The Final Total

All sponsorship money has now been collected in and I am delighted to report that, including Gift Aid, the total raised is over £3500.

A big, big thank you to everyone who supported us and made this event so worthwhile.

So what shall we do next???

Radio Solent 'Shout'

JustGiving Link

Don't Panic! JustGiving are doing some updates to their site over the weekend and the site (and the opportunity to donate!) should be back soon.

Hi everyone,

I have finally worked out how to use the site!!! I would like to thank you all (especially Mark and Tanya who had to walk several miles more over the 4 days ) for helping me get to the finish each day, I could not have done it without you. This has been a great experience and I totally agree with Andy with this being the hardest challenge I have ever undertaken. I look forward to the next walking challenge Mark comes up with!!

Thank you all for making it a great trip, I will have great memories for a long time, I am glad I was asked to take part.

An Ode to the Wight Way Round Walkers

The team of five are still alive - they made it Wight Way Round!
They met at Gracechurch House with Tanya nowhere to be found….
They prepared themselves with lots of training, even when it was raining!
They found it very hilly and started to debate whether the idea was silly.
Mars Bars, Ice Creams and Crisps kept them going.
When it reached the evening champagne and beers began to start flowing!
Ashley, Tanya, Jane, Mark and Andy were grateful for donations
After all it was for the bank's charity; The British Heart Foundation
And we can’t forget Grassroots (were they flattened by their boots?)
They also had a share, to help them provide good care.

by Alice Jewer

Thanks Alice - have you see the picture I took just for you?

Massive thanks to Mark

Having returned home, (had a soak in a hot bath, peeled off my socks and set the smoke alarm off when I got my 24 used socks out of the case) I'm feeling pretty tired. But uplifted too.
I will doubtless write much more, when I've recovered, but want to record big respect and thanks to Mark for inspiring us all to such an achievement - definitely the toughest physical challenge I've ever done - and to have raised a load of money for two great charities feels awesome. Thank you too to Tanya, Jane and Ash for your support and great company - I have many great memories of our adventure, and a big thank you to Kathy and Margaret our support team - the fourth emergency service!! Andy. PS: Can't believe it, 151000 steps!!

We did it!

A fantastic final day push saw the team complete the Wightwayround. 11 miles in just over 3 hours saw us make it for the 1.30pm ferry. An hour on the ferry now ....... Not sure if anyone will be able to stand after that! Despite the blisters, aches and pains a fantastic sense of achievement for everyone. Looking forward to a long bath and putting our feet up!

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Last check point

Quarr abbey for a quick stop. Just 6 miles to go. Can we make it for the 1.30pm ferry!
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Day 4

Ready for the off ..... It's all down hill from here ......... If only!
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The sun has got its hat on......

Hip hip hip hooray!



Breakfast at the farm now before heading off for the last time. Over night blister count is 14 with some doubles reported! Seaview to East Cowes......a short stroll of just 11 miles. Arrival in Southampton likely to be 2.30pm. Get the champagne on ice!

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End of day 3

Arrived in seaview. 23 miles today. Still 11 to do tomorrow. Do the maths......that makes 76 in total. And I thought the isle of wight was falling into the sea! Some very sore feet and tired legs tonight. Blister count expected to be high. Weather has been kind .....only one shower.....and a glorious sunny end to the day.
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Mud

One for Phil!
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Top of culver

Heavy rain so HAD to take shelter in the pub. Suitably refreshed the team are heading off towards bembridge. 9 miles left today.
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Culver down ahead

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Dodging the showers

14 miles in to the walk and now heading for culver down .... The last big climb of the day
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Ventnor

6 miles so far today
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St catherines point

We've reached the southern tip of the island. 2 sides down 2 to go!
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Support team

Here they are ......... Ready for the off on day 3
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Rain

Over night rain has not dampened the spirits of the team. The sun is shining this morning and we are hoping to avoid the thunder storms forecast for later today. Another 22 miles+ today. The blister count is 10 ..... A close run competition with bonkers tonkers bringing up the rear with a poor nil return! Hitting the sandy beaches along the south east coast later. Shame we won't have time for a dip ..... May be just a blistered toe in the water!
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Who measured the route?

We are at blackgang ........having walked almost 24 miles today. We had planned 23 but are still 2 miles short of niton. We will make up the miles tomorrow. Back to base now to count the blisters!
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Cracking up

No ....not the team ...just the isle of wight coastal path!
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And down again

The team have now stopped for lunch in freshwater bay. Still no rain but a strong head wind making the walking difficult. About 12 miles left today. Some sore feet and tired legs. Competition to see who will have the most blisters by the end of the day!
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Tennyson down

At the top
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And after the ice cream!

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Alum bay

First ice cream stop. 24 miles completed.
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Breakfast

The team are up and ready to go. A few blisters reported and some aching legs so the hills and coastal paths ahead today will present a real challenge. Weather overcast but no rain ...........yet!
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At the pub

Jane and Ash after the steak night at the Fighting Cocks.
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Day 1 completed

Just arrived in yarmouth. all ok. Looking forward to steak night at the pub! 18 miles today. 23 tomorrow..
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They're off!

The team earlier today at Cowes. Just completed the first 10 miles and now heading for Yarmouth.
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Missed the boat

Tanya missed the ferry but didn't take long to catch is up!
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The time has come for the talking to stop.....

Nearly six months since the plan was conceived and here we are, on the eve of our epic adventure to walk around the Isle of Wight. Tomorrow at noon our 5 intrepid team members will set foot on the Island and set of to walk the first stage from East Cowes to Yarmouth. Saturday, and stage 2, takes us from Yarmouth around to the southern tip of the Island at Niton. Stage 3 on Sunday sees us walking from Niton to the North East coast at Ryde and then on Monday morning just a short hop (or crawl!) from Ryde to East Cowes to catch the ferry back.

Be in no doubt, this will be a challenge. Most guides suggest walking the route in 6 - 7 days. We will be doing it in just 3. We will walk as a team - all 5 will set out to walk every single one of the 70 miles.

We have been generously supported by many people - some online - but most on sponsor forms. We are very close to our target of £2000 but every penny counts so if you are able to help out please go to out Just Giving page and sponsor us now.

We will attempt to keep this blog updated throughout the weekend so watch this space for news.

Thanks.

Mark Price, Jane Wright, Andy Tonkin, Tanya Lane, Ashley James61
The Wightwayround Team

2 days to go and still smiling!

Just checking the weather forecast and it looks like rain.
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The Wrong Trousers!

Will it be longs or shorts? Temperatures for Saturday and Sunday forecast to be no more than 13 degrees and a strong possibility of 'real' rain for the first time in over a month. Choice of trouser could be crucial!!

The potential adverse weather conditions will make the walk even more of a challenge - all the more reason for anyone who hasn't sponsored us to click the link on the right now and pledge support through our JustGiving page. Thanks.

7 days to go!

Just a week now until the challenge begins. Please support us by clicking on the Justgiving link on the right.

In addition to 'Justgiving' Team members have been collecting sponsors on forms and our running total is now over £1000 - over 50% of our target - BUT we need YOUR help to get us towards the £2000 total.

Thank you.

The Countdown Begins

Just 17 days to go now until the start of the WightWayRound challenge! While the walkers keep going with the training the focus is now on fundraising. We are aiming to raise at least £2000 - £1000 for each charity.

Below you will find details of the charities we are supporting. To support us please click on the justgiving link in the right hand column.

Every penny we raise will go to the the British Heart Foundation and the Grassroots Trust so please pledge as much as you can.

The Charities we are supporting:

You will probably know that the British Heart Foundation is the Bank’s chosen charity for this year. The money raised will be used to enable the foundation to continue its pioneering research and vital prevention activity as well as ensuring quality care and support is maintained for everyone living with heart disease.

www.bhf.org.uk

Grassroots is a Christian charity supporting children (mainly orphans) and their families/carers in Mbeya in Tanzania.

In November 2006 Mark Price was invited to join a team of around 20 people travelling to Mbeya, a large town in South West Tanzania to help with a child sponsorship programme run a UK based charity - The Grassroots Trust.

Grassroots' work in Tanzania has been growing rapidly over the last ten years and now over 1500 children and their families/carers are supported through the provision of food, blankets, access to medical care and resources to enable children to go to school.

After the trip Mark said ‘The thing that struck me most during my two weeks in Mbeya was that, despite the extreme poverty that the people endured, we were always welcomed with a smile. Seeing the energy and industry of the local people - making the best of the little they had - was truly humbling’.

In November 2007 Mark returned to Mbeya and it was great to see the progress that the children had made along with the new cookhouses and wells that had been financed by Grassroots. He is going back again this coming November and hopes that through this sponsored walk a significant sum of money can be raised to help Grassroots continue its programme of providing clean water, food and medical care for the increasing number of children on the sponsorship scheme. Our aim is to raise £1000 to provide and equip a cookhouse for a new feeding programme in Mbeya.

Please note that all of the money raised through sponsorship will go direct to the charity – Mark is not raising funds through the walk to pay for the cost of the trip!

www.grassroots.org.uk

Thank you for your generous support.

Five (and a dog) Go Mad In Dorset!

CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE MORE (if you dare!)

Dorset Walk No1

Despite my continuing dodgy knees we had a great day - mark just needed to take 1 more step back!

It was quite sunny today

The Training Continues In Earnest!

A well earned break during a 12 mile trek through the New Forest to Brockenhurst from Beaulieu Road Station. Yes, it would have been easier to get the train back, but we resisted the temptation and walked it. 12 miles in 4 hours (including ice cream stop) - a good pace for the Isle of Wight me thinks!

And, more news, we are now officially signed up to do the Fire & Rescue Service Dorest Coast Challenge Walk next Saturday. The walk starts from Worth Matravers at 8am and must be completed in 10 hours. It takes in the coastal path from St Albans Head, through Kimmeridge Bay and then on to Warbarrow Tout before returning along the Ridgeway to Corfe and then back to Worth Matravers. A spectacular route - with some challenging hills - all we need now is some good weather and it will be a great day, rounded off by a welcome pint at the Square & Compass.

Planning, Training, Sponsorship & Publicity

Don't want to worry anyone but from this coming Friday - 24th April 2009 - there will be just 6 weeks to go until the WightWayRound walk starts.

Planning:
We need to get together in the next week or two to finalise plans for the weekend. A meeting at the new Wetherspoon's pub in Eastleigh on Friday lunchtime has been suggested - anyone free? If not please e-mail with some possible dates for lunchtime or early evening meeting. Ash and I can usually be found at the Bellemoor in Hill Lane at about 6pm on a Tuesday evening if that's any help!

Training:
We talked about doing something over the coming Bank Holiday weekend. The LDWA have a 25 mile challenge walk along the Dorset Coast on Saturday 2nd May - click here for a link to the details.

I would be quite happy to have a go at this. It is a fantastic route and if the walk I did at the weekend is anything to go by it will be well organised with regular checkpoints and refreshments. Alternatively I would be happy to look at organising a 20/25 mile route on the Saturday or Sunday anywhere (but probably part of the Test Way!).

Sponsorship:
We are starting to get sponsors and donations online via JustGiving. Now is the time to maximise opportunities to promote the walk and start getting sponsors. So that we can make sure Grassroots get their fair share we need a good spread between online and sponsor form donations so please promote both avenues for giving.

Publicity:
Andy has an e-mail which is due to go out across the area in the next few days. I have been in touch with the British Heart Foundation PR team and they have written a press release - due to go out mid May. They would like some pictures so don't forget your make-up if we go walking together on 2nd May.

Thanks for all your support. I don't know about you, but I am really looking forward to the weekend. It is going to be a real challenge but great fun at the same time! To encourage you still further, here is a link to some information about the pub close to our accomodation - looks good to me!

The Fighting Cocks

Pewsey Downsaround

26 miles in 7 hours 45 minutes and a certificate to prove it! (and some blisters too!)

Today I took part in the Pewsey Downsaround Challenge Walk organised by the Wiltshire Long Distance Walkers Association.

A good climb up the Giant's Grave in the first 3 miles and then along the Mid Wilts Way, down into Avebury and then a very pleasant walk back through the bluebells of Gopher Wood.

Pompey Bear came too - but was a bit disappointed that he was clocked in at 7 hours and 46 minutes because he was just behind me!

A few pictures on Flickr but we were walking too fast to take many! Even forgot to take a picture of the ice cream in Avebury.

Click on picture for more!

The Sunny Isle of Wight!

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Took the oppotunity while on the Island to walk 10 miles of coastal path from Shalfleet to Cowes (the opposite direction to that which the WightWayRounders will be doing in June).
A fair bit of walking on road and some very muddy, slippery paths but more than compensated for by the fantastic views along the coast. Hopefully by June the paths wil have dried out a bit. Oh, and by the way, watch out for the path along the sea wall at Gurnard when the tide is in!

donation page now open

Simply click on the link on the right to go to our 'Just Giving' page where you can give money online. Unfortunately 'Just Giving' do not provide a facility to split funds between charities. All money given via 'Just Giving' will therefore go to the British Heart Foundation. We will ensure that Grassroots get their fair share by apportioning the funds raised through traditional sponsor forms accordingly.

If you would like to give to Grassroots direct please click HERE
and add the following note to your donation:
wightwayround tanzania

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT!

Five Go Walking with a Dog

Saturday 28th March will go down in history as the first time the 5 intrepid walkers (not forgetting the dog) got together to walk 20 miles from Picket Post, around Burley, Wilverley and Boldrewood and back through the beautiful Linwood valley. There'll be some pictures soon - not least of the delicious ice creams from the van at Boldrewood Deer Sanctuary.

The weather was kind with only the occasional spot of rain. The wind was keen in places but the sun prevailed providing a glorious final 2 (or was it 3 or 4) miles.

20 miles, providing a real taste of how we will cope with the long days on the Isle of Wight walk. Both Saturday and Sunday on the Island will see us walking 22 miles, with 16 on Friday and the final 8 on Monday morning.

Sponsorship forms and a link to a 'Just Giving' page will be available by the end of the week so please, when you get the opportunity, give generously to support our two worthy causes - Grassroots in Tanzania and the British Heart Foundation.

Latest weather forecast for Saturday

Saturday 28th March

View Larger Map

This is the starting point for our 20 mile walk this coming Saturday. The plan is to meet in the car park at Picket Post at 9.30am. Come off of the A31 - follow road signposted to Burley and the car park is almost immediately on your right. You then get to walk the first 8 or so miles to Wilverley Enclosure before I join you for the second half and a bit just after midday. We should be finished by 5pm - and there are some shortcuts back if time becomes an issue. Looking forward to a great walk and hopefully another sunny Saturday!

Will the sun ever stop shining?

Another fantastic Saturday morning!

Set off early, walking from Picket Post just after 8am. 13 miles through uncharted territory! Only got lost twice - which does not bode well for the group that have to find their way around the same route next week!

Click on the image above for more pictures

The first sighting of the season.......

Another sunny Saturday - what's the betting that it will pour with rain the first weekend in June?

This week I walked 13 miles - a circle north from Picket Post around to Boldrewood Deer Sanctuary and at last I spotted one - no, not a deer (seen plenty of those as you will have seen from my pictures) but the first ice cream van on my travels so far!

So I enjoyed a lovely raspberry ripple cornet before completing the second half of the walk. For the rest of the WightWayRounders I might just use part of the same route when we get together in a couple of weeks time - £1.60 for a medium cornet (20p extra for a flake!) so bring a few pennies with you.

It was good walking - mainly following cycle tracks with only the occasional excursion into the mud with one notable exception when I took the wrong path and ended up in a bog with mud up to the top of my boots! Not very nice but fortunately my feet stayed dry enabling me to complete the walk without too much trouble.

It's amazing how quickly after leaving Picket Post you lose the noise of the traffic and find yourself in what seems like a different world, with birds singing and the sound of the wind in the trees. I am discovering areas of the New Forest that I didn't know existed - constantly reminding me of how I take for granted the beauty of the countryside that is literally on our doorstep.

On Sunday, joined by my wife we did a quick 6 miles around Wilverley Enclosure. No ice cream vans, unfortunately, but we did see The Naked Man! More on that in a couple of weeks time.

For more pictures from Saturday click HERE

Paddling Practice!

A good walk in the Hampshire countryside today. Around 12 miles - and a first time walking together for some of the Wightway Round Team. Not too many hills but Beacon Hill near the start was a good test. Plenty of mud around after the heavy snow and rain during the week and then......50 metres of flooded footpath right at the end of the walk proved a real challenge and gave a different meaning to the phrase 'fill your boots'!

You can see a few more pictures here

Ouch!

7.30am Saturday morning and it's time to start walking again! This week with my friend Phil - starting from Beaulieu Road Railway Station and walking a BIG circle around to Lyndhurst, Burley and Brockenhurst before heading back (via the Filly Inn) to Beaulieu Road. Unfortunately I lost my pedometer in the first 10 miles, but plotting the route on the map it looks like nearly 23 miles! Phil is an experienced walker - I would literally be lost without him - and he knows his way around the forest. When I say knows his way 'around' the forest that does not paint the full picture as he tends to decide which direction we need to head - and then go for it, irrespective of whether there is a path going that way or not! So plotting the route on a map is not easy.
It is, however, a great way to explore. Spot the Deer?

Anyway, we walked for about 7 hours, stopped briefly for lunch and then about 2 hours from home were mugged and 'forced' to take on liquid refreshment at the Filly Inn on the Lymington/Brockenhurst road.
Yet another dry and relatively mild Saturday, lots of mud, but a an opportunity to explore the full glory and beauty of the New Forest. Just a few miles from home - but a different world! The last few miles were painful as my legs started to complain. Pompey Bear had a nervous moment when we met the New Forest Hunt! But we all lived to tell the tale and looking forward to getting a few more miles under the belt next weekend.

Fritham to Frogham

Another glorious February Saturday for walking. Not quite so far this week - only had time for 9 miles. Set off early and started walking about 8.30am. The sunshine through the trees in the car park was beautiful. A short walk through some woods and then up a testing steep slope (nothing like the Purbeck coast though!) onto a ridge that runs virtually the full distance from Fritham to Frogham. At the end of the trail was an ancient well (Abbott's Well) with one hole for animals and one for people - I decided to stick to my orange juice. I was hoping for a coffee in Frogham but all I found was a closed pub with about 20 donkeys stood outside! The walk back took me along the ridge and then along a beautiful trail around the other side of the woods and back to the car park. Very different terrain and scenery from the coastal walk last week but in the warm sunshine it was simply fantastic!

Not so many pictures this week but if you're interested you'll find a few here

Followed Pricerelli to Purbeck

Took inspiration and went to Lulworth Cove and Durdle door today. More on the tourist trail than a 'proper' walk. Still the public path between the two is a good climb. Kids enjoyed it too. Did first run this morning, couple of miles did me in before breakfast...now need to find a supply of yorkies...