Olga, Taff Trail and listening to your Uncle.

So, after cleaning the bathroom, I plucked up the courage to call Swansea Museum again and spoke to a brilliant lady called Garethe. 

She was VERY enthusiastic about my trip and wants to be involved! OMG! I couldn’t quite believe it. SO excited! Was buzzing around then and found it difficult to focus on anything else!

Turns out she’s also done some cool adventures herself – The Three Musketeers Ride, to name one – so she knew where I was coming from! WOW. Rang my sister straight away as I was so excited!

Tried to calm myself down by remembering what I’d learnt on my Mindfulness course (which is a brilliant course btw) and after a few deep breaths was calmer. Of course there are the logistics to sort now so there is still a risk it might not come off. BUT the fact she liked my idea and didn’t think I was completely crazy was FAB!  *phew*

So have emailed her details and…...watch this space!

Design

Have also had a draft design from Jeremy for the logo design! (He has very kindly agreed to do this for free – so expect lots of mentions about him here as he’s an ace graphic designer!) You can look at his work here:  www.jeremycole.co.uk

A Coat of Arms – nice. Need to get the welsh link in there somewhere too. So we’re working on this.

Stephen at The Stroke Association

Thought now was also a good time to let Stephen, who is the regional fundraising manager for Stroke, know about my plans. I’d wanted to get some more details sorted before letting him know (as you can see from this blog, I really get into something, then drop it, then pick it up again. So wanted to be 100% committed before letting him know) Also means I’m going to do it now. Whatever happens. This will happen!

The Taff Trail

Have also been researching the Taff Trail today. 55 miles of amazing scenery by the looks of the photos I’ve found. This trip if def. going to be a treat!  Hard work too though - don’t want you thinking it’s going to be a holiday!

I’ve signed up to their forum and posted a few questions as I’ve not cycled this route before. Only actually heard about it last year.

Checking out what the trail is actually like – surfaces wise etc. and if the bike I’ve got will be right for the job. I’ve got a lovely Trek Hybrid, but reckon I’ll need to get some chunky-er tyers as some parts are a bit ‘off-road’ but other than that is mainly tarmac. Need to watch out around Merthyr Tydfil.  Apparently the signs tend to be pointing in the wrong direction…! so lots of helpful tips on the site.

I have also found some time trails which is really helpful and gives me an idea of how long it’s going to take. The fastest was 4hrs 8mins. Slowest - 8hrs 5mins. So that gives me guidelines. 

I'll aim for somewhere in the middle (hopefully via a pub stop or two…;-)

Helpful advice from my Uncle Terry

Had a great chat with my Uncle Terry this evening (who is in his late 70s now – but you wouldn’t know it!) and he gave me some great advice. He said ‘do the 50mins walking and 10mins resting and you can’t go wrong!’ Sound advice. Obviously, he was referring to the walking part of my adventure!!

By using this technique, he told me, they managed to get my cousin Carolyn (who sadly is no longer with us) to walk between 8/9 miles and she had more challenges with walking than I face.

Also discovered than when he was twelve his job was as a ‘knocker’. This involved collecting the coal money as his Dad owned a coal merchants. Terry would have to go around on his bike and knock door to door collecting payment. Not related to St.Morwenna, but I found it interesting. 

We also talked about their business (My aunt and uncle used to own a caravan park in St.Ives) and how they survived the recession in the 80s. All fascinating stuff! He’s always great to talk to, as is my Aunty Ann ;-)

Actually thinking about first job’s mine was in Swansea market on a cockle stall, and don’t think I was that much older! I *eventually* became a dab hand at wrapping the lava bread (edible seaweed) and err eating crabsticks…! Oh and I like cockles with vinegar and black pepper. 

Tasty.

So slight detour there...but Terry is very taken with my idea and has promised to do some research into St.Morwenna for me to see what he can find! Excellent!

Until tomorrow!

Crossing the channel

Small achievements today. I spoke to Stuart, captain of The Morwenna, and unfortunately they'll be in Southampton when I'm doing 'The Journey' - but being the helpful chap he is, suggested I contact Swansea Museum as they have a Bristol Clipper called Olga.
http://swanseamuseum.wordpress.com/
so I rang and spoke to a very friendly lady, who told me that the people I needed to speak to were in a meeting and so she took a message. Will call again tomorrow and see if they are interested. After reading about the fact the ship gives disadvantaged children the opportunity to sail, I thought it fitted rather well with what St.Morwenna was about. She was a teacher and from what I understand her main focus was helping children. So fingers crossed this will be a positive lead! ;-)


Then popped off to Snow and Rock in Bristol to sort out my shoes. They were really helpful in the store and I've chosen these beauties.  Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra GTX.

Had to order them as they didn't have my size, so will pick them up end of the week. Apparently they are coming from their Liverpool store. Need some smartwool socks now...don't want any blisters thank you very much!  Look slightly different to what St.Morwenna may have worn on her feet.....

Celtic footwear 1-5th century - Dawn of time crafts

How to pay my way?

was interested in a feature on Countryfile this evening where the poet Simon Armitage recently walked the whole of the South Pennines without a penny in his pocket - so to pay his way he gave poetry recitals and then asked people to make a donation and that paid for his accommodation. So that has got me thinking. How can I 'pay my way' from the Brecons to Morwenstow??

Ideas?

Have been finalising the timings and so far it looks something like this:

Day 0 - Friday 22 June - Travel up to Brecons with bikes stay over night

Day 1 - Saturday 23 June - Cycle Taff Trail  (55 miles)  

              Plan A - boat related (TBC)/ Plan B - drive to minehead stay overnight. 

Day 3 - Sunday 24 June - Minehead to Porlock Weir - 12.5 miles

Day 4 - Monday 25 June - Porlock Weir to Lynmouth / Lynton - 14.7 miles

Day 5 - Tuesday 26 June - Lynmouth / Lynton to Combe Martin - 13.6 miles

Day 6 - Wednesday 27 June - Combe Martin to Woolacombe - 13.6 miles

Day 7 - Thursday 28 June - Woolacombe to Braunton - 14.9 miles

Day 8 - Friday 29 June - Braunton to Instow - 11.4 miles

Day 9 - Saturday 30 June - Instow to Westward Ho! (via Bideford) - 12.5 miles

Day 10 - Sunday 01 July - Westward Ho! to Clovelly - 10.8 miles

Day 11 - Monday 02 July - Clovelly to Hartland Quay (pick up donkey hopefully) - 10.1 miles

Day 12 - Tuesday 03 July - Hartland Quay to Bude - (leave donkey with owner) - 14.7 miles - END!

Day 13 - Wednesday 04 July - Contingency Day!

Day 14 - Thursday 05 July - CELEBRATE St. Morwenna's Feast Day and completing the journey! Hurrah!

sooo now need to work out how to A) get to the Brecons with bikes, B) How to get from Cardiff to Minehead and C) how to get back from Morwenstow...ooh and how to keep the costs to me as cheap as possible!

Accommodation booked! Yipee

OK so another step closer. 
I've booked accommodation for the 4 & 5 July at Hawker's Old Rectory so at least I'll have somewhere comfortable to sleep once I get there! (not sure what the journey itself will hold for me). 


Also discovered yesterday after meeting up with Nicola and Alison that Nicola knows the one and only Morwenna Banks via a friend of a friend of a friend (you get the picture) who knows David Baddiel...so that's pretty cool. Haven't heard back from the lovely Donkey people so will give them a call and also need to call the lovely boat people too and find out where they are and if it's going to be feasible or I need a plan B. 


That will be a job for next week.

Day 9 - 25 August - Nothing to report

No news about Saint Morwenna today. However, I did learn that badgers like plums.

Day - lost track - News - Yes

I'm not going to make any excuses - no time for that! so will launch straight into what's been happening to date. I went down to Morwenstow a couple of weeks back, and met a man about a donkey at Covelly...So here we go..


After speaking to my Dad, he told me that there was a village 'somewhere in North Cornwall' that still use donkeys to transport people and goods up and down to the village due to its steep location. So after a bit of googling - I found it! Covelly. 


http://www.clovelly.co.uk/donkey_stables.php


I emailed these lovely people the night before we set off for Morwenstow - but hadn't heard back from them in the morning so wasn't sure whether to 'just turn up'. As we got closer to Morwenstow we saw the signs for Clovelly and at the last minute said - 'lets go and see some donkeys!' We arrived at the village and I asked in the shop where the stables were. The lady was very helpful and pointed us in the right direction. She then asked if we were going to go to the village (which you have to pay to visit) and I said 'not this time - just the donkeys'....so she let us in with out having to pay. Now then, I know what you're thinking - did we take a sneaky trip down to the village anyway???....Nope (I prob would have in my younger years!) We walked down a rather steep section and found them..

We're heading in the right direction!

There they are! look rather small - I thought donkeys were bigger than this?

Me and 'Donk' who at 34 is nearly as old as I am....Oops giving away my age! I'm actually 28...;-)

Mr Bart Kelly, Me and Donk, who loves nothing better than trying to push you over with his nose.

Bart, who along with his wife, Sue, care for the donkeys, kindly let us in to meet them and have a chat about my idea of travelling some way to Morwenstow by donkey. Clovelly is about 12 miles from Morwenstow and is right on the coastal path! However....I wasn't expecting to be told I was a bit too 'big' for these fellows and they only carry packs or small children...(que disappointed face) BUT Bart has offered to lend me a couple of donkeys to carry my packs on part of the journey! How cool is that! He told me that they get lonely and need to travel in pairs and I'll also need some 'donkey leading training' as they have a mind of their own... There is also a wedding taking place at Clovelly on the 5th July and all the donkeys are being dressed up and will be taking part in the day. So that just means we need to coordinate when I'll be leading the donkeys and where from and where to! Super! Will keep you posted on updates.

Day errr - It's been a while - but now I'm back on track!

OK. So I abandoned this project for a while. Reason - moved and went back to work so didn't have as much time. BUT, as of last week I've decided to re-start this and to actually do the trip from Brecon to Morwenstow this summer....


and I emailed those lovely fellows a the traditional sailing company about thier ship called Morwenna, and unfortunately they are elsewhere when i want to cross the channel - but have said that they would do 'something' so will be giving them a call!! ACE that they even replied. ;-). Question now is how do I cross the Bristol Channel??


Am going to Morwenstow this weekend as well so really looking forward to that.