Jayne is heading the catering for both events and so she is one of two people who has already completed the event as she did it on the Easter weekend. Here she is being presented her completion certificate by Katie and also her certificate for finishing 20 events.
And as she has helped to organise the 100, so she was thanked for all of her work.
Katie has set the bulk of the entrants off, videos to come….
And ready to go…..
Here’s the food for the 52 people who are on the route, all very exciting. It feels like a lot of food and drink, but always best to have too much….
Thanks to Jayne for all her planning with the food for the event.
At Ipswich railway station waiting for the transport logistics team, also known as Richard’s car, to turn up. I was going to walk to McDonald’s to get breakfast but I genuinely forgot that this isn’t Poland and the breakfasts here are sub-optimal, so I needed another plan. And the £1 for a pastry offered by O2 Priorities has worked out nicely, here’s my chicken bake fresh from the oven. It’ll still likely be hot in about half an hour when Richard appears. Having some time here meant that I could request a chicken bake from the oven, but it’s currently hotter than the centre of the sun.
The main event kicks off at 09:00, so it’s all happening now. I might even provide some walking commentary at some point.
The sun is shining and I’m at Norwich railway station nice and early for a train to Ipswich so that I can help at the Norfolk & Suffolk LDWA 100’s event for the marshals that is being held on the first Bank Holiday of May 2025. The main event will be held on the second Bank Holiday of May 2025 and it’s a great opportunity to test things out for the main event. This is the event which I thought that it would be a marvellous idea to hold back in the days when I was chair of Norfolk & Suffolk LDWA back in 2021 and then I’ve promptly done very little in terms of actually organising the thing. I’ll be merrily posting this weekend about the event including riveting commentary on the LDWA, Richard’s skill at managing the desk at HQ and the media unit which I have an involvement with since I’m once again the national comms officer of the LDWA.
I do have a page about the LDWA 100 and I’ll be spending some time today fixing all the broken image links so the pages there magically all work again.
For anyone interested in tracking the entrants this weekend then go here.
[I originally posted this in May 2021, but have reposted it to fix the broken image links]
This is the story of my completing the LDWA 100, something which I didn’t actually always think I’d be able to do. Unlike the previous training walks, I’m going to tell this story in a different way, which is just my feelings about each section of the walk. I usually take hundreds of photos during walks, but when walking 100 miles there are different priorities. My friend Nathan also walked with me for the first 60 miles, but these are my experiences rather than his. These posts are more introspective than usual and there will be an index to these ten ‘stories’ on this page.
We arrived at Ness Point, the country’s most easterly point, ready to start walking at 06:00. We’d had a breakfast at McDonald’s in Lowestoft and the weather looked moderate and warm. My friend Liam was there to see us off on an adventure that had dominated my thoughts for the previous week, and been looming on my mind for much longer.
I could say that I was full of excitement and awe about what was to come, but, in many ways I didn’t want to do this walk. I’m not actually one of the LDWA’s finest walkers, I don’t go out every week on long walks and stride through challenge events without issues. As Simon Hodgin noted to me after the walk, I usually complain my way around most of the challenge events I’ve taken part in. If I’m telling the truth, I’d have rather spent the weekend in the pub going through their dark beer selection or meandering through a city centre in Poland or similar, in the hunt for the best history, cakes and coffee. That’s what I’d naturally be doing, not walking for what could be up to 48 hours.
I did question at this point who I was doing this walk for. It wasn’t for Nathan (it was more the other way round), it wasn’t because I needed to prove anything and it wasn’t as a result of some bet. I dwelled on this question for some time and so why was I doing the 100?
Actually, not for fun, but maybe because this was a way of testing myself in something that I thought I could perhaps do. Other walkers will say how they can overcome huge mental obstacles and physical pain to complete events like this. I’m not one of those, I’m inherently a little lazy and have for years rejected the idea of completing the 100. But, life brings opportunities, and this seemed a challenge which was doable, and if I could complete this, then I could finish other adventures too that I thought might be beyond my reach.
Walking in itself is not a love of mine, I nearly never go for a walk on my own (other than to get from A to B since I don’t drive). Many people walk to escape life, but I’m quite happy with mine and if pushed I’d have to admit that most of the things I love the most are in cities. But seeing pubs, history and meeting different people has brought me into the walking world, and the LDWA is a marvellous community. And there is certainly something about going on walks in the company of interesting people, seeing nature, coastlines, forests and even hills that can all prove to be addictive.
I think that means that unlike many other 100 entrants, I started this walk as a way of pushing outside of my comfort zone to take on a challenge and see what I could learn from that. Whether that was deciding I’d do every 100 (never likely), or just ticking it off and embarking on a new challenge (I haven’t finished drinking in every Good Beer Guide pub yet……) was maybe my real motive for this walk.
There’s something about dawn and the sun rising which the body seems to positively respond to, the start of a new day and the opportunity to begin afresh. Lowestoft in the morning was still, quiet and at ease. I told myself that in 48 hours it’d be over and I’d have a memory that would stay with me, although I was still fearing the whole event. But there was gentle pressure on me to finish, from friends and members of the LDWA, who were all willing me on in a supportive way. If I was doing this walk on my own and no-one knew about it, I’d have no pressure and wouldn’t have got beyond about two miles though, I was conscious of that.
So, there was an element of “but yet here we are” to the reality of my questioning the logic of what I was doing. On that basis, it was time to start walking.
The first ten miles of the walk took us from Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth, via Hopton and Gorleston. Our pace was quick and I was confident that I was doing all I could in terms of being fully prepared. I paid more attention to the weather than I usually ever bother to, perhaps looking for evidence that things would go wrong, but the morning remained warm. We saw Liam in the support car a couple of times during this stretch of path, before meeting up with him again in Great Yarmouth where he was filming us going into Greggs.
There’s not much I can really write about this ten-mile stretch between Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth. Plenty about the history and pubs, but not much about my feelings about the walk. The end was nowhere in sight, so the priority was just ploughing on to see what happened. I remained confident, but unsure.
[I originally posted this in May 2021, but have reposted it in May 2025 to fix the broken image links]
After a year of planning, lots of training walks and thinking about this whole crazy idea, this was the weekend of the LDWA 100. I’m going to, of course, write much more about this over the next few days, but I’m pleased (and a little proud) to say that I completed it.
Thanks to Richard and Liam for being the support team who were present for the entire weekend. Thanks also to Kathleen, Brian, Paul, Chelle, Rob and Jayne for walking sections of the route, they were all great company. And to Leon for his support at the end, and Dylan for his commentary during the drone section.
I’m pleased to report that I didn’t have any injuries or pain, and am now (the following morning) back to normal, so that’s a swift recovery I’m grateful for. I’ve spoken to lots of people who provided support and advice, and their tips were crucial in getting me through. Thanks also to the very many people who were tracking my route and sending messages of support, there were so many that I might have missed thanking people individually, but those kind words were much appreciated.
And biggest thanks to Nathan for his involvement in the whole project. He completed 60 miles of the route, an incredible achievement for someone who hadn’t walked any longer distances until a year ago. Nathan’s humour, complaining and determination were essential in getting me through to 60 miles.
INDEX:
[I originally posted this in April 2020, but have reposted it in May 2025 to fix a broken image link]
OK, I admit that these aren’t FAQs (frequently asked questions) because no-one has asked them yet. But they might, so I’m ready with the answers as the background to my attempt to walk the 100 in 2021.
Why are you doing the LDWA 100 event?
Because if Simon Hodgin can finish it, it must be doable. And, he’s said he’ll buy me six pints of craft beer if I finish.
The LDWA are?
The Long Distance Walkers Association.
And how many days do you get to complete the 100?
2 days, so 48 hours.
Is this a good idea?
No.
Are you excited?
No.
Why are you doing it?
To annoy Simon Hodgin that he has to buy six pints of craft beer. And, I’ll enjoy the food and drink whilst walking around the 100.
How much training will you need to do?
I drink craft beer on a regular basis.
What about the walking?
The technical minimum is to get a 50-mile qualifying event, but I’ll need to do more than that to feel fit and confident. My 50-mile qualifier is a little out of date, so I do need to get another one, as will Nathan.
Who is Nathan?
Someone who had the opportunity to turn down my plan to walk this 100 with me, then neither of us would have to do it.
Isn’t 100 miles a long way?
Yes, it’s not ideal if I’m being honest.
It must be a great achievement?
Yes, if I finish, my certificate will be mounted (well, blu-tacked) to the wall and I will send copies of it to everyone I know, and quite a few that I don’t.
If you do complete the 100, will you do another one?
No.
Shouldn’t you be more positive about this challenge?
On a more serious note, the LDWA 100 is a great event and is the pinnacle of the organisation’s challenges. I am conscious that this will be very difficult for me, so hopefully if I can work out how I’m going to do this, at least others can see that it’s perhaps more achievable than they might think. However, if I fail, that ruins that plan. We’ll worry about that in May 2021 though when I’ve quit after the first checkpoint as I’m tired.
Is this a physical or mental challenge?
Both. Many people who have completed the walk believe that anyone who has regularly walked 40 or 50 miles should be able to make the step up to the 100, but they have to have the mental attitude to allow that.
Do you have the mental attitude required?
Not really. I’ll work on it.
Are you allowed to drink craft beer at the checkpoints?
Yes.
Are you meant to?
Probably not.
It must be amazing to be able to walk for 48 hours with someone you can trust and can support each other.
Yes, it would be. But, I’m doing it with Nathan. If we can avoid a punch-up we’ll be doing well.
Will you get sleepy?
I think so, the first night at about 3am is apparently difficult, but when sun rises, the mind resets and then it’s just a matter of keeping going. Ideally we won’t take the maximum 48 hours as that takes us through two nights, but it’d be very difficult for us to come in under 44 hours.
What can go wrong?
Absolutely everything.
Medically?
Blisters are a potential problem, but Sudocrem is apparently recommended, as is careful wrapping of the feet and a regular change of socks. I’ll wear knee bandages as well. Hopefully the practice 50-mile events will be guide on what needs fixing before the 100.
Are there two events?
There is a marshals’ 100 and the main 100, on the first and second Bank Holidays in May 2021. We’re hoping, if space permits on the event, to do the former, as we wanted to be marshals for the main event.
What about the weather?
I hate hot weather, but it’s Wales, it’ll likely rain for 48 hours. But if the weather is hot, I’ll have to be careful to drink enough. Ultimately, I never really worry about the weather, just have the appropriate clothing then the rest fits into place.
How many people from Norfolk & Suffolk LDWA group are taking part?
There are probably two others from N&S group doing the marshals’ walk, and around six from N&S group doing the main event.
Isn’t this all a bit self-promotional?
Yes, although I’m the Publicity & Communications Officer of the LDWA, so I’m meant to be promotional. That’s my excuse anyway.
I think I want to read something more motivational.
I would. This is the book by Julie Welch which gives a more erudite and positive account of what is required.
[I originally posted this in April 2020 but have reposted it to fix some broken image links]
LDWA 100 in 2021 – What a Lovely Idea
OK, some background first.
So, that’s me. Rugged, determined, brave, courageous and understated. I spent ages finding a suitable photo that wasn’t taken in a pub or a pub beer garden. This one is from the Isle of Skye. I can’t use the ones of me after challenge events, as I look bloody exhausted. Although, to be fair, I look fair done in before I’ve started the challenge events.
That’s Nathan. That photo will do.
Anyway, we’ve had a marvellous idea, which is even better than our GeoGuessr trips (there’s no denying just how carefully we plan everything). OK, we forgot head torches there. And suitable footwear. But, otherwise all was well. Other than we got told off by some landowner and got stuck in mud. That route was around 250 metres.
But, inspired by how we manfully tackled that 250 metres, we are moving onto the next logical step of walking 100 miles. In one go. I can’t really imagine what could possibly go wrong.
I have an impeccable walking record of completing around 20 challenge events, including one fifty-mile event organised by the Essex & Herts group. It would have been more, but I found out that if you volunteer with the LDWA to print the certificates, then you’re placed near the kitchens at the start/end point of the challenge walk. And because the LDWA community is so friendly and helpful, they rarely complain when I pop in to get food. Actually, I’ve sort of been banned from the kitchen in case food stocks are threatened, but there’s no shortage to the sustenance offered.
Anyway, I got distracted there thinking about food. So, as I mentioned, I’ve completed a fifty mile event, and I remember how inspired I felt at the end of that. “I’m never doing that again” were the words I actually uttered, but I think I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the food anyway. Which reminds me of the doughnuts on the Smuggler’s Trod and the BBQ on the Birmingham Canal Canter. The LDWA do food and drink very well.
Nathan hasn’t done any of this, but he works on the principle that if I can do it, so can he. This is the problem with the youth of today.
So, before I drift off the subject matter again, this will be the story in text and video of the practice walks, the qualifying events (yeah, neither of us have done qualification events yet, so that’s another challenge) and the march towards the big day in May 2021. The location of the LDWA 100 walk in 2021 is Wales, postponed from 2020 when sadly the virus thing ruined plans.
The aim is for us, if there’s space on the event (and I’m hoping it’s full, since my attempts to get banned from the event by threatening to eat all the food have already been refused), to complete the Marshals’ Walk for the 2021 100 so that we can both then spend the actual event marshalling and drinking craft beer from Tiny Rebel whilst shouting encouragement at Simon Hodgin as he faffs along the route.
One interesting video was made by Jamie Hearing, which gives some background to the people on the walk. They’ve blocked embedding, but it can be seen at https://vimeo.com/402157343.
The video below was produced by David Morgan, the current national chair of the LDWA, and is from the 2019 Hadrian’s Wall event. He’s one of those inspirational figures who strides up mountains faster than I go when marching along on the travelators at airports. Positive and motivational, his videos capture the wonderful landscapes of the countryside and the characters of the LDWA. Well, just so no-one expects too much from the videos I’ll be crafting this year, I won’t be distracted by that, my videos will feature food and complaining. And probably a video of some bloody sheep that is in the path that stops Nathan and me from progressing along the route.
Final thing, for anyone who wonders why there’s a dog lying down in the main photo of this blog post, it’s Simon’s dog as he thinks that what I’ll look like at the end of the 100. Well, at the first checkpoint more likely….
This is a slightly different visit to those I usually write up, it’s a pub on King Street that unfortunately closed all the way back in 1969. It was known as the Ship, or the Ship Inn, and it is the building in the photo which is painted red. This means that I haven’t visited it, although Julian probably has in his younger days. Firstly, it’s useful to have a look at the photo that George Plunkett took of the pub in 1939 from a very similar position to mine. The main door of the pub is in the centre of the photo and the former cellar hatch is underneath the window just to the left of the door.
The building was a licensed premises from at least 1760 and it was acquired by Youngs, Crawshay & Youngs in the nineteenth century and their branded pub sign is visible in George’s photo. The company was then bought by Bullards and then that was in turn acquired by Watney Mann. After closing its doors on 26 May 1969, it was then purchased by Norwich City Council who in the following years turned it into two residential properties. The ownership by Youngs, Crawshay & Youngs was rather handy as their brewery, the Crown Brewery, was located nearby on the other side of the road, so the beer didn’t have far to go.
The brewery advertised in the Eastern Daily Press in September 1889 that a boozer was available (fortunately, the newspaper didn’t actually keep calling every pub that in the nineteenth century) opposite the Crown Brewery and this was taken on by James Catchpole and he ran it until he died in 1898 and his wife then carrying on operating it for another five years. There was a large auction in the pub in October 1889 which included 150 lots of “useful furniture” and if that wasn’t a sale on behalf of someone else, the recently deceased landlord Walter Blyth must have liked his chairs, tables and headboards.
Ship Yard is located behind the pub and I won’t give any prizes for those who work out how it got its name. This is the entrance to Big Ship Yard and there’s an entrance to what was Little Ship Yard on the right hand side of the pub.
Here’s a map from the 1880s which might make things a little clearer.
The rear of Ship Yard and the buildings down here were demolished around 1970 and rebuilt to provide more modern accommodation. George Plunkett took a photo down here in 1938 and I suspect it might be the only one surviving of this courtyard.
Quoting the great George Plunkett, he noted that “The yard to its south has at some time been partly built over, so that while formerly wide enough for the passage of carts it will now accommodate only pedestrians. The finely carved lintel above bears a design of foliage together with the rather contradictory inscription “Princes In”; it is believed that this was brought here at some time from the famous inn of that name, first mentioned in 1391, which once stood in St George Tombland parish on the north side of Princes St.” This feels a logical argument to me, meaning that this lintel could date back to the late medieval period or Tudor period with a bit of imagination.
That’s the former main door to the pub and I rather like that those timber surrounds to the door are original. The building dates back to around the seventeenth century and was constructed from flint rubble and topped with a pantile roof. The casement windows, the ones either side of the door, are thought to date to when the building was constructed, although the sash windows are later.
During the period after lockdown, Jonathan and I went on an expedition to look for all the parish boundary markers in Norwich. I need to return to the posts I’ve made about these and fix the broken images, but then Jonathan and I can start completing our project.
The loss of this pub is a huge shame and I don’t say that about absolutely everywhere, although Julian often has a crack at that line of argument. There are no pubs remaining on the stretch of King Street and imagine the heritage of this building if it was still a licensed premises, I suspect that it would be something of destination real ale venue given the history. The building was listed in 1954 and it was that which perhaps meant that the city council decided against demolishing it and instead repurposed it, so at least it has survived in some form.
