Hi, my name is Jonathan and i suffer from Mycosis Fungoides, a rare form of skin Cancer.

 

My way of coping has been to do long (many days) walks or cycle rides. Many people have suggested i do this for charity.

At 15:10 on Sunday 17th July, in a real live thunderstorm and after 102 miles i finally arrived at the south coast, just down the beach from Atherington in Sussex. The weather was foul as the photo illustrates. A shame no one else was with me otherwise a better photo might have been taken.

The weathermen were fairly accurate. Friday was sunny and the cycle ride from Dunstable to Chorleywood went excellently. I made excellent time and managed not to forget anything.

 

Saturday morning was gloomy but dry until around 10 when the heavens finally broke and the down pours began. Heavy rain indeed as me and David rode through Hertfordshire to Colnbrooke. Then on to Staines and Chertsey and finally the Wey River, winding its way into Guildford. The late afternoon dried up and the welcome sun showed its face again (enough for a few photos) then hid again for further showers and the drab damp feel of the evening air. We reached Godalming around 7 or 8 at night and after a nightmarish cross country rush to beat the falling sun we finally reached Chiddingfold at around 10pm.

 

Sunday morning my energy levels had diminished. After a hearty breakfast of Porridge and toast (cooked breakfast would be too heavy) we set off again. This time by road. Our course deviating slightly from that planned to avoid the unnecesary heights of the Black Downs. I was in alot of pain but my sheer determination led me forward. However i was also willing to ease the course by limiting the remaining journey by road. We reached Petworth before David decided to split. He had his racer with him so could travel much faster than i. So we departed and he reached the South Coast first. I carried on through Fittleworth, Watersfield and Bury and then it hit me... The steepest, ugliest hill i had ever climbed so i simply dismounted and walked but even then the heavens decided to open once more and it poured. My shoes and clothes became saturated and the road seemed never ending in its desire to rise into the clouds. But finally it abaited and the nightmare was over. The road finally descended and after 2 more miles i arrived in Arundel. I took a break then headed for the coast. But someone was not letting me go that easily. Now the rain pelted me like shingle shot. A thunderstorm roared as i approached and passed Ford, pausing at the train gates to have a short silent surreal conversation with a commuter caught similarly in the rain. And then it began to diminish once more as i finally reached Climping, then along that long, lonely track between the corn fields to the beach.

 

So the trip is over but not the donating. Some of you have disbelieved so avidly that i could not achieve this journey that they waged they would only donate on my fulfilment of the deed. Well here i am and there is the photo proof.

 

Get donating people, i'd still like to reach a grand.

 

As well as donations i would welcome people willing to suggest other ideas i might be interested in, particularly ones that encourage others to join in. Travelling alone at the beginning and end of the journey was not fun. My own determination got me there but in reality it is always best shared with others.

 

You can reach me through dunstable2southcoast@gmail.com

 

The photo's on the left are from a previous walk that followed a similar route back in the spring. There are also further photos on my albums on FB..

 

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Donations may also be made on your mobile by texting PLNB75 1 to 70070 where the 1 is the amount in Pounds and may be 1,2,3,4,5 or 10.

The journey was split into 3 legs.

Each legs distance was based on the terrain.

Each leg was as follows

 

Leg 1 (Friday) - Dunstable to Chorleywood (20 Miles)

Dunstable Visitors Centre (Chilterns way), Whipsnade, Studham, Hudnall Common, Frithsden, Potten End (Hertfordshire Way), Bourne End, Bovingdon (Water Lane), Flaundon, Chenies (Chiltern Way), Chorleywood (Old Shire Lane)

 

Leg 2 (Saturday) - Chorleywood to Chiddingfold (48 Miles)

Newland Park, Horn Hill, West Hyde House, Mount Pleasant (Grand Union Canal Tow path), South Harefield,  Denham, Uxbridge A4020 Bridge (Grand Union Canal Tow path), Cowley, Little Britain (Beeches Way), Thorney Farm (Colne Valley Trail), Colnbrooke, Poyle (Wraysbury River), Staines (Thames Path), Penton Hook Island, Laleham, Chertsey, Addlestone (River Wey Navigation), Byfleet, Pyrford (Lock), Cartbridge, Burpham, Jacob's Well, Guildford, Peasmarsh, Catteshall (Lammas Lands), Godalming, Tuesley, Hydestile, Hambledon, Chiddingfold.

 

Leg 3 (Sunday (modified en-route)) - Chiddingfold to Atherington (32 Miles)

Chiddingfold, NorthChapel, Petworth, Byworth, Fittleworth, Watersfield, Bury, Arundell, Ford, Climping, Atherington