Just had a letter and sd card from Roy. Here's an extract from the letter:
"Rain, rain, rain! The trouble with showers in bonnie Scotland is that they last such a long time - like measured in days! And the trouble with too much rain is the creeping damp you get in the tent. The major concern is keeping the sleeping gear dry. If this gets wet, then - no sleep. No sleep - ultimately leads to failure. And so I go to great lengths to limit "cross contamination" between wet things and dry.

Today I took the chance to wash a few things through. Got away with most things except my cotton shorts, underpants, walking trousers and silk liner for the sleeping bag. Wore my underpants on my head for a while to use body head to dry them, and wrapped my sleeping bag liner round my body. Soggy boots are still causing a problem but now I've got the waterproof socks, maybe they will help."

Back to Helen. I think these two photos are taken from the ferry to (or from)Arran, and on the top of Goat Fell on Arran.

Roy seems determined to cheer himself up by showing us that it doesn't rain ALL the time, and by wearing his silly hat at every opportunity.

He's looking forward to getting up in the "big hills" near Fort William, then it's the final leg from Fort William to Cape Wrath. He's getting a bit homesick, but hopefully now I've sent him the waterproof socks, they will give him a boost! Helen

Hi folks
I've just received an sd card from Roy, but as usual, no clues as to where any of the photos are, so we'll just have to guess.
He has gone west at speed, mainly because there's not much point hanging about in the rain! His boots are causing concern because of the problems of being permanently wet, leading to an increased danger of blisters. Also, occasionally a campsite owner or farmer's wife has taken the boots away to dry, but is suspected of drying them too fast, leading to cracking etc. Roy suspects that they are actually leaking now, but doesn't want to buy new ones this trip. He's talked to a cyclist who has recommended "sealskinz" socks which claim to be completely waterproof. I've ordered a pair for Roy to try, so he may end up being the only person to attempt the Scottish Highlands in leaky boots but waterproof socks! On the bright side, he is very pleased with his tent.

He insists that I show you that when he can buy fresh food (eg broccoli) he eats very well, even if it does all have to be cooked and eaten from one pan!

Roy came across this post, and explanation, along his Southern Upland Way route.

Roy's route has taken him through Jedburgh (maybe this is Jedburgh Castle??), Traquair, Tibbie Shiels (highest inn in Scotland), Beattock, Brattleburn (good bothy), Wanlockhead (youth hostel)and Sanquhar. With his love of trees, he obviously thought this one was worth a photo.

From Sanquhar, there was a bit of a change of plan. The Southern Upland Way (and Roy's planned route) heads south, then west then north in three sides of a square. Roy, after several days of continuous rain, decided he wasn't keen on this plan, so asked me to look for a route straight across. Well, the only possibility was forty miles of wriggley forestry tracks - not a good idea. The only possibility, that is, except for a short bus ride. So, in the interests of expediency, the bus won. After five or six weeks delay for medical reasons in Macclesfield, Roy was anxious to get up into the Scottish Highlands ASAP rather than get "bogged down" in the border regions. So, he is now on Arran. Having climbed Goat Fell, he will spend tonight with friends Joe and Linda who live on Arran and will hopefully let him have a shower and wash his socks. Then tomorrow he sets off on the ferry from Lochranza to Kintyre.

Roy has reached the end of the Pennine Way and "turned left" to head west along the border country. These photos are from when I went up to visit him near Hadrian's Wall (B and b of course - I've not braved the tent yet). We stayed in a farmhouse with a pheasant in the garden and house martins in a nest just outside the bedroom window. Met two Roman soldiers on Hadrian's Wall. He's since sent me a page to type up (below).

"Well troops, it turned out that getting going again was every bit as hard on the old heart strings as I knew it would be and the long medical saga made it even worse. Still, here I am with one standard and one long day (27 miles) to the end of the Pennine Way.

Have just renewed my insoles, so I'll be watching for blisters like a hawk! I had to change them sooner rather than later - the old ones were disintegrating and Helen said they smelled! As if!

I have made some adjustments to my food and water carrying arrangements which I hope will speed things along a bit. The food side will make breaking camp simpler and quicker, while the water arrangements mean I can drink on the move without stopping to take off the rucksack. (OK OK, stop yawning at the back).

Highlights so far? Hawes is a beaut little town, Tan Hill pub is a "must return", and generally, the good local beers along the way have been excellent - no need to force down the mass produced chemical cobblers from the big names. Low lights? Too much damp for too long will test the spirits of anyone - but then it's so good to get the chance to dry out.

So my advice to everyone out there is - never miss a chance to get in the dry, and keep off chemical beer. All for now, Roy"

It's Helen again now. After writing that, Roy did get to the end of the PW, but with an exciting 27 mile final day. The last leg is the hardest because it is the most remote - no habitation at all until Kirk Yetholm. He did it on 1 July, which was the hottest day of the year so far, and he had run out of water by the time he got there! A lesson to be learnt I think. Needless to say, he had two days in KY to recover but he's speeding west now. H

Hi folks
I've now got the first SD card from Roy on "phase 2" of his traipse. For some unknown reason I now seem to have been allocated more photo space on this blog, so maybe I won't have to keep deleting old photos from now on. (I wish I understood blogs!) Some of the photos are "pre-Gargrave" so should have appeared in the last entry, but I didn't have them then. For instance, these must be where the Pennine Way crossed the M62:

I don't get any information about where these photos were taken, so your guess is as good as mine as to where Roy was wearing his silly sun hat. Maybe he's just trying to demonstrate that the phase 2 weather is a big improvement on phase 1!

I suppose I could work out from the map where this one was taken:

I also have no idea where he found this old fashioned sweetshop, but I'd like to know what he was doing in a sweetshop anyway!

The route from Gargrave was up through Malham, walking for a few days with a fellow backpacker he met along the way.

After Malham there was Horton-in-Ribblesdale, then Hawes, where Roy has picked up his next batch of maps that I've sent him Poste Restante.
Everything seems to have gone fairly well with phase 2 so far. No trouble with blisters, not too much rain or too much sun, plenty of good campsites and a good tent. Next bulletin will probably be from Kirk Yetholm at the top of the Pennine Way.
Bye for now, Helen

After much delay, Roy has escaped the medics and is on his way. I drove him to Edale, which was where I rescued him with holes in his heels all those weeks ago. He set up camp straight away, so I took these photos of him showing off his new tent, before abandoning him to his adventure (phase 2).

He's now had several nights in the tent, a Vaude, and is delighted with it - a big improvement. On Sunday he had the day off and got picked up to go to Harry's fifth birthday party, but now it's serious walking to try to catch up some of the lost time. Tonight (17 June) he's in Gargrave and carrying on up the Pennine Way on his diet of porridge and pasta (except for when he happens to bump into a pub of course!).

More info whenever he sends me an SD card from the camera. Helen

Aaaarrgh...... aaaaaaaarrrrgh!
I feel like I’m wading through treacle – I’ve fallen into a medics man trap!
I went to the docs last week to get some pills for a minor problem, or so I thought, but instead I’ve ended up with an appointment at Macc General to see another medic.
I’m sure it will all turn out to be a mistake, I’ll get my pills and be off like a shot. Problem is the wheels can turn slowly and in roundabout ways so I don’t know exactly how it will pan out, but my target remains to finish this walk by my 60th birthday which is November - will keep you posted.
Thanks for your messages of support, they are much appreciated.

Stay well everybody – don’t get blisters, and don’t fall into any ‘medics man traps’!
Meanwhile, here are a few photos to remind you of the weather in April! Roy.

er...ahem.... .... ahem, hmm, er... umm, what I’m trying to say is, ... er, I’m feeling like a bit of a twerp – I’m still here. I should be half way up the Pennine Way by now, but instead I’m gazing into a grisly looking hole in the back of my heel, wondering how long it will take to fill itself in.
I did start again last Monday, and made it to Edale. But I’d made a big mistake in changing the insoles in my boots. I had changed them for all singing all dancing, impact resisting, high cushioning, iron your socks, bank account depleting new insoles guaranteed to whizz me up hill and down dale with virtually no effort. And I think they did for the first couple of hours.
As the day went on, a little itch turned into a fiery problem on each foot, and by the time I limped into Edale and unpicked my socks out of the holes I knew I’d have to rest up for a few days.
The new insole is a lot thicker than the original, and I think lifts the back of my heel into conflict with my boot – only one winner – not me.
What makes me mad with myself is that the original insole/boot/sock combination had performed perfectly well for the previous 600 miles or so – what possessed me to change the arrangement?
When I finally get started again I know which insoles I’ll be using!

Stay well everybody – don’t get blisters! Roy.

Well, home for a short while, so I’ve been given the job of writing my own blog – life can be very hard!

Looking back over the last couple of months, I feel almost overdosed in beauty. From sumptuous, soft green rolling low hills to the harsh and wild remoteness of our high moors and white peaks.... white? Did I say white??

Now there was a sneaky double cross by the weather department! Having had a ‘no show’ winter until the end of Feb, I was lulled into feeling that a nice warm spring was next up. Well that little dream soon went out of the window with the 80mph gale which greeted us when we arrived at Lands End!

One of my favourite photos is the one of Helen decked out in full winter gear and including ski mask. Lucky the forecast came in time to warn us so she took the mask, Helen is not good with high wind in the eyeballs. But the sea-scapes along the north Cornish coast in those conditions really were breathtaking.

The walking has never been easy with a pack weight of nearly 40lbs, and sometimes has been hard – very hard. But never (except below) outside the realms of enjoyable, after all, if you go after the easy life you don’t take up walking of any description, let alone hill walking with a full pack.

The only time when I didn’t enjoy it was after Nick went home with Caz and the girls on a day visit, having accompanied me for the best part of a week from mid to north Wales.


I don’t know for certain, but I think the combination of being so close to home, sudden loss of the company of my family, frustration at impeded footpaths and sheer exhaustion led to what I can only imagine was an emotional breakdown. I had battled on for two days after they left and suddenly found myself feeling unable to carry on. On the western edge of the Clocaenog Forest I sat down in an untidy heap and resolved that this was it, as far as I go, finish, done. But the problem of how to get home? That could wait until I’d had something to eat.

During lunch of biltong, nuts and raisins, a bar of chocolate and swallow of water I morphed into a version of Gollum in Mordor. The setting was just perfect for it too, dark pine forest stretching over the horizon, dark brooding sky, and homely comforts a long way off. And there were the two voices in my head –the voice of doom and darkness, ‘give it up, what the hell’; the voice of hope and light ‘no, another push, keep on’.... back and forth.

Even at the time I thought of the Gollum story, but was too far gone to smile at the ridiculousness of the situation. In the end the voice of hope and reason proposed a compromise. A thumbed lift into Denbigh then a bus ride to Ruthin skipped over the Forest, leaving a short walk down to Graig-fechan and a camp for the night.
It was a close run thing, and makes me realise that I am not the fiercely independent type I may have thought.

I subsequently re-learned the lesson that you cannot drop off jogging for 3 years and take it up again as if you never stopped. Even handing over my rucksack for Helen to bring back didn’t make me fly along the Cheshire canals, I was soon reduced to running 200 paces, walking 200 etc. I had to get Helen to pick me up near Congleton, and go back a couple of days later to finish off, but the weather was kind and the walk peaceful – until I came to the collapsed wall just before Macc.

So looking back, it was good preparation for the next phase, starting Monday. A major problem has been ironed out (I’ve now got a tent which will actually support life, not snuff it out!), and some minor tweaks carried out (eg, taking a cut down pot brush).
Since I’ve fought my way past polar bears and stone trolls, forest goblins and the odd dragon (plus a week old black lamb with a particularly mean look in its eye), I have no fears for the next two thirds of the journey. Except home sickness, which is what I have feared from the very start. I’m sure I’ll grow out of it.

Stay well everybody
Roy.

Roy's son Nick met him in Machynlleth to keep him company for a few days. They walked to a farm site just below Cader Idris and camped for the first night, but Nick was even less impressed with the tent than Roy! Don't anybody buy a North Face Particle 13.
The next day they went over Cader Idris and stayed in Penrhos bothy, which, according to Nick, was an improvement on the tent. Then a very long trek to Talsarnau, near Portmeirion. By the end of that day, Nick was having problems with his knees, so they stayed bed and breakfast and then had a couple of shorter days to Bryn Gwynant Youth Hostel followed by Pen -y- Pass Youth Hostel. Caroline (Roy's daughter, for those of you who don't know) then met them at Pont Pen-y-Glenglog with her two year old twins and spent a few hours with them before taking Nick back home to Leeds. It was great for Roy, catching up with the family again.

Since being left on his own again, Roy has walked over the tops to a campsite at Llanwrst and is today (24 April) speeding towards Ruthin. He's had one of his "brainwaves"! When he gets to Chester, he wants me to meet him very early in the morning with his running shoes and a daysack of sandwiches etc. I am to bring the tent and the heavy rucksack back to Macclesfield and he will jog home! Whether he'll manage it all in one day I don't know. He's not even going by the direct route, because he hates running on tarmac so he's making use of the canal system down towards Nantwich, then looping over the top of Crewe to Kidsgrove, then up to Congleton and so back to good old Macc. I did tell you at the beginning of this blog that he's crazy, didn't I? I think the plan is that he will then have a few days rest before continuing, so he can write his own entry next week. H

Well, I've got some photos now, but no notes, so I'll do my best to get you up to date.
In the last post, I told you how Roy had ended up in a river when he decided to play stepping stones. What I didn't know at the time was that he had hurt his leg, and the pain got steadily worse over the next couple of days. He stayed one night at Dolgoch bunkhouse (in the middle of nowhere), then managed to get to a bothy, Moel Prysgau (also in the middle of nowhere, see photo).

At this point, he realised he needed a long rest, but had no signal and was worried that I might call out the emergency services if I had no contact for a couple more days. So he dragged himself back to Dolgoch to use their landline to tell me the plan, then back to the bothy where he holed up for a couple of nights with his leg propped up. Luckily, it did more or less recover, so he was then able to get to Pontrhydfendigaid and stay bed and breakfast to have a comfortable rest. From there he was back on track to another bothy (much preferred to his draughty tent) followed by a farm site just below Machynlleth. Yesterday he met up with Nick (son) in Machynlleth, so the plan is to do Snowdonia together. Caroline (daughter) is planning to meet up with them on Tuesday with Lily and Daisy, her two year old twins, so Roy and Nick have to have reached "somewhere sensible" by then!
Here are a few photos, but I can't tell you anything about them. Can anybody identify the bird of prey?

As you can see, it's still snowy in the mountains, and Roy keeps demanding to know when spring will arrive.