Hello All
Today was a landmark day. I have passed the 200 mile marker. This is now the longest walk I have ever done, and I've got plenty left in my muscles to carry on. And, the Fertility Network charity target of £500 has been achieved.
This makes it a good time to explain why I'm doing this walk...........But first
Get Me Out of Here
I started walking at about 10.00 this morning. About 2 hours later I still hadn't managed to shake off Newquay. I think that I could have prepared better for this day, but I hadn't. So, I got lost in the labyrinth of housing estates that make up the outskirts of the town. It was hot and I was overdressed, and I was not thinking well. It was a massive relief when I saw a Coast Path sign (there aren't many of them). and I followed the road down hill towards what I thought was the ferry across the River Gannel. The ferry is not running until next week. So, there was no choice but to walk up the river to a boardwalk crossing which can be only made at low tide which was still an hour away.
When I got to the crossing point I met up with Ian who had experienced the same as me. We were joined by three men who were walking together (two live in Appledore and one was from Bideford).
Peer pressure got the best of us and we started to wade out onto the submerged boardwalk. The water came up to my knees and was cold but very pleasant as it washed over my feet with all the blemishes.
Once on the other side we all had a good chat as we put our socks and boots back on.
Ian and I walked on together. We chatted as we walked and discovered things that we had in common.
Ian has just retired and always wanted to do the walk in one go, having done lots of sections before.
Same as me.
We both love cricket, Victorian Novels, dislike most poetry and love walking.
I learnt a lot about sand dunes from Ian. Successfully identified marran grass, sea holly and another plant whose name I can't bring to mind right now.
I told Ian about my thoughts on erosion of the footpaths and to my relief HE AGREED! A biology professor thinks that I am talking sense.
The long walk along along the beach of Perranporth was very tiring and I was glad to get to the bus stop and the bus back to Newquay.
My Reason for Walking.
About three years ago I was as fit and healthy as a 62 year old who has retired a bit early deserves to be. When I retired it was a long held plan to complete the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path in one go. I had done many sections of the path over the years.
Jennie and I moved house within a few months of my retirement and the plan was put on hold so that the work that needed to be done on the new house could be done.
I was feeling a little under the weather and suffering a bit of pain in my knee which developed into something called a Baker's Cyst. One morning I woke up with pain all over my body and during the day that followed it got worse and worse. The following morning I was in a terrible state. I could barely walk, it was painful all over and I didn't have the strength to lift my knife and fork. It was scary how quickly I went downhill to uselessness.
My doctor prescribed me steroids and these had remarkable results. Combined with the cocktail of painkillers they made me feel better. But not as good as I should have been. So I was referred to the orthopedics department at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. It took many months to reach a diagnosis - a time that was the most painful in my life as I had to stop taking the steroids and had to rely on the painkillers. Eventually I was diagnosed with Sero-Negative Inflammatory Arthritis. It was a massive relief to have a diagnosis and (this is strange) I took a small amount of pleasure in the comments from the specialist, that he had rarely seen a case with numbers (a technical term) as high as mine.
So I was on Methotrexate and other drugs which would make me better. It was going to take ages before I could be able to stop taking the pills.
I now had to start to get my fitness and strength back. I could hardly walk and was referred to the RD&E hydro therapy pool where I would walk up and down in the pool for about half an hour. This left me exhausted and I would go home and fall asleep.
Anyway, things improved and I could walk much better and I then spent hour after hour walking up and down the length of my sitting room and kitchen. This went on for months.
I asked my physio-therapist if pilates would help me and she suggested I give it a try.
My recovery was really starting to speed up as a result of the pilates classes I was doing at Crediton Leisure Centre. I then included gym work and some exercise classes amusingly called "Body Blast" and "Pump it up Saturday".
I have continued with this for about a year and a half. I walked as often as I could and started talking again about doing the South West Coast Path, but a few years later than I had originally intended.
I am still in pain at times, but I was talking to someone recently who also has pain and wants to lead an active life. We agreed that pain is just something that you have to accept at times.
My first half an hour of walking is painful, but I can't let it stop me.
So, here I am living one of my dreams and thank you for hearing about it.
The Way to Go
California
While I was trying to get myself out of Newquay this morning I stumbled upon The Hotel Caifornia.
About 28 years ago Jennie, me, our three children and Jennie's sister Julie, her husband Wayne and their two children stayed at this hotel. Every night the entertainment would always end in the same way. The DJ would put on The Eagles song Hotel California. "You can check out anytime you like, But you can never leave".
Take it easy.
Rob.
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter
Today was a landmark day. I have passed the 200 mile marker. This is now the longest walk I have ever done, and I've got plenty left in my muscles to carry on. And, the Fertility Network charity target of £500 has been achieved.
This makes it a good time to explain why I'm doing this walk...........But first
Get Me Out of Here
I started walking at about 10.00 this morning. About 2 hours later I still hadn't managed to shake off Newquay. I think that I could have prepared better for this day, but I hadn't. So, I got lost in the labyrinth of housing estates that make up the outskirts of the town. It was hot and I was overdressed, and I was not thinking well. It was a massive relief when I saw a Coast Path sign (there aren't many of them). and I followed the road down hill towards what I thought was the ferry across the River Gannel. The ferry is not running until next week. So, there was no choice but to walk up the river to a boardwalk crossing which can be only made at low tide which was still an hour away.
When I got to the crossing point I met up with Ian who had experienced the same as me. We were joined by three men who were walking together (two live in Appledore and one was from Bideford).
Peer pressure got the best of us and we started to wade out onto the submerged boardwalk. The water came up to my knees and was cold but very pleasant as it washed over my feet with all the blemishes.
 |
| Crossing the River Gannel |
Once on the other side we all had a good chat as we put our socks and boots back on.
Ian and I walked on together. We chatted as we walked and discovered things that we had in common.
Ian has just retired and always wanted to do the walk in one go, having done lots of sections before.
Same as me.
We both love cricket, Victorian Novels, dislike most poetry and love walking.
I learnt a lot about sand dunes from Ian. Successfully identified marran grass, sea holly and another plant whose name I can't bring to mind right now.
I told Ian about my thoughts on erosion of the footpaths and to my relief HE AGREED! A biology professor thinks that I am talking sense.
The long walk along along the beach of Perranporth was very tiring and I was glad to get to the bus stop and the bus back to Newquay.
My Reason for Walking.
About three years ago I was as fit and healthy as a 62 year old who has retired a bit early deserves to be. When I retired it was a long held plan to complete the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path in one go. I had done many sections of the path over the years.
Jennie and I moved house within a few months of my retirement and the plan was put on hold so that the work that needed to be done on the new house could be done.
I was feeling a little under the weather and suffering a bit of pain in my knee which developed into something called a Baker's Cyst. One morning I woke up with pain all over my body and during the day that followed it got worse and worse. The following morning I was in a terrible state. I could barely walk, it was painful all over and I didn't have the strength to lift my knife and fork. It was scary how quickly I went downhill to uselessness.
My doctor prescribed me steroids and these had remarkable results. Combined with the cocktail of painkillers they made me feel better. But not as good as I should have been. So I was referred to the orthopedics department at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. It took many months to reach a diagnosis - a time that was the most painful in my life as I had to stop taking the steroids and had to rely on the painkillers. Eventually I was diagnosed with Sero-Negative Inflammatory Arthritis. It was a massive relief to have a diagnosis and (this is strange) I took a small amount of pleasure in the comments from the specialist, that he had rarely seen a case with numbers (a technical term) as high as mine.
So I was on Methotrexate and other drugs which would make me better. It was going to take ages before I could be able to stop taking the pills.
I now had to start to get my fitness and strength back. I could hardly walk and was referred to the RD&E hydro therapy pool where I would walk up and down in the pool for about half an hour. This left me exhausted and I would go home and fall asleep.
Anyway, things improved and I could walk much better and I then spent hour after hour walking up and down the length of my sitting room and kitchen. This went on for months.
I asked my physio-therapist if pilates would help me and she suggested I give it a try.
My recovery was really starting to speed up as a result of the pilates classes I was doing at Crediton Leisure Centre. I then included gym work and some exercise classes amusingly called "Body Blast" and "Pump it up Saturday".
I have continued with this for about a year and a half. I walked as often as I could and started talking again about doing the South West Coast Path, but a few years later than I had originally intended.
I am still in pain at times, but I was talking to someone recently who also has pain and wants to lead an active life. We agreed that pain is just something that you have to accept at times.
My first half an hour of walking is painful, but I can't let it stop me.
So, here I am living one of my dreams and thank you for hearing about it.
The Way to Go
 |
| It's a long way down that coast but in about four days I will be on the far right (not politically). |
While I was trying to get myself out of Newquay this morning I stumbled upon The Hotel Caifornia.
About 28 years ago Jennie, me, our three children and Jennie's sister Julie, her husband Wayne and their two children stayed at this hotel. Every night the entertainment would always end in the same way. The DJ would put on The Eagles song Hotel California. "You can check out anytime you like, But you can never leave".
Take it easy.
Rob.
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/RobSetter
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