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Are you crazy

Helford_RiverYou reach a point in your life when you look back at all the things in life you wanted to do but never found time to organise and do them. There was never such a thing as a GAP year when you left school or university to indulge yourself at your parents expense. You got a job, got married, got a house and mortgage, children came along and thereafter life seemed very busy.

Did you ever idle your time away making a list of the things you promised yourself you would do one day. The long walk, the big cycle ride, visit some exotic country, learn a new language , learn to play a musical instrument, write a book. Well I did and this is my opportunity to do one of these.

The Challenge

I have set myself a challenge by combining two of my interests. That is walking round the Coast of Britain and finding time to do some painting and sketching on the way. I hope also to meet some interesting people and see some wonderful places.

The Plan

I have planned to walk for about 15 months over the next 18 months. That is walking for about 23 days in each month allowing for rest days and trips home to catch up with family and friends. I will also take a 6 week break in December and January. As I am now retired I can be flexible about the days and time I take off.

I will kick off from Lands End, Cornwall on 14th February 2015.

Give a little

I am using this opportunity to raise money for two charities that support carers of people who suffer from dementia and others maybe with learning and physical disabilities.. See my Charities and Donations page for more information.

Helpers

I will be funding my own expenses on this adventure and do not have the backing of any big sponsors. There are places where I may need some logistically help, primary in being picked up or dropped off at some start or end points. If you would like to help, then drop me an email, see my Contact page.

26 thoughts on “Home”

  1. Hi Tony! First of all, WHAT A TRIP! Brilliant. I know your daughter Andrea, we used to work at Ten Alps in Macclesfield, hence how I spotted your blog link on Facebook.
    I share your passion for walking, your coastal walk sounds amazing, I am doing the coast to coast in May, it’s only 194 miles, nothing compared to your walk.
    I shall be following your progress closely and will make a donation at the end of the month. While I cannot offer you much in the way of assistance, if when you’re in the north west region of England you need picking/dropping off anywhere or a bed for the night please give me a call, my missus and would gladly make up the spare room, although we are about 1.25 hours from the coast.
    If you’re anything like me, you prefer to walking alone, enjoying the solitude, but if not and you don’t mind some company I would love to walk a day with you as you pass by the north Western seaboard, but we will see about that, don’t want you thinking I am a crazy stalker!

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    • Brian,

      Thanks for getting in touch and thanks for the offer. There are times I enjoy company for a bit of banter and there are times when I like a bit of quiet to do a bit of thinking or dreaming.

      You can always come and join me for a day or two if you need to hone your legs for the Coast to Coast walk. My wife, Christine and I did it about 17 years ago. We loved every minute of it with 3 National Parks to see and 2 coastlines. If you do this in midsummer, the route does get quite busy and you may have a problem with accommodation in the popular places.

      Tony

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    • Jim & Eileen,

      Thanks for your kind words. They were very much appreciated. I could not reply sooner as I did not have a signal. Just finished my fourth day and have got as far as Perranporth.

      Thanks, Tony

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  4. Good luck Tony, at least you will be spared Cheshire Mud for a bit , we seem to have encounterted it in epic proportions recently….following closely…wonder if you will pass by our Cornish hideaway as you near completion. Will keep an eye out!

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    • Julian,
      I have encountered plenty of Cornish and Devonish mud. Saps the energy in your legs trying to plough through it. Enjoying it so far, the miles are clocking Up. I wont be round to your neck of the woods till next year. But keep folowing my progress. Nice to hear from you.

      Tony

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    • Alan,
      Yes, I managed to get through to YHA Minehead and booked in for three nights. It was nice to meet up and I enjoyed your company for a couple of nights. Glad you got home safely, I hope you keep following my progress.

      Tony

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  6. Hi Tony,

    I hope the walk is going well.

    I did a few miles in your footsteps at the weekend on the coastal path from Portreath to St Agnes. It was really hard going in the wind. Hats off to you Tony.

    Would love to join you for a couple of days at some point on your journey, perhaps when you’re a bit nearer to here. I will keep tracks on your progress and contact you to try and plan something in due course.

    In the meantime good luck and I hope you enjoy the experience.

    Best wishes

    Martin

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    • Martin,
      It’s great to hear from you. I would have loved to have met up for a walk, chat and a beer or two. l left some big footprints for you to follow around St. Agnes Head. Did you stop at Chapel Porth Beach Cafe. I had a lovely chat with the ladies there and they gave me a donation and some flapjack.

      Cheers, Tony

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  7. Great to follow your progress Tony…..don’t go too fast as I’ve set my sights on being fit enough to accompany you for a couple of days when you’re in the Merseyside region.
    Keep it going mate……..some delightful stretches on the way

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    • Ian,
      It’s great to hear from you. I will be glad of the company although I’ve got a feeling that there will be quite a group of us when I get to the Wirral and Merseyside. I hope all goes well with the operation and the recovery.

      Cheers, Tony

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  8. Great to hear of your progress Tony……..some delightful stretches to come over the next week or so……hope to be fit enough to join you for a couple of days around the Merseyside region.
    ATB and God speed in the meantime.

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  9. Great to meet you! Its really cool to read your blog. Kelsey my girlfriend asked if you could post some of your drawings/paintings. Wish you all the very best with your challenge! Very inspiring. Your recent roommate, Andrew

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    • Andrew,
      It was great to meet up with you and Kelsey, I hope you both enjoyed your holiday.
      I have not done as much sketching and painting as I hoped to do but when I have time I will post them on the website.
      Tony

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    • Ray,
      First of all l must apologise for being a bit slow in replying to your email.

      I was glad To hear from you ang I see that you are making good progress. I had a look at your blog and all the pictures are making me keen to get up there.

      It was good to have a chat and I enjoyed your company. A pity it was only for a short time.

      Today I have taken the day off after reaching Aberdaron. Gives me time to catch up on emails and sort out some more accommodation.

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  11. Stumbled across your blog whilst undertaking one of the blogging101 courses, entering the term Ayrshire into Reader. The tantalising closeness with which you got to Largs where I live was dashed when I see you stopped at Ardrossan. Good luck with the rest of your walk, I am jealous

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  13. Oh tony your a man living the dream. I’ve always wanted to walk the entire coast line, I’ve just started at Brighton pier, unfortunately I shall have to do it in instalments as I’ve got to go to work each night but I drive to the last place I left off then see how far I can get until my legs fall off, lord knows what I’ll do when I start getting some distance from home ha. I wish you the very best with your dream. Let me know if you need any help when you get to Brighton best wishes shiv McCarthy X

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    • Shivvy,
      Thanks for having a look at my site and thanks for your kind words. I have been to some great places and met some really nice people on this challenge. Keep on going and make sure you enjoy every step. I would love to hear how you get on, I might even catch up with you. Best wishes and Good luck, Tony

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  14. Hi Tony,

    It was a pleasure to meet you at Ratagan Hostel and find out about your walk – I only wish I’d asked about your travels earlier and not just as you were leaving in the morning. As I said, I walked the coast myself some years ago. Perhaps I’ll catch up with you again at some point on your route and we can swap notes.

    I was just thinking I know a lovely family on a croft just the other side of Lochinver who regularly take in travellers – would you like me to put them in touch with you?

    May the wind be always at your back and too strong for the midges to fly.

    Louis

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    • Louis,
      It was great to chat to you the other day. A pity we didn’t have more time to share some stories. I have met lots of nice folk on my travels with some great stories to tell.
      I am booked into the Youth Hostel at Achmelvich for a few nights just north of Lochinver, so it depends how close your friends are to Lochinver.
      If you want to join me at any point I am always glad to have company.
      Tony

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