A week in Badenoch and some good walks...

Another Creag Dhubh

Barney's up in the snow again on another Creag Dhubh near Aviemore...

Barney's 9th birthday treat

Barney is 9 today so what better way to celebrate it than go for a walk...

Valentine's Day walk

Barney has been up Killhope Law with us today - our local hill and one we try to do every year when the snow's down.

The trig point at the top in the cloud

Barney's very interested in the last of the Christmas cake!

On the way down - still no view

Barney's latest walk

We haven't posted to the blog for a while, so just to let you know that Barney is still enjoying his walks even after finishing the long one!
Here he is on Blencathra in the Lake District today enjoying the snow...

We're planning a few more walks this year, maybe not quite as long as last year but still long enough.
Watch this space!

Thanks to All!

 

With the wet and windy December weather we're having here in the north of England it seemed a suitable time to review our trip this spring and summer. We would like to thank all who helped us along with help and donations as we made our way slowly north. Here's a list of both planned and unplanned help for our trip - it's almost certainly incomplete and we apologies for any missed entries!

Friends & Family
Rosie & Garry. Starting us off from home, meeting up at Monmouth and a glorious afternoon at Burnlaw as we neared home.
Nigel, Kay & guide dog Jackie. At the very start & then a complete surprise at the very end!
Keith & Margaret. Our first rest day and a chance to chill out on the Cornish Riviera. and meet up with family over the Easter weekend.
Penny & Tim. After struggles with blisters we were treated to a holiday with old friends from Settlingstones who couldn't do enough for us - a wonderful time recuperating!
Richard & Emma. Our bags were carried for a stage and a welcome night indoors in an area that had hit the headlines not long ago for the severe floods.
Karolie. We met en route in Cornwall. Karolie (and her lovely golden retrievers) offered to put us up when we reached Cheddar. A welcome change from camping.
Poppy. We needed somewhere to stay around Bristol and pick up one of our resupply parcels - a vital point in the journey.
Mick, Penny, Ian, Stephen & Geraldine. Worcester family - picked up, resupply, family gathering and then return to the trail lightly loaded. Walked with family and we even got lost!
Hilary & Mike. Old friends put us up and Hilary walked a stage with us on another lightly loaded stage. Thanks to Mike for the driving.
Robin & Gwynn. Again, old friends who went out of their way - Jos needed new boots and we did a mini tour of Sheffield outdoor shops. Another stage with only day sacks and at last we're in the Pennines! One of the places we simply have to return to - we want to ascend Mam Tor in clear conditions!
Joanna & Phil. Our vital resupply before we tackled 'England's Last Wilderness' here in the North Pennines.
Mick & Ann. Baggage transfer while we walked with just day sacks.
Jane & Neil. Walking with us & looking after Barney after we had finished.
John & Angie. Even though off to France the next day we had somewhere to stay after finishing the Pennine Way.
John & Penny. The section difficult for accommodation. We were taken back and forth to near Sterling whilst we were able to walk several stages light loaded.
Geoff & Wendy. Help at Fort William and then we met up again at the Crask Inn where Wendy & Meg walked with us to the end while Geoff ferried gear, appeared en route with cups of tea, ice creams and other wonderful treats!
Sue.Picked us up from Haltwhistle station and took us home (at last!).


Guide Dogs / Dogs Unite (fund raising section of Guide Dogs)
Lorraine & the rest of the Dogs Unite team at Reading for the organising and support throughout
Nikky, Julie & Fionna - Scottish central belt where we were treated like royalty!
Pippa - back home and a party was arranged at short notice in our local pub.

Inns
We camped for most of the trip so the Inns & Hotels we chose had to be special! All are wholeheartedly recommended, are do friendly and deserve a visit...
The Red Lion Hotel, Clovelly
The Royal Oak, Luxborough
The Notley Arms Inn, Monksilver
Tan Hill Inn
The Crask Inn

Donations & Help
The response to our walk was truly outstanding. As well as collecting directly as we walked, we had over 250 donations online at our JustGiving page and through our text donations number. Many thanks to all of you!
A special thanks must go to:

• The Flat Coat Retriever Society who were so generous with two substantial donation. (You can see a picture of Barney relaxing on the Rescue Rehousing page!)
• Our son-in-law's firm, Grontmij whose Newcastle workforce made collections every week for the duration of the trip.
• Hadrian Vets, Hexham. Not only looking after Barney but adding a substantial customer collection to our total.

With these additions, we raised a total of £8000. The Dogs Unite ' Match a Mile for Barney' scheme raised a further £22000 with over 1200 people and dogs taking part!

A number of organisations reduced or waived fees when they found out we were associated with a charity. Equivalent sums were added to the donations total. In all cases, people were generous and couldn't have been more helpful. Space precludes us from detailing all of these but we certainly remember you all! Apologies for any missing entries...
The North Inn,Pendeen - good collection in pub to start us off
Porthbeach Holiday Park, Newquay
Porthtowan Holiday Park - made welcome even though the site was still officially shut!
Atlantic View Caravan Park, Portcothan and Porthconan Bay Stores
Cabin Cafe, Crackington Haven. Not a campsite but the owner let us camp in her garden. Also the offer of phoning Australia as we had an urgent need to contact relatives.
Greencliff Farm, Bideford. The owner's son kindly did some shopping for us as no shops were nearby and we were staying 2 nights.
Brightlycott Barton campsite, Barnstaple. One of our pre-planned packages was waiting for us.
Huntstile Organic Farm - rescued us after torrential rain when it was getting too dangerous to walk on the unlit roads. We were well fed and had an exceptional room on the house for the night.
Totney Farm, Mark. We decided to have a short day but it meant a long detour by road to get to the campsite. A farmer stopped and after chatting, suggested we take a short cut through his land which saved us many miles of road walking.
Oak Farm campsite, Congresbury
Celia of Canine Relate near the Severn Bridge. Looking for somewhere to pitch a tent and we were able to stay in a field belonging to Celia where she instructs owners and trains dogs - Barney was at home!
Eve Victoria Cafe, Hay on Wye. Even though they were closing, we were presented with tea and cakes just when we needed it most.
Radnors End Campsite, Hay on Wye
The Copper Kettle, Much Wenlock. A welcome break and then they collected on our behalf.
Wenlock Hardware, Much Wenlock for the replacement sleeping mat for Barney!
Darbys, Ironbridge
Tong Hill Farm, Tong Norton. Jos asked in the bar of the local hotel and a farmer spontaneously offered the use of his garden for camping.
Cannock Chase Camping and Caravanning Club campsite
The Dapple Grey, Uttoxeter. A very busy Sunday afternoon after race day but once the staff knew we were collecting for Guide Dogs they couldn't do enough for us!
Ashbourne Heights Country Park, Thorpe
The Rambler Inn, Edale
Carrylite Baggage Transfer Service. No we didn't use the service! We met on St Cuthbert's Way and the driver donated and offered us their service should we need it.
Jedburgh campsite
Linwater campsite
Campsie Pharmacy, Milton of Campsie
Cobleland Campsite, Aberfoyle
Ewen's Taxis, Ullapool

Marathon Meg walks on after the end!

Barney had Meg walking with him for the last few days of the walk as her owners Geoff & Wendy became our support team from the Crask Inn to John O'Groats. Wendy and Meg walked with us whilst Geoff gallantly drove their camper van back and forth, sorting out logistics, serving up drinks in unlikely places and generally making our days that much easier - thanks Geoff!
The picture shows us walking a long stretch of road, something Barney normally hated but he didn't mind at all with Meg along!
That's not the end of the story for Meg however - she went on with her owners soon after and walked the Pennine Way raising over £300 for Match a Mile!