You'll Never Walk Alone

Hi Folks, Steve here

So having taken a week off work, I decided to pay my family a visit on the London/Kent border. However a week is a long time in the life of a trainee Trailwalker so I made sure I packed my boots and Indiana Jones hat.
Looking at the local maps, I decided the best option was to walk a section of the North Downs Way- well, we had done its Southern cousin the week before, so it only seemed fitting and was likely to provide similar conditions!
Having spent (being the operative word) the morning at the Bluewater shopping centre, I asked my mum to drop me off at the section of the path where it crosses the River Medway alongside the M2 and High Speed Rail link. Having found a nice looking section of kerb to mount on a busy dual carriageway, I jumped out the car and grabbed my bag from the boot. Just as I was closing the boot and saying goodbye, my mother rather helpfully inquired if I was also going to take my walking boots which were sitting on the back seat- that’s what mothers are there for.

So, there I was, in the middle of deepest, darkest Kent with only my wits about me- didn’t even have a map as the Ordnance Survey one I was going to use started 9 miles up the road; I hoped the route would be well signposted. Whilst walking along, I felt very much like a homing pigeon; dropped in an unknown location and then allowed to find my way back home. I had estimated it would be about 25 miles back home to Orpington all being well.
The first few miles were fine. Happily ambling over pasture land and through the occasional copse. The sun was shining brightly and it was about 23 degrees, so I knew I would have to make a conscious effort to keep well hydrated.

I carried on at a fairly good pace for about 10 miles and then thought that I deserved some lunch, so I took a breather and took the chance to phone home and check on the tennis scores at Wimbledon.
After a bit, I marched onwards. It was at this point that I realised how different it is walking alone compared to when there are two or more of you. When you walk alone you can choose your own pace and never have to argue about which route is the right one, however, there is only yourself there to keep you moving forward and spur yourself on- this I found would be my undoing.

Doubt started to enter my mind. I was feeling a bit headachy from all the sun and my knees were starting to ache a little. I was walking at a fairly brisk pace but I just didn’t have the urge to do a whole 25 miles.

I continued on and the terrain even seemed to be going against me. Whereas the South Downs are predominantly open grassland, the North Downs do have quite a few pokey narrow paths which are strew with rocks and loose gravel. I was doing my best not to shorten my planned distance but it was looking increasingly likely. I bargained with myself and said that it would be OK if I just made it to Otford. That would mean a 17 mile walk and not too far from home to be picked up in a car.

At some point, whilst dealing with this inner turmoil, I lost the North Downs Way. Careless, I know. I did have a map but I was unable (or more properly, unwilling) to retrace my steps and pick it up again. This meant the last 4 miles of my walk to Otford would be along a narrow, country road. When feet are hot, the last thing you want is to have to walk on such a hard road surface. It was at this point that I came across a rather small, whiskered friend:

Sitting at the side of the road, feasting on a recently deceased fly was a vole. I had to double take because this thing just did not care that I was trampling right towards it. I assumed this must be its first meeting with man as it did not consider me a threat. I also wondered if its first meeting would also be its last when it encountered a bird of prey or a cat. I thought I had to capture the vole on camera plus that meant I could have a break from walking. I also tried to see how close I could get to it. This thing just did not move. Eventually it got a bit annoyed when I gently poked it with one of my sticks and it sauntered into the verge. How odd!

I was now on the home stretch to Otford. I met my mum and we headed home for a well deserved cup of tea.

I know I only walked about 17 miles and compared to the 30 miles we did the weekend before, it was nothing. However, when training for an event like this, it is really a necessity to do it with at least one other. Team work is going to be a major factor when it comes to successfully completing Trailwalker and this walk was a real eye-opener on that front.

Steve 30/06/2008