About to cross the old Severn Bridge into Wales.


The Second Severn Bridge can be seen in the distance.

Josh said his goodbyes to Beth, in Bristol, and then set off towards the Severn bridge. Because the Second Severn bridge has no provisions for pedestians or cyclists he had to walk further north, adding at least 5 miles to his journey. He called me at about 4:00 P.M. as he was just preparing to take his first break for the day near the entrance to the bridge. Here, in London the weather had turned bad, dark clouds, rain and wind but I knew that the weather could get much worse along the Severn estuary and the forecast was not good so he was very much in my thoughts all night. We were unable to contact him until the following day, because he had walked into an area with very poor mobile phone reception, but it turned out that he was okay and had pushed on until about 6:30 when he came upon a pub and possible camping spot for the night. The landlord offered to let him pitch his tent but as he wanted to move a bit closer to Cardiff he asked if there were any other pubs or campsites further up the road. He was told that there was nothing for miles but he decided to push on, even if he had to walk all night. He was determined to get as close to Cardiff as possible to bring it within reach of another days march. So he walked for another hour but no sign of anywhere to pitch a tent. Just miles of road ahead, Ministry of Defence land on both sides, which offered nowhere to pitch a tent, and the rain was begining to lower his morale. It was starting to get late and soon the light would begin to fade. if he couldn't find a pub before closing time the chances were good that he would have to keep walking all night, or until he had reached some open land on the other side of the small town that he was approaching. He walked on until about 8:45 PM and suddenly another pub came into view. Josh walked into the pub, dripping wet, and said that he had never been so glad to see a pub before. The pub went silent and every head turned to look at him. There were a number of friendly people there in the shelter of that pub who took an interest in what Josh was trying to achieve and he was welcomed with offers of free drinks and conversation. The landlord permitted Josh to pitch his tent in the garden so he took his pack out into the rain to get everything set up. He paused before pulling his tent bag out and, just as he was about to loosen the draw string, a hole appeared in the clouds and a beam of warm sunshine pierced the gloom, illuminating the grass at his feet. Josh just smiled back a big thank you and waited for the grass to dry out a little before errecting his tent. One of those magic golden moments.


I just want to say thank you to Beth for being there for Josh, and the cause, on this first week of the journey. I'm sure that Josh appreciated your company and I hope that you enjoyed the walk. Really well done!

Distance travelled today: Approx. 25 miles!

Day 6: 9th July 2008 Bristol

Bristol Backpackers Hostel

(Image courtesy of Bristol Backpackers)

Due to severe weather warnings Josh and Beth wisely decided to hold back from their push north west, to the Severn bridge, and had a day walking around Bristol. It gave Josh an opportunity to take a look at the student accomodation that he will be sharing when he starts uni in the autumn. Beth will definitely be leaving tomorrow which means Josh is on his own for a while.

A mural seen on a wall in Bristol.

Here is a link to information about the artist behind this mural.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7504132.stm

Kindly sent by Peter Ley. Thank you, Peter!

This church, which is for sale, would make a lovely home.

Distance covered today: Doesn't count.

Day 5: 8th July 2008 - Bath to Bristol

The bar at Bristol Backpackers.

They arrived in Bristol through the rain and checked into the Bristol Backpackers Hostel to get cleaned up and eat a good meal. Beth is probably going to be leaving tomorrow. The weather forecast is not at all good!

Distance covered today: Approx. 13 miles.

Day 4: July 7th 2008 - Seend to Bath

The weather's not great but it's still a lovely view.

They made it to Bath, (Roman town), where they booked into a bed and breakfast for the night.

Distance covered today: Approx. 15 miles.

Day 3: 6th July 2008 - Wilcot to Seend

Spotted the white horse, near Cherhill, just about visible in the distance. (No, not the brown one in the foreground).
Found a campsite at Seend for the night.

Distance travelled today: Approx. 15 miles.

Day 2: 5th July 2008 - Little Bedwyn to Wilcot

Followed the canal from Little Bedwyn to Wilcot where the landlord of the Golden Swan allowed them to pitch the tent for the night.

Distance travelled today: Approx. 12 miles.

Day 1: 4th July 2008 - Thatcham to Little Bedwyn

Josh packs everything he needs for the next 2 months.


Josh and Beth make last minute adjustments.


A goodbye hug for mum.


And so off they went.

The first day of the journey, along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon canal, took them as far as Little Bedwyn where a kind local family allowed them to pitch the tent in their garden.


The first pitch.

Distance walked today: Approx. 16 miles.

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Independence Day

A short introduction by Josh's dad:
It was with pride, and some trepidation, that I watched Josh drive off with his mother, Sue, at around 5:30 AM on the morning of the 4th of July. He had been burning the candle at both ends for weeks, (or months), trying to fit everything into his busy life. He would get up early in the morning, have some breakfast and then walk the five miles, from our home in Hampton, (SW London), to his place of work in Richmond. He would do a full days work, that would often not finish until 7:00 in the evening, and then he would walk home again. If we were lucky we would catch a glimpse of him before he was off again to visit friends or to prepare for this journey to Edinburgh. Yes, he was planning to be in Scotland for the end of the Edinburgh Festival in August. But... he was planning to walk there! And... he was planning to walk there via Wales! Now we live near London, in the south eastern portion of England and Wales is right over there on the western side of the UK! Not quite as far as Ireland but far enough when you're doing it on foot. And to top it all he had decided, bless him, to use this opportunity to raise funding for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, a charity which is close to our hearts as we lost a very dear friend to this rare but devastating illness about three years ago. So here was Josh making all of these plans and working hard and often not home until the wee hours of the morning, (when he would put himself through a regular routine of weights and excercises). And, despite the lack of sleep, he was always up and raring to go again in the morning. But there was never much of an opportunity to go through the planning of his route or making certain that he had everything that he needed for such a long journey and now I was concerned that he would be too burned out to remember everything and that he may have overlooked some important aspect of the trip. After 20 years of having me and his mother fuss over him, worrying whether he had done this or that, I think he was determined to just show us that he is now capable of doing it all on his own. Well he has actually been pretty independent for a couple of years but planning and preparing for a 600+ mile walk through England and Wales to Scotland, on top of preparing for university, working hard and having a social life, was bound to tax anyone. But he did it all with care and without fuss.

So off they drove, in the early morning sunshine, to pick up Josh's friend, Beth, who would be his travelling companion for the first week of the journey. They initially intended to walk directly from Hampton but then conceded that it would take them the best part of a day to get out of the concrete and greyness, that makes up much of the sprawling suburbs of London, and agreed to start in the Reading area instead. So Sue dropped them off in the village of Thatcham, Berkshire, where they promptly said their goodbyes before making their way to the Kennet and Avon canal, which they would be following as far west as they could on their journey to Bristol.

Independence day indeed. Have a wonderful journey, Josh, but remember... when you get home you're going to tidy up your room! (LOL) - Your dad.