Something afoot

Been resting since Tuesday. Had an appointment with the physio who had both good news and bad news. Good news is that despite having an odd way of walking, I've not done any serious damage, but the bad news is that he had to strap up my foot and advised me not to do any more walking until I've seen a sports Podiatrist. This is going to put me behind schedule, as the first appointment I can get is next week. I was hoping to do the West Highland Way this weekend but instead I'll be doing all i can to relieve the swelling and irritation in my feet - with ice buckets and strapping! Anyway, I have been doing a lot of planning and I am still very confident that I can get to 500 miles once I have sorted the foot problem next week.












that pesky foot!

With my feet out of action, I've been up to a few other things instead. I met two fellow CWW volunteers for lunch the other day. Jo and Laura both spent several months in Belize and were very enthusiastic about the experience, the work they did and the country itself. I'm now even more enthusiastic myself (if that was possible!) about getting away and this is helping me get through all the bits and bobs I have to sort out over the next 8 weeks - visas, flights, Spanish lessons, arranging mail and tax returns (yeuch).

So a big thanks to Jo and Laura (and Bob too!): the advice was great, and some very interesting stories!

BTW If you get the chance, check out David Walliams' cross-channel swim attempt. Really impressive stuff: www.sportrelief.com/superswim

stuck at 84 miles for now

Sun, Sore Feet and a Few Days Rest

Ma feet are killin' me! I was at the Scotland v Pakistan one-day international (cricket) on Tuesday. Didn't understand what was going on except that the beer was nice and cold and the sun was hot. I got a bit burnt and a bit merry. Still managed to walk 7 miles to Edinburgh Park where I got the train home.

No sunburn next day but my right foot was very sore. Still, after work I took the train to Uphall on the M8 and walked over the hills to Linlithgow for another 7 miles. Next day I was hobbling and took the day off hoping it might ease off a bit. It was better on Friday and Saturday but still too sore to do any serious walking.

Instead I took a wee break and caught up with friends over the weekend. I went paintballing on Saturday with Nik and Debbie (happy belated b-day!) and loadsa really nice folks from through in Glasgow. Great crack, picked up several tasty bruises (one of which looks a bit like an extra kneecap below the 'normal' kneecap on my left leg) and just had a great day out. What a really really nice bunch of laidback folk, you couldn't pick anyone nicer to shoot you repeatedly at point-blank range.

Today I did 4 miles along the river Ayr but foot is still sore so I'm off to the podiatrist tomorrow! Tonight I'll be going to bed dreaming "please fix my foot Mr Foot Doctor!" so I can add to my total of

84 miles done and dusted.

24June–26 June: Glasgow, Ayr, Edinburgh

Did some storming walking over the weekend! On Saturday I went to visit my Gran and did 5 miles round about the Scottish Museum for Country Life.

On Sunday morning I got up early and did the longest stretch so far from Kirsty and Gordon’s house in Alloway, south of Ayr, up to Prestwick. Started at the 'Lang Scots Mile', so called because a mile in Scotland used to be 1,984 yards compared to just 1,760 in England. Anyone who suggests i run 500 Scots miles will not be popular... Running on the beach was easier on my feet and I did 13 miles all in.

And on Monday, I went for a walk/jog round Holyrood Park in Edinburgh which added another 6 miles. So just about on schedule with…

66 miles done, 434 left

(Sore feet now! Both feel funny in different places but I’m not sure whether the left one or the right one is worse!)

Thursday and Friday, 22/23 June: Linlithgow Hills and Forth Bridge

Took a couple of nights off: monsoons on Tuesday night the likes of which I hope I won’t see again until next May and a dodgy reaction to a Yellow Fever injection on Wednesday night.

Jogged 8 miles on Thursday night from Beecraigs Park in the hills above Linlithgow over to Torphichen. Came across the Scottish Korean War Memorial, stuck way out on the B8047. It looks – and probably is – pretty lonely and unnoticed.


On Friday, I took the train to North Queensferry after work and ran/walked 12 miles across the Forth Road Bridge and along the back roads to Linlithgow. The road bridge is hugely impressive when you walk across it – 1.5 miles long, and, standing in the middle, you can feel a fair bit of movement when trucks go past! Rail bridge looked pretty poorly, covered in bandages.

42 miles clocked, 458 left to go…

…which is back on track, but got my first blisters. I’m going to be following the advice of a book on walking which says that there is only one thing to do with blisters if you are in the middle of a long trek – take a needle, dip in boiling water…

19 June - Stirling and Loch Katrine

Cheers to Adam for a grand day out on Monday. Adam and I cadged a lift with a group of Egyptian teachers who are in Scotland to improve their English. The tour was run by Adam’s mum who has been doing cultural tours for a good number of years – there can’t be many jobs where you need to speak Arabic and demonstrate highland dancing on a moving bus.

In the morning, we did a circular
4.5 mile walk from the Wallace Monument to Stirling Castle. The walk took us past a number of important historical buildings, but for me 17 Lady’s Neuk Drive in Cambuskenneth (which you can see behind Adam and I on the left) was the highlight, being my home until the age of two! The picture on the right is 4 Ferry Orchard, just round the corner, which my dad built (My Da Built that House Ye Know!) before I was born. 35 years on and, unlike me, still looks in great condition - well done Dad!

In the afternoon we walked part-way round Loch Katrine for another 5.5 miles, so… 22 miles down, 478 to go.

Thanks to everyone who’s made a donation so far – I really appreciate it and though there’s a long way to go I am determined to get to 500 miles as promised.

PS Adam, Jo, Alistair and Freya are back from India for a 3 week visit. They are out in India for a few years, doing some amazing work in Thane, near Mumbai and they have their own blog – see the link on the right. (Jo – hope to see you on Sunday 2/7)
PPS I’d better mention this before Adam does - after the walking he gubbed me 8-5 at pool. Even Dad P's silky cue skills were no match for Black-Ball Black.