The R.A.T.S. Charity Donations
The R.A.T.S. Charity Walk : Monmouth and Brecon Canal
(For the Macmillan Nurses : November 11th 1996)
(For the Macmillan Nurses : November 11th 1996)
R.A.T.S. RAISE 'READIES'
FOR MACMILLAN NURSES FUND
FOR MACMILLAN NURSES FUND
Monday 11th November.
R.A.T.S. Chairman Mike Peart and I set off from bridge #53 at Pontypool at exactly 10:30 hrs, and although I didn't actually prepare myself for the walk, (my first ever), I found the first 17 miles or so relatively easy going, but we were obviously aching and tired when we arrived at our overnight stop ... The 'Horseshoe Inn' - (Oh ! it's a pub ... how very fortunate !) - in Llangattock at 16:30 hrs. A total of 6 hours minus our three 10 minute stops for our bananas, Mars bars and water ! Yes, although we passed several very inviting pubs, the only ale we drank was 'ADAMS' !
I found that when I eventually removed my new walking boots from my old feet, they had changed into something resembling those of King Kong's ... same size and aroma !
In the evening we found the energy to walk into Crickhowell for a meal and vital fluid replacement ... albeit hop flavoured. At 22:45 hrs, I was safely tucked up in my little bed, but ... on laying there in the dark, I could hear in the distance, a sound that could only be described as someone dragging large flagstones over a cobbled courtyard ! It seems that Mike in the next room was even more tired than he made out ... that sound was him ... SNORING !
Tuesday 12th November
My alarm went off at 07:45 hrs and it felt as though someone had crept into my room through the night and superglued my legs to the mattress ... I couldn't move ! But with a little effort ... no, with a LOT of effort ... I managed to make it to the bathroom and then the breakfast table.
After a hearty breakfast and a few grunts and groans, and a most welcomed donation from the landlady of the 'Horseshoe Inn' we set off again at 09:30 hrs to tackle the second 17 miles or so and kept up a fair pace, (well, for us that is !), until we reached bridge #158. This is where I really started to flag behind, for in front of us was a large sign stating ... TOWPATH CLOSED ... DETOUR ! The Brynich Aqueduct was closed to walkers and boating traffic as it was under repair. Although the detour was negligible, we had to double back on ourselves and walk up and down a country lane, now on tarmac instead of a flat grass / gravel towpath ! Nature obviously didn't intend my 17 stone bulk to go bounding across the countryside - (Ah, 17 stone eh ? Those were the days when I was slim ... er, 'slimmer' ! - said the now 18.4 stone Dave). My knees and hips were constantly reminding me of that diet I never went on and that I was not built for this walking lark !
Mike definitely seemed to fair better than me, and the only mishap he had other than general aches and pains , was a split toe ... Oh, and being downwind of me after my evening meal of liver & onions, bacon & baked bean casserole, ( sorry Mike ! ), he soon took up the forward position again !
We arrived at bridge #166 in Brecon at 15:35 hrs, a total of 6 hours and 5 minutes, minus our three 10 minute breaks. A visit to the 'Old Boar's Head' for a few well earned pints before being picked up by Mike's wife Olwen, rounded off the day very nicely indeed !
Was it all worth the effort ? YES ! Because all you kind people out there, (inside & outside the Mint), helped us raise the sum of £760.30p for those lovely people in the Macmillan Cancer Relief Fund.
Our thanks to you one and all.
R.A.T.S. Chairman Mike Peart and I set off from bridge #53 at Pontypool at exactly 10:30 hrs, and although I didn't actually prepare myself for the walk, (my first ever), I found the first 17 miles or so relatively easy going, but we were obviously aching and tired when we arrived at our overnight stop ... The 'Horseshoe Inn' - (Oh ! it's a pub ... how very fortunate !) - in Llangattock at 16:30 hrs. A total of 6 hours minus our three 10 minute stops for our bananas, Mars bars and water ! Yes, although we passed several very inviting pubs, the only ale we drank was 'ADAMS' !
I found that when I eventually removed my new walking boots from my old feet, they had changed into something resembling those of King Kong's ... same size and aroma !
In the evening we found the energy to walk into Crickhowell for a meal and vital fluid replacement ... albeit hop flavoured. At 22:45 hrs, I was safely tucked up in my little bed, but ... on laying there in the dark, I could hear in the distance, a sound that could only be described as someone dragging large flagstones over a cobbled courtyard ! It seems that Mike in the next room was even more tired than he made out ... that sound was him ... SNORING !
Tuesday 12th November
My alarm went off at 07:45 hrs and it felt as though someone had crept into my room through the night and superglued my legs to the mattress ... I couldn't move ! But with a little effort ... no, with a LOT of effort ... I managed to make it to the bathroom and then the breakfast table.
After a hearty breakfast and a few grunts and groans, and a most welcomed donation from the landlady of the 'Horseshoe Inn' we set off again at 09:30 hrs to tackle the second 17 miles or so and kept up a fair pace, (well, for us that is !), until we reached bridge #158. This is where I really started to flag behind, for in front of us was a large sign stating ... TOWPATH CLOSED ... DETOUR ! The Brynich Aqueduct was closed to walkers and boating traffic as it was under repair. Although the detour was negligible, we had to double back on ourselves and walk up and down a country lane, now on tarmac instead of a flat grass / gravel towpath ! Nature obviously didn't intend my 17 stone bulk to go bounding across the countryside - (Ah, 17 stone eh ? Those were the days when I was slim ... er, 'slimmer' ! - said the now 18.4 stone Dave). My knees and hips were constantly reminding me of that diet I never went on and that I was not built for this walking lark !
Mike definitely seemed to fair better than me, and the only mishap he had other than general aches and pains , was a split toe ... Oh, and being downwind of me after my evening meal of liver & onions, bacon & baked bean casserole, ( sorry Mike ! ), he soon took up the forward position again !
We arrived at bridge #166 in Brecon at 15:35 hrs, a total of 6 hours and 5 minutes, minus our three 10 minute breaks. A visit to the 'Old Boar's Head' for a few well earned pints before being picked up by Mike's wife Olwen, rounded off the day very nicely indeed !
Was it all worth the effort ? YES ! Because all you kind people out there, (inside & outside the Mint), helped us raise the sum of £760.30p for those lovely people in the Macmillan Cancer Relief Fund.
Our thanks to you one and all.
P.S. Many thanks to the lovely Olwen for the lift home.
P.P.S. For sale ... size 10 walking boots, under 40 miles 'on the clock' !
( This report originally appeared in the Royal Mint newsletter ... 'Mint Condition' - 1996 )
P.P.S. For sale ... size 10 walking boots, under 40 miles 'on the clock' !
( This report originally appeared in the Royal Mint newsletter ... 'Mint Condition' - 1996 )
Here a summary of the other charitable events we've been involved with over the years ...
a) A sponsored walk from Pontypool to Brecon along the canal towpath in November 1996 when Mike and myself raised a total of £760.30p for the MACMILLAN CANCER RELIEF FUND.
b) A second walk, ( SOLO ! ... Where were all you others ? ), along the Kennet & Avon canal on May 15th 1998, starting at Bath Top Lock and ending up at Bradford on Avon, in Wiltshire, next to Widbrook Bridge on the K. & A. where by some quirk of fate the 'BEEHIVE' pub is situated, ..... the money raised once again for those very nice people at MACMILLAN ... the total amount this time being £716.00p, thanks to all who sponsored me !
c) On 18th November, Mike Peart, Mal Brook and Myself did another walk along the Kennet & Avon canal (as above) for 'Children in Need', and raised £302 (a further £100 was raised by Mal, but this was not from the R.A.T.S.)
d) In June 2006, I contacted Macmillan HQ to find a charity shop near me that would be interested in having my collection of approximately 230+ Festival Beer Glasses I collected over the years. The 10 boxes were collected and were put on sale in a Macmillan shop in the Porthcawl area of Glamorgan. The sum raised will not be known ... but hopefully some cash will be raised for this worthy cause !
e) On Saturday 30th November 2013, at our visit to the Grey Trees Brewery in Cwmaman, Aberdare, we collected £153.85p for the Welsh Bone Marrow / Anthony Nolan Leukaemia Trust. Our thanks to Head Brewer & R.A.T. - Ray Davies - for not only the visit and some really great Beer, but yet another chance to 'do some good' for someone else !
a) A sponsored walk from Pontypool to Brecon along the canal towpath in November 1996 when Mike and myself raised a total of £760.30p for the MACMILLAN CANCER RELIEF FUND.
b) A second walk, ( SOLO ! ... Where were all you others ? ), along the Kennet & Avon canal on May 15th 1998, starting at Bath Top Lock and ending up at Bradford on Avon, in Wiltshire, next to Widbrook Bridge on the K. & A. where by some quirk of fate the 'BEEHIVE' pub is situated, ..... the money raised once again for those very nice people at MACMILLAN ... the total amount this time being £716.00p, thanks to all who sponsored me !
c) On 18th November, Mike Peart, Mal Brook and Myself did another walk along the Kennet & Avon canal (as above) for 'Children in Need', and raised £302 (a further £100 was raised by Mal, but this was not from the R.A.T.S.)
d) In June 2006, I contacted Macmillan HQ to find a charity shop near me that would be interested in having my collection of approximately 230+ Festival Beer Glasses I collected over the years. The 10 boxes were collected and were put on sale in a Macmillan shop in the Porthcawl area of Glamorgan. The sum raised will not be known ... but hopefully some cash will be raised for this worthy cause !
e) On Saturday 30th November 2013, at our visit to the Grey Trees Brewery in Cwmaman, Aberdare, we collected £153.85p for the Welsh Bone Marrow / Anthony Nolan Leukaemia Trust. Our thanks to Head Brewer & R.A.T. - Ray Davies - for not only the visit and some really great Beer, but yet another chance to 'do some good' for someone else !