Rambling Pete's Journal

About Walking

Everyone can do it, some quicker than others. You don’t have to be A1 fit to do a long walk, but it helps if you are a regular walker. Just read the accounts of how many people complete the C2C and you’ll see the whole spectrum of ages, and preparation etc.

I do enjoy getting out and about, and find it so relaxing. I’m a great believer of looking around and observing things when out on a walk, not head down to make progress. So I tend to ramble along and take a little longer than some would when out and about.

Take your own time and enjoy the experience. An average speed would be around 3 mph, you speed up if its raining hard!

About Preparation

Read through the diaries and journals and you will get a good idea of the minimum gear to take. If your not prepared your in trouble eventually. My biggest tip – find a pair of good socks and keep your feet dry. Look after your boots – they are your best friend when they stay waterproof, but will hurt your feet when they become waterlogged. You might lose a bit of weight when you’re walking, but you won’t lose much. Your body adjusts; your legs will take on the consistency of concrete. So don’t kid yourself you can have five Mars Bars a day, it won’t help. Make sure you can read a map, you’ll do less mileage by not having to retrace your steps – I know I’ve done it plenty of times. One last tip is before you set off have a good drink of water, you will feel better for it and will have to carry a bit less.

About me

I have worked offshore on the Oil and Gas rigs for the past 29 years, which has given me the chance to travel all around the world. I’ve visited some wonderful places, but there’s no place like home for a good tramp around the Countryside.

I studied Geology at University, along with Physical Geography, with some Botany and Zoology thrown in – they liked to confuse us back in the seventies. But that background always allows me to indulge in a spot of fossil hunting or search for some minerals wherever I wander. I’ve stopped collecting everything I see as I get older, because when I get home from a walk I usually throw everything away and it becomes a chore lugging a pack of rocks around. But if I see a good piece it stays with me.

I have been walking as a pastime for many years now, but this has been interrupted by DIY for the past 10 years. So this year of 2007 I have decided to put my best foot forward again (My left) and walk a bit more regularly. So over the year I will try and record a walk every Month to share with whoever tunes in to this site.

About the walks

The only National Trail I have completed is the Offa’s Dyke Path, although I did it in two halves – The Northern section from Knighton to Prestatyn - before the days of digital cameras. I finished the Southern part this summer. I know the purists will say it should be done in one go, but time does not always permit. I live South of Manchester and am well served by the motorway network. I can be in all sorts of different places within an hour or two so I’m quite lucky in getting the weather right.

About Time

Make time, look at the weather forecasts, there is always somewhere you can go to keep dry. I work offshore Norway, on a good rotation that gives me plenty of time off, and lets me plan ahead like normal people do. So from this year onwards I plan to do a George Todd and complete a long distance path every year until I crumble away in the future at some point.

And now I’m up and running, I’ll be walking more…..I hope you enjoy the diary as much as I enjoy the walks.