22 hours to Fowlmead

12/13.09.09

The White Cliffs Challenge
54.7 miles within 22 hours
Described as a 'bracing clifftop walk', this was a circular route based on Fowlmead Country Park, built on the site of a former Kent pit near Deal. 22 hours to get out alive. It began mildly, flatly, sunnily - Deal Castle, Walmer Castle, Hawkshill Common, Kingsdown seafront - then carried on with hazardous, heart-pulverising up-and-down zig-zags via Shakespeare Cliff and Round Down to Capel Le Ferne, while the September sun boiled the backs of our necks. We headed inland into the Elham Valley and Bishopsbourne, eastwards over bits of the North Downs Way and finished up lumbering to and fro, lost, across what seemed like the longest ploughed field in Europe, on a wrongly-taken compass bearing. The food was brilliant - hot dogs, green grapes, custard creams, macaroni cheese. I've never seen such an unpolluted night sky, full of stars. Finished in 20.35, so have got qualifier for the Heart of Scotland.

And remember:
1. long distance walking is instant liposuction
2. these are nice people
3. War, murder, violence, all the hideous futilities and senseless pain of life - none of it impinges on this perfect world. And this is the reason why I am doing the Hundred all over again.