Cotswold Plod 2011

Cotswold Plod 201140 miles non stop starting at midnight on 10th/11th June 2011
As the challenge is fast approaching last week we decided to test the night gear, having never walked at night before we thought it would be a good experience, not only to test the head torches but also to improve our navigation skills (especially for Charlie as he struggles with his directions in the day light). We decided on a tough 18 mile walk from Bath to Tormarton (which is officially the first stage of the Cotswold way) and after hitching a lift from our resident accountant Neil Pollinger with found ourselves on the outskirts of Bath just below Landsdown.

We set off at about 7pm and soon found are way walking up and extremely steep hill to Lansdowne, this climb must have lasted about 20 minutes and had us all blowing apart from Chesney who at 23 was showing his youth as he strolled out in front. Once up on the top the terrain levelled out and as time wore on we passed Bath Race course, Landsdown Golf club and the Infamous Lansdowne battlefields (battle of Lansdowne was part of the British civil fought on 5 July 1643. Lord Hopton led a Royalist force against William Wallers Parliamentarians).

The terrain was very undulating with some tough climbs but nothing to strenuous. As we approached Marshfield we decided to stop to put on our head torches, we got some funny looks from the locals as we passed by the local polling station and crashed through the undergrowth trying to find the next path. As night fell we picked up a good pace and swiftly covered the next 6 miles finally finishing in Tormarton at 10.30.

Highlights of the Walk

• Charlie having trouble with the gates (again)
• Charlie slipping down a hill
• Jonny struggling up a massive Hill, then blaming it on the sandwich he’d just eaten

If you would like to sponsor us, please click on the following link. We have set an ambitious target of £2500 so all help is greatly appreciated.

More info on the Cotswold Plod can be found here - http://www.action.org.uk/plod_cotswold_way

The link to our sponsorship page can be found here - http://www.action.org.uk/sponsor/rsg1