Jean Bradshaw
Jean's Challenge of 65. To complete 650 miles, 65,000ft+ in 65 days and raise 4,000 pounds has been achieved, with everyone's generous support, many thanks.
Fundraising for Alzheimer's Society
Story
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To Celebrate Reaching 65 in good health I set myself a walk challenge to raise money for Alzheimer’s:
650miles and 65,000ft in 65 days
(not consecutive but over 165 days, as life has to go on)
I have exceeded all my targets by completing 66 walks in 165 days, involving 663 miles and 159,700 ft of ascent, and raised £4,600, thanks to everyone's very generous support.
The first walk was on 18 March in glorious weather Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag and Seat, 10ml, 3,375ft with my friend Philip. Another 10ml walk with 3,000ft was completed on 21 March from Hartsop to High Street and Angle Tarn in dry but dull conditions. On 23 March, a 9.5ml walk with 2,900ft of ascent up Siddaw via Bakestall and Sale How with little sun and limited visibility. The first week concluded with a 9ml walk on 24 March with 3,850ft of ascent from Braithwaite to Gisedale Pike, Hopegill Head and Crag Hill in warm sunshine. On 28 March I walked from Orton to Oddendale with the Ramblers Group 10.5 miles and 1.100ft. The glorious weather continued for my ascent of Great Gable on 29 March, only 6.5 miles and 2,550ft of ascent. On the Rambler's Week-end in Eskdale I completed two great walks in lovely weather with wonderful views, on 31 March we climbed Sca Fell from Boot, 12.5 miles and 3,500ft of ascent, on 1 April we did the Mosedale Horseshoe from Wasdale, 9 ml and 3,650ft of ascent.
After 11 days spent with my 93 year old mother over Easter, I had some catching up to do, so I walked 3 consecutive days. The first was 10 miles and 1,850ft of ascent in glorious sunshine from Peter House Farm via the base of the Cockups to Longlands and Over Water Hall on 13 April. Walk 10 was on 14 April on Helm Crag Ridge in wintry showers and a strong wind, only 6.5 miles and 2,150ft but I acquired a blister! On 15 April I needed a long walk to make up the mileage to the 10 mile average per walk so I walked on a cold but sunny day from Armathwaite to Wetheral and back, 17 miles and 1,750ft of ascent and acquired another blister! Blisters padded, on 18 April I led a Ramblers group up Skiddaw, 9ml and 2,750ft of ascent in dry and cold conditions but the cloud was down on the top. Despite needing pain killers to address the problems with one of the blisters, I managed a local walk of 13 miles on 19 April with 1,600ft of ascent from Armathwaite on a showery, dull and windy day.
Three days rest and one blister healed but pain killers needed for the other on 23 April I did 12.5 mile, 1,750ft of ascent from Wasdale to Broad Oak via Boot and Devoke Water with my friend Janice. On the 25 April friend Richard led a historic walk from Lowther Park in windy but dry conditions adding 10 miles and 850ft of ascent. Blister improving, walk 16 on 26 April was the first in really wet conditions and even then the rain cleared in the afternoon, the walk from Seatoller to Watendlath, Ladore and Rosthwaite ended up being 13.5miles with 3,000ft of ascent as I lost my map case and retraced part of the route but did not find it. Walk 17 was 8miles with 1,700ft of ascent, done with the Ramblers in glorious sunshine from Troutbeck to Sallows and Sour Hows. On 30 April I recced a walk on Blencathra of 7.5miles and 3,050ft in dry and windy conditions. Challenge walk 19 was done on 2 May from Renwick to Black Fell and Thack Moor, 10 miles and 2,150ft. Walk 20 was on the western fells of Mallerstang from Garsdale to Kirkby Stephen which was 12.5ml and 2,400ft completed on a sunny day. 5 May and a frosty start to the day, followed by glorious sunshine so to Buttermere to ascend Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag, Seat and Haystacks and descend Warnscalebottom, completing 11 miles and 4,300ft. Walk 22 was short but demanding, when I led a Rambler's group up Great Gable in ideal conditions, sunny but cool, with clear views, only 6 miles and 2,400ft.
A few days break and I traveled to Skye. Walk 23 was over the cliffs near the cottage in Waterstein to Millovaig, the Hammera and Waterstein Head on 14 May in mainly sunny conditions,10.5 miles and 2,400ft. The next day I walked with friends Philip and Tony on the Trotternish Ridge from Uig to the Storr, 12 miles and 4,450ft in sunshine and wintry showers. On 16 May, Tony, Bill and I did a walk in the Cuillins up to Sgurr Hain in dull and showery conditions, making walk 25 a distance of 14.5 miles and 2,600ft of ascent. After a rain and rest day, on 18 May, Philip, Tony and I walked from Glen Brittle to Rubba an Dunain with views of the Cuillins and outer isles for 9.5 miles, 1,450ft of ascent in a cool breeze with sunny spells. Walk 27 was on Duvegan Head on the following day, mainly in sunshine but a cool breeze at times, 11 miles and 1,950ft of ascent but the highlight of the walk was the display by 2 sea eagles put on for me alone! On 21 May, walk 28 was to Dun Caan on Raasay with Bill, 11 miles and 2,400ft of ascent in perfect conditions with sunshine and a light breeze. The heat wave hit Skye and I did two wonderful cliff and coastal walks from Waterstein on 23 and 25 May, 13.5 and 8 miles respectively plus 2,750ft and 1,600ft of ascent.
From Skye we went to Scourie in the far north of the mainland of Scotland. The good weather continued and I was able to walk on 4 consecutive days, starting with a beach, dune and cliff walk from Balnakeil, over Faraid Head to Durness, 9ml and 1,600ft on a very hot day. On 28 May it was cooler so I conquered Suilven, an amazing mountain, rising almost vertically after the long walk to the base, so a 13.5ml and 3,800ft walk. Walk 33 was leisurely by comparison, a linear walk by the burn from Loch Stack, 12.5 miles an 2,000ft. Walk 34 on 30 May was the final Scottish walk up Ben Hee, I made life more difficult by choosing a precipitous decent and a boggy walk back to complete 11.5ml and 3,300ft.
Home again and a few days break before going to Yorkshire to join friends Dani and David on a walk from Grinton to West Burton in dull, cool weather, for a 9.5ml walk with 1,350ft of ascent. The following day I joined the Ramblers at Clapham to climb Ingleborough on a wet and windy day with the cloud down but the sun did come out for the last hour and another 9.5ml and 2,350ft was completed.
Back in Cumbria, walk 37 was the first leg of the Westmorland Way from Arnside to Crooklands completed on 10 June in pleasant conditions with sunny spells, 10.5 miles and 1,200ft of ascent. The following day I went out with friends, Janice, Jean and Adriennne to Buttermere and walked down Mosedale to the Kirkstile Inn and back along Crummock Water for an ice cream at Skye Farm, another pleasant day and 10.5 miles and 1,650ft. On the 13 June the 39th walk was from Glenridding, starting with the steamer trip to Howtown and then a walk over Beda Fell, to Hayswater and back to Glenridding, 12 miles and 2,700ft.
Back to Skye for a week with my friend Chris and 2 walks completed again in good weather. Walk 40 was on 17 June in Glen Brittle, 8 miles and 1,050ft of ascent and walk 41 was the following day on Raasay, 8.5miles and 1,250ft of ascent.
Home again on 23 June to do the second leg of the Westmorland Way from Crooklands to Underbarrow, it was a wet morning but sunshine came later and the 42nd walk was 13 miles with 1,300ft of ascent. Walk 43 was low level from Elterwater with the Ramblers on 27 June, 9 miles and 1,800ft, it was a wet day and I slipped on wet rock and sustained severe bruising but no serious injuries. I felt OK the following day, so completed a walk of 10 mile and 2,850ft from Braithwaite in torrential rain (I was soaked to the skin), causing my left leg to swell badly following the fall. A day's rest and my leg much improved, I led a walk up Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head in heavy
showers, due to the high winds, I cut the walk short and returned down the valley, completing 8 miles and 3,150ft of ascent. The wet weather continued for walk 46 when I led a Ramblers group up Red Pike, High Stile and High Crag, very slippery and low cloud but little wind, 8.5 miles and 3,400ft of ascent. Thirty Ramblers walked the 3rd stage of the Westmorland Way on 8 July between Underbarrow and Troutbeck in dull but mainly dry and humid conditions, 9.5 miles and 1,700ft of ascent. The 10 July was forecast to be showery but it rained from the minute I started walking until after I went to bed, 11.5 miles and 1,200ft was achieved wading through ankle deep running water or mud, or walking through chin high wet weeds, the best part of the day was meeting friend Richard for lunch in Little Salkeld with me dripping onto the stone floor. The next day was so different, a very enjoyable dry and sunny walk with the Ramblers up Hartsop Dod, Stony Cove and the Knot, making walk 49 7.5 miles and 3,000 ft of ascent.
After a week off to visit my mother, I completed 3 walks in 4 days. The first was a recce on 19 July from Grasmere to Heron Pike and Fairfield on a dry but dull day with good views, making it easy to find the route, which was 10.5 miles and 3,700ft of ascent. Walk 51 was on 21 July from Ennerdale to Haycock and Steeple with the Ramblers on a dry day with some sun, it was 10 miles and 3,300ft. The following day, walk 52 was the 4th leg of the Westmorland Way from Troutbeck to Grasmere on another dry but dull day, 11 miles and 2,550ft.
Another 5 days off visiting friends in Newcastle put me behind schedule for the first time. On 28 July I completed walk 53 which was a Ramblers country walk from Temple Sowerby, we only had one short sharp shower but the ground was very wet and boggy which made the 14.5 miles hard going but there was only 950ft of ascent. I then walked 3 consecutive days to catch up with my schedule, starting on 31 July with a sunny day to recce Fairfield returning via Stone Arthur, a 10 mile walk and 3,600ft. The following day was wet and windy and I walked round Thirlmere with the Ramblers, 11 miles and 1,450ft. On the 2 August, the sunshine returned for my low level recce round Grasmere and Rydal, 9.5 miles and 2,150ft. We were very fortunate on another Ramblers walk on Saturday 4 August as we managed to dodge the heavy thunderstorms until we were in the car and completed a walk from Hartsop above How to Red Screes, 9.5 miles and 3,550 ft.
On 6 August, my friend Richard took me on a walk from Ambleside to Troutbeck and Wansfell ridge, a great day, 9miles, 2,500ft and we dodged the heavy showers. On 8 August we had glorious weather and I walked with the Ramblers in Buttermere, on Grasmore and Whiteless Pike, 7 miles and 3,300ft. Another good day on 12 August for walk 60, a recce of the round the Nab walk from Martindale, 10.5 miles and 2,850ft. With high winds and the forecast of heavy rain on 15 August, I did not lead the Ramblers up to Fairfield but did a walk round Grasmere and Rydal, 9 ml and 2,400ft with the last hour in torrential rain. There was a better forecast for 16 August but I walked for over 2 hours in heavy rain before the sun came out, the route round Threlkeld Common is not one I will repeat in a hurry, especially the 2 mile section through bog over the top of my boots, but the friendly red squirrel made up for it on a 12 mile walk and 1,650ft of ascent.
Saturday 18 August threatened to be wet but 5 intrepid Ramblers went to Tilberthwaite and walked up into the cloud on Wetherlam and Swirl How, we did have glorious sunshine in the afternoon but not until we were well down into the valley, 9.5 miles and 3,450ft were accomplished in high winds and very wet conditions under foot but little rain. Walk 64 was 8.5 miles and 1,750ft of ascent in Loweswater on 22 August, up Fellbarrow and Low Fell, once again with threatening cloud and high winds but no rain. I decided to do walk 65 on 26 August (day 162) as we were promised a good day but it did not materialise on Blencathra with 3 hrs of rain and the cloud down on the top, not what I had hoped for to complete the challenge with 8 miles and 3,350 ft of ascent. I did a bonus walk with the Ramblers on day 165 but once again the weather was not kind and we had thunder, lightening and heavy rain but some glimpses of the sun, completing 8 miles and 1,350ft of ascent.
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When I reached 60, I did the Coast to Coast walk (192 miles and 17,000ft over 13 days) and thanks to the generosity of friends, family and Alzheimer’s supporters, I raised £4,000. Since then I have continued to walk but at a lesser pace and distance. In the 165 days between late March and early Sept this year I walked on 35 days, covered 290 miles and did about 65,000ft of ascent. So the challenge would require me to nearly double the number of days, and more than double the distance. This year, the average walk has been 8 miles, not only will I have to walk an additional 30 days, each walk will need to be an average of 2 miles longer.
It will undoubtedly be a big challenge!
My reasons for taking on this challenge are even greater now than 5 years ago as more and more people are being diagnosed with dementia. I have been a supporter of the Alzheimer’s Society for about 30 years; I was the primary carer for my aunt for 7 years, before she died of dementia 2 days before my 60 birthday. Now I have another aunt suffering from this tragic illness and it is touching the lives of all my friends and family.
You are welcome to join me on any of my walks but I will not have a fixed itinerary. Nevertheless, I will have to turn out in all weathers, no more turning over in bed when it is wet or windy!
Please will you sponsor me and help me raise much needed cash to support people with dementia and their carers?
You could sponsor me :
·to complete the challenge
·for set amount per mile
·or if you really want to push me, you could sponsor me for every extra 1,000ft above the 65,000ft of ascent, in addition to completing the challenge.
I will post planned and completed walks plus new photos on this page so that you can follow my progress.
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So please dig deep and donate now.