Neil's progress report:

Now that the walk has been completed, I would like to thank everyone who has donated. I was quite overwhelmed by the response, and am most appreciative of your generosity.

The total of £1122, well exceeded my expectations. Many thanks to you all.

First of all Neil would like to thank everyone who has given so generously to what we think is two very worthwhile causes and very close to our hearts.

After a very comfortable night at Stonehouse Farm in St Bees, Neil set off on schedule from the beach.  Unfortunately the tide was out and the routine on these walks is to dip your boots into the sea.  Thinking that it would mean the same he puts his boot into a puddle the tide has left behind, picks up a stone and starts to walk back up to the path.  Unfortunately again, for him an elderly couple see what he has done and shout 'that doesn't count you have to go to the waters edge', so adding another 10 minutes onto his walk he is shamed into walking to the ever receding sea.  I'm sure he is glad he did it correctly though. Part of the first walk to Ennerdale Bridge is up a very steep and long path and he was glad of the water and tea he had in his rucksack.  He made it to The Fox and Hounds by 3.30 and had a drink with the other walkers he had met along the way.  Pleased to say although he was probably one of the eldest he wasn't the last.  Watch this space!!!

Tuesdays walk was very tiring and left him aching and glad of the Radox bath at the B & B.

However Wednesday walk was rather eventful.  He battled through raging torrents, thick mist, and boggy terrain.  Not only that he rescued a damsel in distress (well actually she was in mud up to her waist) then they both set off in the mist in the wrong direction and ended up putting another 5miles on the clock.  Leaving them both arriving at Neils B & B like drowned rats.  The young lady went onto Patterdale (in a taxi - horror of horrors!).  Neil is now drying his boots out ready for his Grasmere to Patterdale walk tomorrow, praying for fine weather and a following wind.

Thursdays walk was less eventful but he did find it hard maybe on the back of the Grasmere one.

Friday was the worst day up to now as it was once again blowing a gale, he had horizontal rain coming at him like needles and it was a very long walk.  Consequently he was shattered and broken emotionally by the time he got to Shap.  Joe (son-in-law) and I were there with fresh supplies and an encouraging word or two (like - why on earth are you doing this - from me). He recovered and enjoyed the 21 mile walk with Joe on the Saturday to Kirby Stephen. The weather was kind as well and enjoyed the company.  Next day and he was back on his own in the driving horrible rain again.  It was only 13 miles and he did it in double quick time.  So today (Monday) he goes from Keld to Reeth, short walk.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Alfred Wainwright planned and did the coast to coast walk in 1971, Im no Wainwright but it seemed like a good idea.

If I'm going to do it though it seems sensible to try to help others at the same time so if you could sponsor me, that would be great.

The walk starts at St Bees on the Cumbria coast of the Irish Sea and finishes at Robin Hoods Bay on the North Sea coast of North Yorkshire.

Wainwright reckons its 198 miles, but with my map reading I'll probably end up doing over 200. The plan is to leave St Bees on the 27th September and reach Robin Hoods Bay 12 days later.

My two chosen charities are Cancer Research UK and the Alzheimer's Society, so any help you can give would be most welcome

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So please dig deep and donate now.