shooting star

Hello it is Nutty!

I'm  in the Hunters Inn- v historic watering hole, half way bettween Lynmouth & camp; Coombe Martin. Yesterday woke in wild camp to a strange dawn chorus - owls, buzzards, hawks, and seaguls in distance. Walked down into Lynmouth and had a great nosh up and some hand shakes and words of encouragement from a few people. Re-energized I began the steep ascent to Lynton without using the cliff railway. Onwards through valley of rocks - brilliant weather - stopping for the odd chat and handshake - and I felt my energy levels rise and walked on & camp. Darkness fell - and on with my headlamp - bit scary - twigs snapping - deer/badgers - shapes in the shadows.  Pushed hard, pitched tent at midnight under a deep canopy of stars and as my head hit my makeshift pillow the side of outer tent partially collapsed and flapped all night - so not good sleep. Can't believe where I pitched it!  Photos coming soon in a few days - web cafe at Woolacombe.

No mobile signal since Lynmouth. Very tired now so trying to eat well and rest some before pressing on. Staff here very friendly and beautiful location. The Great Hangman (1000ft ascent) is looming. Don't know if I will tackle it today or tomorrow - there is a camp site either side of it and I am in great need of shower, shave, and laundry.

I can only walk slowly today - decision needed soon.

Mike Clemson / Stuart Oatey - Will you be joining me? If so please bring lots food!!!!

Gave telephone interview with Mike from the Wiltshire Times at noon today - despite no mobile signal and phone box out of order - thanks to the manager and staff of Hunters Inn!

Thanks Steve - support is invaluable. Support from anyone is so welcome - I may be big and nutty but I am also lonely and in pain!!!!!!

Best wishes to everyone,

Nigel.

Ouch!

Hello everyone,

Had a text this morning from Nigel which simply said "ouch". He rang me around 6pm and told me every joint in his body was aching when he woke this morning. This should get a bit easier as his body adapts but he is after all on the toughest part of his trek as there are a lot of climbs. This should level out after a couple of days when he will be able to cover more ground. Well for a while anyway!

He told me there was a landslide before he got to Lynton & Lynmouth which meant a one and a half mile detour so he decided to walk through it anyway. I guess that's why we call him Nutty Nigel.

Said he's met a lot of nice people on his trek who asked a lot of questions and was talking to them about his cause.

While I think about it! I thought that I should just mention, If anyone wishes to become a follower then just click on the Follow tab on the right hand side of your screen as it would show that he is getting a lot of support.

Will update you all again soon,

Steve
www.retrodj.co.uk

Walking in the dark

Hello again loyal subjects,

The last I heard Nigel had just past Sisters Fountain wherever that is. He is camping out wild tonight and is walking in the dark as he tries to find a spot to pitch his tent. His tent looks like a giant cricket. Lets hope he doesn't catch a bug!

Steve
www.retrodj.co.uk

Porlock camp site

Hi everyone,

Everything going fairly well except that he had problems with his mobile phone as he had it packed so tightly it switched itself on and was nearly flat when he went to use it. His ruck sack was uncomfortable when he started out this morning as he didn't pack it properly but he stopped and corrected it which felt a lot better and he forgot to pack his tooth brush. Not bad for the first day ehh!

He's made it to Porlock camp site where he phoned me from a payphone. He found the walk quite tough as there were a lot of steep climbs and it was a bit of a shock to his system after sitting in an office all week. His favourite time was when he reached the top of Exmoor which was the highest point on that part of the journey where he had a great all round view and was looking down on Porlock from a distance. He's hoping he might win a prize for having the smallest tent on site. He said that the vaseline is working well. I DO HOPE HE MEANS ON HIS FEET! He's decided to discard a few more bits of his kit to make his load lighter.

This is Steve at mission control signing off until the next time.

On my way

Hello Nutty Nigel fans,

Nigel got off to a slow start today as he had to wait for some supplies he had to collect from town. He then came back home and did some more preparations. He had difficulty in booking a room for tonight due to it being a bank holiday but managed to get one sorted in the end before he starts his trek in the morning. I finally dropped him off at the railway station to catch the 1740 train to Minehead. I shook the big mans hand and watched him disappear into the distance with my rear view mirror and I can remember thinking to myself.......... I hope he comes back with my rear view mirror! He's lost half a day but I'm sure he will catch up.

He sent me a text from his hotel room saying that he's going to hit the path at 0900 tomorrow after breakfast. From then on there will be no fancy hotel rooms, just him, his tent and his imaginary friend. Who is his imaginary friend I hear you say? Well I haven't actually met him yet but what I don't understand is why isn't he carrying any of the kit!

Steve.
www.retrodj.co.uk

One last thing before I go....

I had an e-mail from Mike Clemson - an old colleague of mine and he seems serious about sharing a few days with me on the path.  One or two others have said they are keen.  After all, it's a good day out or weekend away.

If ANYONE wishes to do something a bit unusual with their weekend then I will be really happy to see a friendly face out there on the brutal, unforgiving cliffs.  Was that too melodramatic?  If you don't know my mobile number just drop an e-mail to bigplateman@ymail.com and that will get picked up by Steve in the trek control center who will get a message to me.  Why not walk a few miles with me?  Bring me a few cakes, biscuits and a beer!!!

I have broken the journey into 3 sections of 100 miles.  Section 1 is Minehead to Hartland / maybe Bude
Section 2 is Hartland to Newquay, Section 3 is Newquay to Lizard.  Each section will take about 7 days.

Tomorrow night I should be in a tent at Porlock campsite having walked there via Selworthy Beacon from Minehead.

Goodbye Everyone!!   wahey!!!!!!!!!!!

Fame at last

Hi everyone,

I contacted The Wiltshire Times yesterday and told them about Nigel's quest and today they called me back and said they would like to run a story on him. They spoke to him at work and will speak to him again on Tuesday 31st Aug on his mobile while on his trek. The story will be published on Friday 3rd Sept. I've also informed the local radio stations but am waiting to hear from them.

Steve

Test Camp last night

After spending many hours yesterday testing kit, unpacking, rearranging, repacking, sorting out the online passwords and procedures with Steve, doing some photos and a video interview - I finally set off at dusk.  I walked along the canal path from Trowbridge towards Devizes for 3 or 4 miles in the dark carrying my full kit and using my 2 new walking poles for the first time.  A halogen headlamp, a Camel pack, digital camera and MP3 player - some of my favourite music blasting away.  I decided against camping 8 miles away and walked back to camp on the bank of the River Avon - less than a mile from my nice warm bed!

It was a very dark moonless sky when I began to build my tent at about 11pm.  I cooked a meal of vegetable risotto using my meths stove and a dehydrated ration packs.  This was an essential day of preparation and I now have a long list of tasks to complete before I leave on Thursday evening after work.

I'm too tired now to write any more except to say a BIG THANKS to Steve Maidment from
Retro DJ who is providing sponsorship and support, to my Father for his expert invaluable advice on equipment, and to all those friends and colleagues who have wished me well or donated money to the Sri Lankan Tsunami charity - HELP.

I am feeling a mix of excitement and some small doubt creeping in too - which has spurred me on to try to lighten my pack.  Last night was a bit of a shock to mind and body - even though conditions were perfect.  There is little doubt in my mind that I am about to take on a big challenge.  My biggest obstacles will be the weather, aches, pains and blisters, maybe some loneliness and mild exhaustion.  My music will help me to keep going through the rough bits, along with my good memories of the strong and spirited people of Sri Lanka.

Here is the video I put together following my visit to Sri Lanka (all stills and videos are my own work).  Some viewers may find some parts of the videos disturbing, especially near the end where I photographed the private photo album of a professional photographer who who was on top of a roof in Galle when the Tsunami struck.  The worst bits are quite blurred so it should be OK.  I try to show both the best and the worst of what I saw and heard.  And to capture the true spirit and resilience of this fascinating country and its people.

Love you All - Nutty Nigel.

Kit Test

Hi this is Steve at retrodj.co.uk, (Nigel's friend) and commander-in-chief at mission control. I will be doing my best to keep you posted as to Nigel's progress as his journey unfolds.

Today Nigel did yet more preparation testing out his kit. I am uploading some pics of nutty Nigel.

Click to view the interview with Nigel

17kg of ruck sack

Agent Nigel

Getting the message across

Daily Plan for the Trek

I have set up a dedicated e-mail address so that I can send blog posts with photos via an e-mail from a web cafe en route.  My friend Steve Maidment may also use the e-mail to publish quick posts of my daily location and progress. 

Steve will be acting as "base camp" while I'm grappling with the cliffs.  Each night between 8 and 10pm I plan to send a quick e-mail containing my location and progress.  If Steve does not receive this e-mail then I will try to call him before noon the next day.  If I fail to ring in - Steve will have a check of his e-mails and then call 999 to report me missing to the coastguard.  I am taking various survival items such as SOS whistle ( 6 long bursts followed by a one minute silence - repeated), flashing arm band, flashing head light (halogen), emergency rations, etc.  If I am unable to contact Steve, I will call 999 and let the coastguard know I'm safe (if I can get to a phone).  Of course I am assuming here that my mobile will have been smashed on a granite rock or waterlogged by a storm, or just decided not to work when I need it most.

I am going to take with me a list of phone numbers and locations for:

• campsites
• convenience stores
• hiking / walking shops
• chemists
• web cafes (and possibly some hotels giving public internet access)

Steve has ordered some great T-Shirts form the company that supplies his Retro DJ business with stationery.  They show enough info about what I'm doing and how to donate.  And I hope the weather is nice enough to show them off.  Nice one Steve!

Only Eleven Days To Go

Please Donate to the Sri Lankan Tsunami charity HELP

This weekend I have taken time to get to know all my equipment.  I have:

• Cut up my ordnance survey maps into strips of coast line - large scale maps covering Minehead to Tintagel.
  
• Tried out some water boiling on my new gas stove and meths stove
  
• Checked batteries in my Silva Halogen headlamp
  
• Got to know the digital camera a bit better
  
• Decided on things like cooking utensils, dried food rations, water bottles
  
• Experimented with ways of packing my rucksack and separating items into groups within bags
  
• Adjusted my new pair of carbon fibre walking poles
  
• Weighed everything so far

I estimate that my pack will way between 17KG and 21KG depending on what I am carrying at the time.  Some days I will need to pack more food, water and fuel (for remote areas).

I'm feeling very strange as the days are ticking away.  The trek will definitely give me the challenge I am seeking.  I am expecting to experience some adverse weather conditions - I keep asking myself "Will I have to give up if I get the wettest September on record?"

How will I cope with the solitude?  Will my body cope with the strains I will place on it - blisters, shoulders, knees, back and ankles?

A late addition to my equipment list is a superb pair of Walking poles which I got half price on ebay - 2nd hand but in good nick.  They are very lightweight carbon fibre - Black Diamond.  They have 3 telescopic sections and I have already set them to my ideal length.

I am planning to have a test walk and camp next weekend - Saturday night in a campsite at the 3 magpies in Seend - an 8 mile trek up the canal from here.  Then pack up and walk back on Sunday morning.

Have had lots of great help, advice and support from my colleagues, Steve the Retro DJ, my friends and my Father Roy - who has spent most of his life climbing hundreds of mountains (he persuaded me to get the poles).

These photos do not include some items such as clothes, camera, Zen music player, bumbag, sandals, toothbrush, razor, facecream, etc...

I'm asking myself these questions:

• Why am I doing this ?
• Can I do it?
• What happens if I fail / get injured / pull out ?
• Why am I not getting some sun in Spain like normal people ?
• What could possibly go wrong?
• Am I fit enough?
• What preparation is left to do?

Vango Ultralite I  (one - two man all season tent)

KSB Gore-text boots - lightweight, strong and hopefully waterproof

Berghaus Flame 600 - goose down mummy-style sleeping bag

Ultra- lite self-inflating mattress

Gas stove, meths

Meths stove, ultralite 1 litre kettle, 2 saucepans, frying pan and universal fit handle

Self-inflating mattress

Fire starters

Rucksack

Carbon fibre lightweight walking poles (Black Diamond)

Top left to bottom right - waterproof strip maps, cotton hat, mosquito coils, insect repellent spray, 3 dehydrated lightweight food packs, camel pack for water, trekking first aid kit, very small toothpaste, Kendal mint cake, tin of chopped toms, dried pasta, SOS whistle, 2 survival bags, Mitts (or gloves) - waterproof, breathable and warm (XL)

Cutouts from the Ordnance Survey 1:25000 maps - covering Minehead - Tintagel

I know it looks like a shower gel bottle, but it's my Italian extra virgin olive oil (for fry ups, etc), my reading glasses, flashing, reflective armband, box for teabags, sugar & similar

Trying to make efficient use of space - squashed between the Kendal mint cake and teabags are my beloved Herbs de Provence.  Note there is no coffee in sight!

Meths Stove, pots, handle, waterproof matches and kitchen towel (to stop the rattle)

Up at dawn on a Sunday!

Firstly, THANKS to all who have made a donation so far.  Thanks to Ewan for recommending the justgiving charity site.  Thanks to all colleagues for kind words of encouragement - and for various recommendations of where to seek "professional help"!

Last night I packed my tent, sleeping bag and mattress into my rucksack and left it by the back door.  This morning I dragged myself out of bed and slunk off through the farm and down the track to a grassy strip of land on the bank of the River Avon.  Conditions were perfect and I diligently erected the tent, paying careful attention to all details.  I inflated the mattress, got into my bag and closed the tent.  It was very hot in the bag and the mattress was very comfy.  I discovered that I am 2 pegs short and the 4 anchor cords become easily tangled when stored together.  I must remember to put the outer tent on the right way up or the whole thing goes pear-shaped instead of tent shaped.  Must remember not to trip over the pegs.  It took 40 minutes to get it up - paying attention to every little bit of velcro, every loop, pocket and whole.  Just 12 minutes to pack it all away, including deflating the mattress.

I aim to get my tent erection time down to 7 minutes, before I begin the walk. 

Recent equipment purchased on Ebay has been arriving steadily all week.  Storm proof matches, SOS whistle, flashing reflective armband, water purifying tablets, survival bag and emergency tent, first aid kit, lightweight fork and spoon, boot wax, can and bottle opener....and lots more.

I am doing my best to prepare well - because I really want to give this my best shot.  I am doing this for 3 reasons - one because I am craving a bit of adventure and need to get away from computers, technology (and Ewan and Dave) for a while.  Two because I believe I can and I have the knowledge and experience to pull it off.  Three - because it raises money for Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka.  There is something else too - hard to define - a call of the wild maybe?

Equivalent to Twice up Mount Everest

The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for 630 miles (1,014 km), running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more challenging trails. The total height climbed has been calculated to be 114,931 ft (35,031 m), almost four times the height of Mount Everest

Source: Wikipedia
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On 27 August 2010, I will be setting off on foot from Minehead and attempt to walk to Lands End along the official Coastal Path.  I have 20 days to do it (19 nights in a one man ultralight tent).  After that, I have to be back behind my desk in Wiltshire as a Software Developer.

If things go well (weather, blisters, etc) I hope to keep walking and reach Plymouth (or maybe even further if the wind is in the right direction).

I will be trying to raise money for charity - yet to be decided which one.

I will be posting photos and video of my trek on this blog, whenever I am in reach of a web cafe en route (no promises). 

Nigel.