WOW what an experience!

Gruelling! Exhausting! Amazing! Exhilarating! Painful!

but most of all Surreal!

Day one 

This was the starting point of the wall, we'd already climbed a very big hill to get to the start!

This is a gentle warm up apparently! We soon started to get an inkling of what may be ahead, this part of the wall has been restored but is still really hard work.

 

Thankfully there was a handrail on one side and a wall on the other as it was a sheer drop.

The view across the valley was a taste of what was to come the next day.

 

The steps varied from 2ft high in places to 2inches in others, some  beautifully restored others very rough and uneven.

This is just a taster I will add more every couple of days as there are rather a lot of photos to go through!!!

 

                                                                         

6 Days to go!! Where did the last 10 months go?

Well it hasn't been easy but it has been fun and hopefully Thursday's Auction night will be a great success and a good send off for me. 33 'Lots' as listed on the right and full details below of the event. Thank you for all the generous donations of 'Lots'.

Please come along and enjoy a great evening and wish me luck on my Great Wall adventure.

 

My next post will be when I return from China in just over 2 weeks time I will hopefully have lots of brilliant photos and maybe video too.

A BIG thank you for all your support and donations.

 

Well if I'm not ready now I never will be!!!

 

 

 



 

In a fortnight's time I will have landed in China for my Great Wall adventure!

 

 

I cannot believe that it's been 10 months since I committed myself to this challenge. If I knew then what I know now........!

 

It's been a Roller Coaster to say the least and many obstacles seem to have been thrown at me, I haven't met the target I set myself although with a good turn out on the 10th Sept for the Auction (and my send off) night I could still get a lot closer!! So even if you don't want to join in the bidding please come along to the Bath Function Rooms from 7.30 pm to wish me luck.

 

My training's had it's fair share of set backs but I think I will be ok, still nursing a poorly foot but with a bit of TLC it should be much better even if I need to keep it strapped up. I've done some not too physically demanding walks with my trainers this week.........

Barney and Hattie have kept me company this week we've had a lovely time walking in the nearby countryside. Also managed to fit in a good Gym session 15 mins on the cross trainer, 15 mins on the cycle, lots of upper body work and finished with a 15 mins row.
 
So next weeks post will be the last before I go and I don't know if I'll get the opportunity to send anything while I'm away as we won't be on the main touristy bits so the only Wi-Fi available may be a side dish to go with the Kung Po Prawns!!!
 
Don't forget to Follow me on Twitter @walkwall4dothse and Facebook Carol goes to China and to donate - use the link on the right of this page to my Just Giving page or the link on my Facebook page.

 

 



 Exhausted!! 3 weeks to go......

But in a good way. The Pub Games Night was great fun, everyone enjoyed it and went home happy.


 The Belvoir Castle were great hosts (again) and we were treated to nibbles from the adjoining Fish and Chip shop. Some of the regulars were in for their supper and bought raffle tickets and made donations.

A brilliant total of £142.87. A huge thank you to everyone whether in a team or spectating, and to Steve and Claire for the use of the pub and the bottle of Vodka for the raffle.

Lovely walk yesterday, not too challenging as I am still trying to go steady on my foot. My sister was dog sitting 3 Jack Russells and I've got Hattie for a week, so we all went
together. This is Floss doing her impression of a Meerkat! Hattie slept well and so did I.


Must start upping the Gym visits, Barney coming tomorrow for 4 days so we'll all be going for some good walks, punctured repaired so back to the cycling.

The rainbow was this evening very vivid colours and lasted for ages. The sunset was pretty amazing too.



Next event will be Charity Auction so check out the 'Lots' so far at top right of this Blog, there are plenty of 'Lots' to bid for so put the date in you diary! It's 2 days before I fly off to China so it will be a bit of a farewell do too.

4 weeks today I will have done my first day's trek on The Great Wall of China!!

To my amazement there are still some people who think the Great Wall is FLAT!! There probably are some sections that are relatively flat but most of it runs along the spines of the hills and mountains as it was built as a fortress to keep out the advancing Mongolians. Some sections are in a state of bad repair and some have been restored, my understanding is we will be covering sections that include some very challenging trekking. I will be 'earning' every penny of the money people have kindly donated for Dorothy House. For those who haven't supported me yet PLEASE DIG DEEP! click on the link for my Just Giving page. Dorothy House do
amazing work but would not be able to survive without the generous donations people make so please sponsor me.

As for my poorly foot the x-ray revealed nothing in the way of fractures thankfully, so consulted a Physiotherapist as I needed to be sure I wasn't going to do any more damage, I have damaged the tendons and ligaments, advised to rest it!!!! Went to the Gym so couldn't really do the leg stamina training I wanted to do, did lots of upper body and cardio stuff. Cooled down with a steady 2000 metre row. Not bad for an old bird!!

Mollie went home with much shorter legs!!! No really she loved her walks although I couldn't do too much and she is only 5 years old so still able to keep up that was until we saw some cows, she dug her tiny little paws in and WOULD NOT MOVE, I had to pick her up and carry her past them until she settled down.

Pub Games Night on Friday everyone welcome even if you haven't got a team, come down to the Belvoir Castle, Lower Bristol Road, Bath (next to Kia showrooms) and just enjoy the fun or join someone else's team. I might even sneak a Yard of Ale contest in too! And the obligatory Raffle will be held as well. Looking forward to a great night and lots of pounds in the pot.

Charity Auction, Thursday 10th Sept. Bath Function Rooms, Green Park Station, Bath. BA1 1JB, (there is parking available at Green Park which is unlimited in the evenings). More Auction Lots have been added so there is a large range of prices, anyone can join in the bidding. It's also only 2 days before I go, it will be my send off party too! There will be a bar in the Function Rooms and food is available at the Brasserie downstairs if people want to make a night of it. The Auction will start at 7.30 pm, doors open from 7 pm, a full Auction list will be available and a screen presentation will also be showing the 'Lots'. This is a free event but if you register for tickets I will email the full Auction Lot List prior to the event.



 

OMG 5 weeks and counting!!!

And the first thing I have to do tomorrow is go to the hospital for an x-ray on my foot, went over on it about 2 weeks ago and it's not improving Doctor thinks I may have a compression fracture!

Yesterday I thought it might be better to go for a bike ride, went along the cycle track from Lower Weston to Bitton about 6 miles, on the way back got a puncture and had to walk about 3 miles back!! Things just aren't going my way at the moment.

I did manage to exhaust Mollie the other day though, strapped my foot up, put on my sturdiest walking boots and hiked down the hill to the river, along the river and back up the hill again, she's only got little legs and she certainly slept well that evening. Mollie didn't want to go far the next day! Sat in her favourite spot and watch the tractor in the field opposite.

Mollie also thought the balloons were great fun and wanted to play with them as they came, ran up and down the garden barking at them as they went over from the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. If the winds in the right direction they come straight over my house!!!!

This view was my breakfast view
on Saturday morning from the
Hare and Hounds where I had a late breakfast with my friend Su. The views of the Scilly Isles are stunning but I think they don't quite measure up to our local ones.

Think I might have to get creative with the training from now on!!!

Don't forget to sponsor me using the Just Giving link from this page.

You can also go to my Facebook page from the link in the right hand top corner of this page.
Thanks for all the support so far.

Got to get back to normal, had a lovely holiday but 6 weeks time I'll be in China so need to knuckle down!!

But will have to just remind myself what a wonderful time I had so I'll share it with you.

After an exhausting weekend in Yorkshire Dales, Monday morning off to Cornwall, had a nice leisurely drive down with a stop for lunch and catching up with all the news with my dear friend and former neighbour. A few days in Penzance with our other former neighbours and then over to the Isles of Scilly. Weather not brilliant as the wind was very cold and it can change by the hour over there but once the wind had drop a bit and the rain had blown through it was lovely (not very warm) and we had some lovely trips out including some boat trips.

Of course one trip would have to be to the famous Abbey Gardens on the island of Tresco. With a very mild climate and frost and snow almost unheard of the flora and fauna is amazing so I was in my element. I was last here forty years ago and although some of the plants and trees were larger or different, the atmosphere and fascination for me was just as before. Forty years ago I hadn't even got into Floristry but was interested in gardening even then and was enthralled by all the exotic looking plants the like of which I had never seen before.

The last time I was on the Isles of Scilly I caught the bug for rowing after having a go in a Gig Boat that sparked my love of rowing a couple of years later. The boat trips around the Island were a favourite pass time too and this time we had a treat and were taken around St Mary's in the Life Boat out on a practise run, all dressed up ready to go to dinner at Star Castle we must have looked a bit odd with Life Jackets on!!! I'll let you judge for yourself!!

I had every intention of going for a swim in the sea every day but the wind was so bitter I think I would have caught double pneumonia so had to make do with walking but nothing as challenging as Yorkshire as any hills on the Islands are mere mole hills in comparison to Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-Y- Ghent!

 I couldn't go to the Islands and not go out on the Sea Safari all around the remote uninhabited islands we saw lots of sea birds an at least one puffin which must have a late brood as most have left the islands after the breeding season. It's too early for baby seals but we saw some of last years young as well as lots of pregnant females. It's amazing how well they blend in with the granite rocks but once you got focused there were so many.

The one on the right was sleeping in the sunshine and as we rounded the corner he woke up with such a start and had this lovely surprised expression. All in all it was a wonderful holiday but all aver far too quickly. Must knuckle down now to some really serious training for the next 6 weeks and step up the fund raising!!

Don't forget you can donate via the Just Giving link to the right hand side of this page.

Pub games night Friday 21st August get your teams together and register as soon as possible.

Charity Auction Thursday 10th September at Bath Function Rooms. I will be adding more 'Lots' later in the week. Anyone wanting to donate 'Lots' please leave a message below.