I am starting this journey, 20 weeks this coming Sunday. In exactly 140 days time, which is exactly twice as long as the journey is going to last. So many random coincidences involving numbers, 70th year, 70 counties, 70 days, 140 days to go etc. Some people believe that coincidences involving numbers, might have a deeper meaning or significance. I believe that it is just something which has happened by chance but which has a rather pleasing symmetry to it.
Sunday 6th July sees me pushing off from Flushing, opposite Falmouth and heading up the Carrick Roads towards Malpas. My first county paddle. High water at Falmouth is just before 15.00 so the flood tide will provide some assistance as I paddle my first 10 nautical miles. From Malpas, it’s back in the car, drive approximately 1 hour, walk up Brown Willy, Cornwall’s highest point before driving to Okehampton for the night.
The following morning its High Willhays, on Dartmoor, before spending 35 minutes driving to Exeter. This is where I receive the first, of many, offers of help. Jane from the Exeter Canoe Club has offered to accompany me on the paddle along the Exeter Ship Canal. As well as very kindly offering accommodation for the night. I have been offered accommodation for 20 nights out the 70 that constitute the Challenge. That is incredibly generous as I can imagine that I may not necessarily be the best company after a long day in the hills or paddling.
I have also been amazed by the generosity of a number of Canoe Clubs. Offering to paddle with me, sharing information about the best places to launch and willing to put me in touch with the local media, so that I can raise the profile of the trip, in the hope of generating more income for the 2 charities I am supporting.
One of the hardest aspects of the Challenge, has been to devise the route. It is not as simple as doing one county at a time. Through quirks of county boundaries, it can make sense to move onto a new county before completing both the walking and paddling. Returning a few days later to complete the county. The longest time gap between the paddle and the county top is 14 days. This honour lies with Derbyshire.
Although it is still 4 months to departure I have already raised £500, through the generosity of people I know. I have set myself a target of raising £5,000, although £7,000 would be more satisfying. It fits in with all the other numbers beginning with 7.
My initial thoughts were to paddle on inland waters, generally far less dependent on weather and tidal constraints, allowing me to maintain my schedule. Due to the lack of easy access to inland waters, in certain parts of England and Wales, I have ended up paddling on 10 sections tidal but sheltered waters and in 9 counties on the open sea. In addition there is one county, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where I have been unable to identify any water on which it is allowed to paddle. Obviously not the county to live in if you are a keen paddler. To maintain the full distance I am doing an extra 10 miles just over the county boundary, where it is possible to paddle.
Identifying the best places to paddle has generally been relatively straightforward but deciding where to launch is often harder. I don’t want to spend an hour driving around looking for parking places, the advice from Clubs has been invaluable as has the information from the Go Paddling website. The most valuable source of information about County boundaries has been the Ordnance Survey, OS Maps App. It has been used virtually every day for the last 3 months, unbelievable value for less than £3 a month.
What has surprised me is the number of places where I may have to pay to paddle. Not just for parking but to access the water. These are stretches of water which aren’t covered by the Paddle UK membership package. I will be using my Paddle UK membership to access the water in 32 counties. After 55 years of being a member; this year I will finally get some serious use from this particular benefit. In a number of places I have also had to book a time slot. By the end of my Challenge it will be interesting to see how much access to the water has cost me. This paying to paddle is something that I haven’t really encountered before.
The 7 days beginning Sunday 20th July is the week that I paddle the furthest. A total of 90 nautical miles. The Tuesday and Friday that week are both 20 NM days. The following week doesn’t get any easier, that is an 80 nautical mile week, but on the Saturday I have permission to walk up Mickle Fell, so there is no paddling that day. So 80 NM in 6 days. Luckily the following week I only have 30 nautical miles to paddle, I am certain that my arms will appreciate the opportunity for a rest. My legs will then need to spring into action, as in that week I will be walking 8 of the 12 highest county tops in England. I never thought this journey was going to be easy but I am surprised, how due to the geography of the country some weeks are so much more challenging!
My training has been progressing in a satisfactory fashion, with plenty of paddling, I have managed 9 days out the last 10, plus numerous walks. The important thing is to keep the training up but avoid injury by doing anything foolhardy.
If you are still reading this, thanks for seeing it through to the end. I appreciate all the words of encouragement that I have received from so many people, some of whom I have never met. 140 days, from Sunday, until I start. Lots still to do but I am quietly confident that I have sorted the larger issues.