Charlotte's Web

Monday, 25 June 2018

Microadventure #6 - Jersey 'Round the Island' Challenge

This month's microadventure began when my plane to Jersey was diverted overnight to Southampton airport because of fog! But I finally landed the next morning in time for some carb loading, sleeping and gin 'hydrating' in my cousin Penny and Andrew's lovely garden.

Beautiful sunshine above the fog!

Clearer view the next day

With my sunbathing buddy, Doogle

With Mum (also visiting), Penny and her Mum Jenny in Penny and Andrew's garden

This time last year I had never even been to Jersey, but on Saturday I got to know every corner of the island as I walked and ran around its 77km coastline. If you want a speedier version of my 12.5 hour round-trip, you can do a quick circumnavigation (without the blisters and sore legs) here: https://www.relive.cc/view/1657179158

Over 1000 people signed up for the event - mostly walking, some running and some doing a mix of both like me. We started at 03:00 so did the first few km in the dark, but as it was only a couple of days after the summer solstice it wasn't long before we were treated to an amazing sunrise and the smell of freshly cooked bacon wafting over the hill as we approached St Catherine's for our first break.

The 03:00 start at St Helier

The procession of silhouettes rounding the south-east corner of the island

Approaching Mont Orgueil Castle in Gorey

Sunrise at Anne Port

Bacon roll and coffee stop at St Catherine's

Having walked the first 12km, my legs felt warm (but still fresh) enough to break into a gentle jog as we hit the undulating north coast.The ups and downs of the narrow coastal path were a welcome distraction to the monotony and relative flatness of the south-east. With the sun now up the views were incredible, and as long as I kept the sea to my right I knew I couldn't get lost!

While I was walking and running on my own, I wasn't ever really alone. Everyone was really friendly, so I joined other groups for a bit but also enjoyed the quietness of listening to my own breath, taking in the views and letting my thoughts wander. The beauty of a long challenge is there's no time pressure (or at least none that I gave myself), so I could just relax and really enjoy the experience.

Long morning shadows

Stunning coastal paths

Half way point

Plémont

As I came off the coastal path in the north-west corner, I could see Corbière lighthouse in the distance, which I recognised from my recce walk earlier in the year, but it was at the end of the long flat beach of St Ouen's. Mentally this was the hardest part of the whole thing for me - the lighthouse didn't seem to get any closer and the midday sun was brutal. So I had well-timed support from Mum, Penny and Jenny followed by a surprise visit from my friend Jenny and her daughter Jess, who brought a 'Keep Going Auntie Charlotte' pack of energy bars, plasters and ibuprofen/paracetamol as well as a much-needed hug just when I needed it the most!

The long flat stretch of St Ouen's

With Mum and Jenny

With Jenny and Jess at St Ouen's

When I finally made it to the lighthouse, I knew it was 'just' the south-west corner to go, and the ups and downs were a welcome change to the flat terrain of St Ouen's. Also part of my recce walk, I knew the twists and turns coming up so I could pace myself and really enjoy the last bit again. Amazing what some support from friends, a fresh pair of socks and a couple of paracetamol and ibuprofen can do to your motivation!

Corbière lighthouse... finally!

St Brelade's

Portelet beach

The last flat bay from St Aubin to St Helier was mentally tough again, but after 12.5 hours of moving time I finally made it to the finish and a very welcome leg massage!

Tuesday, 29 May 2018

BONUS Microadventure #5 - Mountain Sleep-Out

If you had accidentally booked accommodation on your yoga retreat holiday for 4 nights instead of 5, and there was only one room available for the extra night, would you...

a) Share a room with your snoring Mum?
b) Sleep in one of the retreat's comfy wigwam tents?
c) Borrow a sleeping bag and tarpaulin as a makeshift bivvy bag and sleep on top of a hill?

No brainer, right? Just a shame about the rain... (especially when the rest of the week was sunny!)

Big thank you to Sarah and Martin at Casa de Carrasco for kitting me out at the last minute!

http://www.yogaholidayspain.com/

Setting out about 9pm, aiming for the bit between the trees

Setting up camp on the hill-top yoga platform

Niiiiiight!

My waterproof cocoon/tarpaulin

Morning!

Morrrrre rain on its way

Looking down on the retreat from the hill-top

Microadventure #5 - Coffee in London, Champagne in Paris and Beer in Barcelona... by train!

Terrified of flying, my clever Mum encouraged my Dad to get a campervan so they could still travel but avoid setting foot on an aeroplane. Their first trip was driving from London to Athens for the Olympic Games in 2004, followed by many more adventures around Europe and even to Morocco when I lived there from 2008 to 2010.

But since Dad died in 2014 Mum hasn't been travelling much, so for her birthday this year she joined me at my favourite yoga retreat in the Catalonian mountains of northern Spain.

By my (self-imposed, unwritten and often illogical) rules, a holiday does not constitute a microadventure, even though I did a bit of trail running (training for June's microadventure) while I was there. But with Mum's fear of flying, a Eurostar from London to Paris and a direct train from Paris to Barcelona, this month's microadventure was all about the journey (which, while a bit cliché, is so often true of life anyway).

The whole thing took about 12 hours, but over a very civilised 9-9 period where we could read, chat, eat, drink, sleep and play A LOT of backgammon. Thanks for being my microadventure buddy this month Mum, and Happy Birthday!

Waiting for the tube from Balham to Kings Cross St Pancras

Coffee before the Eurostar

Opening birthday cards on the train

Waiting for a taxi from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in Paris

Waiting for the train to Barcelona at Gare de Lyon

6.5 hours Paris to Barcelona

Birthday Champagne

Whizzing past vineyards

Post backgammon snooze

Beer in Barcelona

Sunday, 15 April 2018

Microadventure #4 - London Bridges Challenge

Unlike my night in a bothy (January), cold water swim (February) and weeknight wild camping (March), this month's microadventure required a bit of training.

When my friend Naomi suggested we do a 48km (30 mile) walk along the River Thames, I scoffed at her suggestion of a training plan. It's walking - how hard could it be?!

Fast forward to our first 20km training walk together (in the snow) and I realised that I'd underestimated the effort of putting one foot in front of the other and repeating it for a 3-4 hour period. The following week I battled with a strange twinge in the muscle on top of one of my feet, sore hip flexors and shin splints. So a training plan it would have to be. Fortunately for me, Naomi is a TV producer and LOVES planning!

Over the next 4 weeks, we both incorporated walking into our work commutes and did a longer walk together at the weekends, increasing the distance by 5km every week. Slowly my legs got used to the different range of motion to running and cycling. And with a bit of stretching and foam roller-ing, 4 weekends on from that snowy 20km we were at Hampton Court train station, ready to begin our walk crossing the 26 pedestrian bridges that span the River Thames from Hampton Court to Tower Bridge. There are actually 33 in total, but 7 are railway bridges, so we didn't think they were a very sensible option to get ourselves to Tower Bridge in one piece.

The twists and turns of the River Thames - including the 'Chiswick cleavage'

Here are all 26 bridges in order:

1. Hampton Court Bridge

2. Kingston Bridge

3. Teddington Lock Footbridge

4. Richmond Bridge

5. Twickenham Bridge

6. Richmond Lock Footbridge

7. Kew Bridge

8. Chiswick Bridge

9. Barnes Bridge

10. Hammersmith Bridge

11. Putney Bridge

12. Fulham Bridge

13. Wandsworth Bridge

14. Battersea Bridge

15. Albert Bridge

16. Chelsea Bridge

17. Vauxhall Bridge

18. Lambeth Bridge

19. Westminster Bridge

20. Hungerford/Golden Jubilee Bridge

21. Waterloo Brdige

22. Blackfriars Bridge

23. Millenium Bridge

24. Southwark Bridge

25. London Bridge

26. Tower Bridge

I should probably add, just to add to the adventure, Naomi is 5 months pregnant. WHAT A TROOPER! So to balance us out and to make things fairer, I carried her backpack on my front most of the way. A sort of externally positioned foetus full of sandwiches, soup, water and snacks.

7am and we're off!

Being a doofus in Bushy Park

Bacon sarnies in baguettes homemade by Nico (Naomi's husband)

Charlotte standard 'Ta daaa' pose in front of Richmond Lock Bridge

Standard dog stop (me, not Naomi)

Stretching on Kew Bridge

Saying hello to the geese (with an irrational fear of geese and swans)

Running out of bridge poses

By the time we got towards lunchtime, my "let's cross that bridge when we come to it" jokes were wearing thin and hunger was setting in. So THANK GOODNESS for bumping into fellow Clapham Chaser Gabby near Barnes and Carluccios in Putney.

Bumping into Gabby along the river

Pasta in Putney

The afternoon was mostly about playing games like "What's your favourite..." (covering just about every possible topic) and "Would you rather X or Y" (to which Naomi would normally say one, change her mind then say both). Part of the fun of walking rather than running or cycling is you really can have a proper conversation. But even good friends run out of regular chat so the games were a fun way to get to know each other even better.

Outside Carluccios in front of Putney Bridge

Fulham Rail/Pedestrian Bridge

In Battersea Park we were met by Nico and did a bit of leg elevation by Albert Bridge before heading more central where, after being quite sparse for the most of the way, the bridges came thick and fast.