Cheque Presentation

Thank you to everyone who donated money to my fund raising for Marie Curie Cancer Care, Handed over a cheque today at Key 2 Nutrition Shop. The Money will be well used to provide Support & Nursing to families in the local area.
At the moment £1000 has been raised and handed over, However if you still wish to make a donation please visit http://www.justgiving.com/JamesKirkbride
The page will remain open until the end of the year

the end

Got to Robin Hoods Bay at 18:00 dipped my feet and checked in at the bay hotel!! a job well done I think

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180!!!

Last 11 miles!! it has been an brilliant crossing, met some of the kindest hearted people & some fantastic walkers!! Thanks to littlebeck methodist church for water & coffee!!

The picture is the hermitage! the reward for making it this far

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looks like an early finish

Well... I was on blakey ridge last night in the rain and wind!! and today find myself 19 miles from Robin Hoods Bay! I figure I will roll into the bay 2 days early!!!

Ill try to keep the map updated tomorrow! Dependent on phone signal!

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my campsite tonight

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Danby Wiske

After setting off from Richmond at 14:00hrs today I have managed to get to Danby Wiske, un-harmed!! despite being chased by a gang of young bulls & losing my compass in the bargain!!! its strange to be back in the tent after the comfort of the frenchgate hotel in Richmond!! Thanks to David and his team for a lovely evening!!

So... Off to bed for me, got some more miles to clock up tomorrow!!!

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Over half way!!

Made it over nine standards rigg on thursday afternoon! Navigating bogs can be a lot of fun!!! Worth it once I got into Keld (the half way mark). Alex met me in keld and walked through disused lead mines into Reeth, a good days walk... Yesterday I made it to Richmond (after passing an escaped bull)... Mel agreed to come and meet me, so I decided after a week of sleeping under canvas, some comfort could be allowed! so I booked into a hotel! however, it will be back under the stars for me tonight! 7 days left to Robinhoods bay! So far this is a journey I would say is worth the effort! Ive met some amazing people along the way and seen some sights that a photograph can't do justice to! I'll update again one I have a phone signal.

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update!!

Ok!! took it easy today as kidsty pike and haweswater took a bit of work yesterday!! Im now about 5 miles from kirkby stephen! staying in bents farm!! Probably a good place to stop for me as I am getting a bit ahead of the plan!!

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SHAP

Hey guys!! reached shap today... Its been a gruler! Past the highest point on the trail!! only 14 miles, but it has seemed a lot longer! But the weather seems ok!! Ill keep u all updated

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post card from grasmere

Morning all. .. Made it to grasmere this morning!! its slow going with 20kg on your back!!!!! so far I have been stuck in 5 kissing gates & fell upto my knees in two bogs! it is all good fun!! note to mike!! im garn to buy undies now!! *lol*.
also hello to Jon & Alison hope ur progress is ok!! I think loft beck was steeper than the hill down to nannycatch!!

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Tomorrow is the begining

Well... That's it, all new posts will be from my mobile phone! So, Please excuse bad spelling due to the small key pad & poor formatting.

OK... For the 'Gear Geeks' out there, this is a rough idea of what I have in my pack!!

INVENTORY

Rucksack - Osprey Aether 60
Sleeping Bag - Haglofs Zensor
Tent - Vango Banshee 200 (With Teranova Titanium pegs)
Sleeping Mat - Vango
Cook Kit - Coleman F1 Lite (this is stove, Pans & Gas)
Spork
Free Loader Solar Phone Charger
Samsung Galaxy S (To keep the blog up to date)
Generic MP3 Player
Black Diamond Walking Poles

Health, Hygiene & First Aid

• Toilet Paper
• Anti Bacterial Wipes
• Tooth Brush
• Tooth Paste & Mouth Wash
• Daily Vitamin Packs
• Plasters
• Needles
• Bandages
• Emergency Eye Wash
• Compeed Blister Patches

Food & Nutrition

• 14 X Multi Power Flapjack Bars Can be purchased from Key 2 sports & Nutrition
• 28 X Multi Power electrolyte gels Can be purchased from Key 2 sports & Nutrition
• 14 servings of PHD Diet whey (to be mixed with porridge)Can be purchased from Key 2 sports & Nutrition
• 5 x Super Noodles
• 5 X Oat - So - Simple
• 14 X Coffee & Milk Portions

Clothing 

• 2 X EDZ Merino T-Shirts
• 1 X EDZ Multi Tube (very versatile piece of kit a must have)
• 1 X EDZ Yeti neck Gaiter (I will use as a hat for sleeping)
• 2 X Bridgedale Bamboo Socks from The Keswick Boot Company
• 1 X Bridgedale Coolmax Socks from The Keswick Boot Company
• Craghoppers Kiwi Stretch convertible trousers
• Craghoppers Kiwi Shorts
• Rab Shadow Hoodie
• Rab E-Vent Waterproof jacket
• Berghaus AQ2 Waterproof Over trousers
• Primaloft Jacket
• A set of thermals for sleeping in
• Haglofs Hawks Boots
• North Face Flip Flops

That is more or less it - I have maps & Guide books & all the usual stuff that you must take out on a walk

So... I'm off to rest up! I have a long walk ahead of me

ALMOST READY!!

Well... Not long to go!! I Hope you will all keep up to date with the blog as I go along, I will try to update as often as I can... But it all depends on telephone reception!!

I would Like to say a MASSIVE thanks to Key 2 Sports & Nutrition for all the help they have offered me on this venture, They have done a huge amount of fund raising & also supplied some amazing supplements. They are down on Kerry Park in Workington, I would advise if you need some quality nutrition they are the place to go!

But now it is down to me!! On Saturday morning I will be setting out to walk 190 miles, with a pack on my back & what happens along the way is still an unknown, I hope to see some of you along the way if you have some time & energy... it would be fantastic if you could share the adventure, even just a small part of it

I will try to get the packing list posted before I go with some pictures of whats in the pack just so you can all see what I will be taking along with me.

Last few days of training!!!

Wow!! it does not seem long since I took the decision to undertake the Coast to Coast in order to raise some funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care. But I am now in my last few days of training & preparation...

I'll be setting off from St Bees on Saturday 25th June 2011.

Today I collected my printed T-shirts from Artifax, they are awesome & they will allow everyone to see my sponsors. Thanks again to EDZ for the fantastic T-shirts & their Support.

Also MASSIVE THANKS to EVERYONE who has sponsored me!! In reality it is your generosity that will make the difference & I know that the donations will be greatly appreciated. However, I set myself a target of £2000 & there is still a long way to go!!!! So If you have not sponsored me already, please, if you can, make a donation at my justgiving page, OR you could see me & write it down on a sponsor form.

I will maybe get a couple more updates in before I set off & then I will be the mearcy of the mobile network as to if & when I can update you...

Back off Holiday!

Well... I have been in Spain for the last week, so not much hardcore training has been happening,

However I did road test the Northface Flip Flop!! Fantastic piece of footwear & I will be taking them with me for camp at nights to let some air at my bruised & blistered feet. If you want to get hold of a pair I would go & see Alex in The Keswick Boot Company, on Station Street in Keswick.

Also I have been into the EDZ Shop in Keswick & got a couple of super lightweight T-Shirts, So I will be road testing them over the next week or so!! Not much training time left now!!

Just checking in!!



Our Camp on Pillar at Night



Hello readers,

Sorry that I have not updated this blog for a couple of weeks... I have been doing some long distance, multi day training for the last couple of weekends.
 

I did a couple of days in Cumbria & we camped on the top of Pillar... some amazing views & a good nights kip!! Back Pack was up at 20kg with water.



Magnus, James & Ales on top of Pillar



The weekend after I did the Ridgeway Trail, a brilliant weekend good training.



An Amazing view







Alex, Richard & me at the start of the Ridgeway





Wayland's Smithy with Sunset

So ... all in all some good training. I now have 6 weeks to go & the training is going to intensify! I have the pack weight down to 15kg with water.

there is still a long way to go with sponsorship, so please help with donations at my Just Giving Page

Times & Star article

This is the article from the times and star!!

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Times and Star

The article in the Times & Star was published today!! Awesome!

Also! I have decided that I will sell space on my rucksack cover so, if any local businesess' would like to place an advert or logo on my pack, the spaces are 15cm X 6cm and reasonable donations will be accepted. So PLEASE if you have something to advertise or know someone who does please get in touch.

Scafell Pike on Sunday for training.

Publicity

Today saw the start of the publicity campaign for the coast to coast. I had an interview with the Times & Star newspaper, they took some pictures and the article should be published in this weeks edition. I hope to get some more media attention & gather more sponsorships for Marie Curie.

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Progress Update

Hello ...

OK well it's been a while since I have given a good progress report.

Well W2K walk ... BLISTERS ... otherwise good fun! Lessons learnt: Always wear a liner sock & walking boots on tarmac are not a good combo!!

This month I hope to get the Ridgeway trail in Oxfordshire in the bag! (this should be a good training walk) Prior to this I intend to do an overnight walk in Cumbria just to test my new tent out in the wild!!

I am now able to upload images from my mobile phone!!! so I hopefully can get some images on the blog.

Still a long way to go on the sponsorship so please sponsor me (if you have not already) at www.justgiving.com/jameskirkbride

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TENT

The new tent has arrived, I decided to go for the Vango Banshee 200 at 1.8kg

It pitches in 10 mins (I have tested in the back garden), hopefully I can get it down to 5 mins.
I also got a new lightweight stove to heat my beans!!

I'll try to post some pics of the tent later.

Please keep sponsoring me at www.justgiving.com/jameskirkbride

also I will be doing the Workington to Keswick walk on sunday as part of my training.

itinerary

Hello Everyone…

I know a few of you have expressed an interest in joining me for day on my expedition to traverse our lovely country… I have said I would post my itinerary for a couple of weeks & as it is starting to rain & I don’t feel like going for a training walk I figured I would update the Blog.

25/06/2011 St.Bees to Ennerdale Bridge (14 Miles)

26/06/2011 Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite (15 Miles)

27/06/2011 Rosthwaite to Grasmere (9 Miles)

28/06/2011 Grasmere to Patterdale (8 Miles)

29/06/2011 Patterdale to Shap (17 Miles)

30/06/2011 Shap to Kirkby Stephen (20 Miles)

01/07/2011 Kirkby Stephen to Keld (12 Miles)

02/07/2011 Keld to Reeth (11 Miles)

03/07/2011 Reeth to Richmond (11 Miles)

04/07/2011 Richmond to Danby Wiske (14 Miles)

05/07/2011 Danby Wiske to Ingleby Cross (9 Miles)

06/07/2011 Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top (12 Miles)

07/07/2011 Clay Bank Top to Glaisdale (19 Miles)

08/07/2011 Glaisedale to Robin Hood’s Bay (19 Miles)

However I may change some of these days to find better camping or if I have to set up camp early due to weather etc… So if you do want to join me let me know & it can all be confirmed on the day before or whatever.

first post

This is my coast to coast blog!! visit www.justgiving.com/jameskirkbride to sponsor me on this journey

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