When I received an email
from President Richard Carter of Bakewell Rotary Club, inviting all Rotarians to spread
the word about their forthcoming Annual (2nd year) Tunnel Tramp, I
immediately thought that it was something I could get involved with.
The Tunnel Tramp is not a
vagrant living in a tunnel, but rather a walk along Monsal Trail in the
Derbyshire Dales. In 2011, redundant
railway tunnels were opened along the route for walkers and cyclists. Bakewell Rotary Club saw a great opportunity
and organised a Sponsor Tunnel Tramp (or walk) walkers a choice of 5 miles, 12
miles or 16 miles circuit.
When I decided a fortnight
ago to do the walk, I told friends that I would love to do the 16 miles but
realistically being so out of condition, 5 miles was a better target.
Friends who know that I’m
all or nothing guy, encouraged me by telling me that if I could walk over
burning, hot coals then I could manage 12 miles. I hadn’t allowed much time for training but
knew I could walk 5/6 miles comfortable.
I decided that I would make a decision on the day.
The tunnel tramp was superbly
organised by Bakewell Rotarians and I appreciated their friendly conversation
at the check-in points.
 |
| President Richard (left) at the start of the walk |
The walk started at Hassop
Station. Anxious to give myself as much
time as possible to go the full distance, I was the first walker to set-off. I was also the first person to reach the
first check-in point, 2 ½ miles along the trail at Monsal Dale. I continued as the next stop was Millers Dale
(another 3 ½ miles along) and it was my
intention to stop here, eat my lunch and rest for about 30 minutes before
deciding whether to turn back and do 12 miles or go the full distance.
I still felt good at Millers
Dale so decided to continue the further 2 miles up to Topley Pike. When I got there and started chatting to the
Rotarians there, one of them Roy Pickles, shared one of my other passions. Both Roy and myself had attended the Barnsley
v Blackpool football match the previous day.
A late friend of Roy’s, Frank Moore, was a well-known Barnsley Football
supporter. Frank Moore had been a season
ticket holder at Oakwell from 1914 until his death in 2008 at the age of
102. Frank had moved to Buxton but still
went back to Barnsley for every game.
Roy had taken Frank to every game for the last eighteen years and had
continued to attend these four years following Frank’s death. Had I not decided to go the full distance, I
would have missed making this wonderful new acquaintance.
8 miles gone, 8 to go. The walk back to Millers Dale was quite
gentle. Again I enjoyed great
conversation and fellowship with Rotarians.
The next leg was the first time I felt I was tiring, but I knew I had to
get back to Hassop and that kept me moving.
My MP3 player proved to be a good companion as songs by Iron Maiden,
Metallica and The Cult kept me pacing my steps.
As I entered the last mile,
I could feel a blister on my foot. I was
pleased though, that I had managed 15 miles relatively blister-free.
Just after 4pm, I completed
the walk and felt proud in the achievement of walking all 16 miles. Not bad for an unfit, overweight, middle-aged
bloke!
Finished !
My check-in card
After winding down, I drove
home. Later that night I was struggling
to walk to the kitchen, but no-one can take away from me that I did it – the full
16 miles. What’s more, I plan to go back
next year.
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