Walk 10 - 15.3 miles - Total 145.7 miles - To Go 854.3 miles

London Loop: Section 4 from Addington to Hamsey Green, Section 5 Hamsey Green to Coulsdon South, Section 6 Coulsdon South to Banstead Downs






Sitting here in the warm hospitality of Mario and Klea and Andrew, Nadia and Demos with the rain thundering on the windows outside we almost forget what a miserable day today was for walking.
Klea has just cooked a wonderful reviving meal and all the gloom that had built up by 5pm has now evaporated. We are enthusiastically looking forward to tomorrow morning and a better day ahead.

The start today was pleasant enough. A bit of sun and blue sky for the first few miles. Today's sections feature our first challenging hills with some steep inclines making us realise we will need to get a lot fitter for Offa's Dyke. I am itching for my second cup of tea having taken two hours to get to the start at Banstead Station. I have to wait until we have completed four miles but the wait is worth it at Ozzi's BIG BREAKFAST in Hamsey Green. As we go in Rob has drawn attention to us by asking me to pose outside the cafe as I enter. He loves the name and look of the place. It does not disappoint. As we enter Anthony from Wolverhampton asks us what we are up to. When we tell him he kindly insists on buying us a cup of tea and makes a contribution to the cause. He has an interesting occupation buying and selling old Rolls Royces and Bentleys. He has just delivered a 1950's Bentley to a customer near by. Business is good with lots of interest from Europeans, particularly Polish, with the strength of the Euro. The tea is top. Builders best and at 60 pence a mug and the place is spotlessly clean and full of smiles.


We carry on to Coulsden and on the way bump in to Alex from Stoke Newington. Walking alone he tells us he has walked the London Loop at least twenty times. We are impressed. He tells us we face mud and hills ahead and the toughest conditions for the Loop. We walk along and talk for a while. He talks about the beauty of the Loop and for him how he can leave the house with 10p in his pocket, walk all day and end up with 10p in his pocket in the evening. I wonder how he does this via the pub he is about to visit but maybe that was another day.

Further on we come upon a Downlands Project carrying out coppicing in Kenley woods. We talked with Graham who explained how they were clearing views within the trees to introduce new wildlife and new views for walkers. A mixture of volunteers, the Downlands Project and local workers are busy at work in an organised way.
The weather is now declining as we enter Happy Valley. Rob says this is probably quite nice on a sunny day.

On Farthingdown ridge with what would be great views on a sunny day we catch up with the Croydon Retirement Walking Group. A group of ladies who are just finishing a 4 mile walk and doing so with lots of smiles and happy chatter.
Lunch at the Pembroke in Coulsdon which I am grateful we make without incident. On the way in Rob does his usual wandering in the road expecting all traffic to drive round him as if he were in a Cypriot village. One angry driver hoots and aims at him as if to say here in England roads are for cars not for Greeks. Rob resists the meat pies, burgers and fries and settles on a lasagna.

As we leave the Pembroke Rob says how lucky we have been to miss the rain. Within five paces the first spots fall. Rob with his optimistic manner tells me we are still lucky cos it is light rain.
Ten paces later it is a torrential downpoor which gets heavier and heavier and the sky greyer and greyer and the mud thicker and slippier and the puddles deeper and deeper. This section was thoroughly miserable and ends with us covered in , wet inside and outside and long faces. In we go to the welcome of Klea and Mario looking after us tonight and saving us 140 mile round trips to tomorrows start within half an hour and a shower we are revived and like yachtsmen after a stormy sea telling tales of how great the day was.

Walk 9 - 15.2 miles - Total 130.4 miles - To Go 869.6 miles

London Loop: Section 7 from Banstead Downs to Ewell, Section 8 from Ewell to Kingston Bridge and Section 9 Kingston Bridge to Fulwell.






It is a deep dark of night as I rise for yet another early start. Get ready quietly then brush Karen's cheek with a gentle kiss farewell and she half asleep dreamily blows a kiss and whispers 'enjoy it my hero'. I hope she goes back to her peaceful dream before she needs to wake and face the pains and struggles of her day ahead. I also hope the team in Cambridge and around the world are making progress in their search for a key to release Karen and people like her from the torture chamber of MS.

Today is Hogsmill, Thames, Downs and tales of Saxon Kings. We start at Banstead and head off towards Ewell. Ahead of us we see spectres, spooks, ghosts and ghouls. All floating and flying around gossiping with each other about what we will get up to today. We hand out leaflets to them and tell them to visit the web site. Weeeeeee wiiiiiillllll...they tell us. Great... all contributions welcome. We are on Ghost road, so called as it had been started before the war with the expectation of more housing to be built along it. After the war the Green Belt was established so the houses were never built and the road got its name.

This is all near Nonsuch Park where Nonsuch Palace had been built by Henry VIII for £25,000. He built it with the intention that there would no better Palace on the planet....hence it's name. Apparently very grand but now nowhere to be seen. Today the Park is a dog's paradise - they are out with their masters in their hundreds enjoying the first sunny day for a while; to escape snarling canines and their deposits, Rob resorts to biblical powers.



After only 4 miles we are allowed a cup of tea at Ganache in Ewell. Rob knows I don't really get going with conversation until I have had my second cup. But he has found a real gem of a tea shop. Caringly laid out with personal table service and nothing like Starbucks. Teresa (no h just like Rob's sister) joins us to find out what we are up to and offers to capture us on camera.
For the first time in all our walks I see someone pick up Rob's camera and use it professionally...we pose and she captures us using props from the tea shop to remind us where we have been.



Later at St John the Baptist church in Malden we stop to study the history and rest Rob's back. He is still in a lot of pain and heroically walking on. The church is in a lovely spot and with the sun shining and warming us it is a spring type moment. We talk to some local ladies who tell us the link of the church to Lewis from Inspector Morse.He was on tv recently tracing his family tree and found a famous relative here who had been a big wig in the Bank of England.....or rather he found his tomb here. They took a photo of us for their church notice board....so if you are reading this ladies..here is the photo and contact Rob and he will send you a copy. When we appear on BBC Breakfast news in April you can tell the parisheners we were visitors at your church early in our efforts.


We are impressed we have reached Kingston by 1pm and covered 11 miles already. Rob is keen to have a light lunch....just like Kim's sandwhich he said. I go for the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel which Rob worries is not enough for me. He fancies a burger which I point out is not light or like Kim's sandwhich. Anyway he goes for it. A fine lunch with those big fat cut chips. As we set off across Bushey Park Rob complains of stomach cramps to add to his bad back. Why did I have that burger he asks? Because you wanted it I remind him. In Bushey Park the surprising sight is of green parakeets in a tree. We talk to a local fisherman who is failing to catch perch and ask him about them. He says the story is they were used on a film set at Shepperton 20 years ago and escaped and are now breading and establishing quite a hold in Bushey Park....much to the annoyance of local seed eaters who are seeing their foodstore stolen by these intruders.


A wonderful walk today. Sunshine, warmth and some lovely views to stop and take time over. Rob is to be admired for the way he struggled on. The final two miles sounded and looked agony as he tenderly protected his back. Back at Fulwell we met Ollie from Teddington who asked us about our walk and how far we had done today. Now in the swing I said 'just 15 miles today'...wow! 15 miles he said...well done. He then captured us on film as I am sure this will be one of the most painful memories for Rob when we look back. I had my customary two hour drive home (Rob took 3 hours courtesy of the closure of Dartford tunnel)during which I listened to some JLS and Lady Ga Ga....which I must confess I actually thought were quite good.

Walk 8 - 12.5 miles - Total 115.2 miles - To Go 884.8 miles

Sections 11 from West Drayton to Hayes and Harlington; Section 10 Hayes and Harlington to Hatton Cross; half of Section 9 from Hatton Cross to Fulwell

Rain, rain, traffic, pain, planes and more rain were on the menu today. Up at 5.15 and leave at 6 to head off for West Drayton. M1, M25 and M4 what a dish. M25 clogged up and stationary as I reach it at 6.30. We are both on time and start from Fulwell. On a summers day with the sun shining, flowers in full bloom, birds singing and an outrageous imagination it might be possible to find some parts of this walk to get excited about. No....not even then. Miserable. Rob bends down in the rain to keep his map dry at the start and his back goes in to spasm as he gets up. He was in pain and gingerly walked the first couple of miles as if on egg shells. Back pain is horrible but he vows to carry on. I am worried about him for tomorrow and hope his physio can sort him out tonight.

We follow much of the River Crane. Mud, puddles and the clouds dropping their big fat bellies right down to the ground to weigh down our steps. Rob wails some more but on we go as Nurofen dulls the pain. This must be where the phrase completing the circle comes in or, in this case, the loop. There can be no other reason for doing this section. We must to complete the loop. It is busy roads, Heathrow hangers with just a little respite along our friend the Grand Union Canal. There was a moment of sunshine as we meet Mei from Bangkopk in her cafe near Hayes. Not at the heights of Kim's sandwich but she did make a wonderful mug of tea....a real mug...with cartoons on the side and probably as big as a pint pot. There was also a copy of the Sun (on a table again...honest) so we could debate what Cheryl Cole should do with Ashley Cole. We used Vicky Christina Barcelona as an illustration of different responses...great film Karen and I watched last night. Mei had a picture of the King and Queen of Thailand up so we talked to her about Bangkok. I love the palaces and the river there but she said here is much better. I look outside and look at her again and think....that is an outrageous imagination.

Excitement under the Heathrow flightpath as we stop and watch the planes come in every two minutes. The noise is unbelievable and the planes appear to be a matter of feet from the rooftops of local houses. How do people put up with such noise all day long? Rob and I remember flights in to the old Hong Kong airport where you could see people hanging their washing in their appartments before the steep descent to the runway.

Along the canal we pass the Nestle coffee factory built in 1938 the year after Nestle invented instant coffee. A real factory scene Lowry would have enjoyed painting and complements the experience of the day.



Once again we found any pub we plan to go to along the way has shut or is up for sale. It is as if they have heard we are coming and have to leave town before we arrive. We do find an Indian restaurant Asha in Hayes. It is a clean smart restaurant and we both look like dirty drowned rats wet from head to foot with thick mud clinging to our boots. But we are allowed in and looked after very well. I discover that Rob has rarely eaten Indian food and is suspicious. I had a chicken jalfraisi and he had a king prawn korma (Rob also doesn't like chicken....almost as fussy as my dad with his food). Actually was a really good curry and needed to be at £10 per course which I explained to Rob is a lot for a curry.

Back at West Drayton Rob drives his car back to mine at Fulwell. He notices a police car behind us and becomes extremely up tight. I ask him what he has done. Nothing he says but they make me nervous. They pull up beside us at the lights and Rob says...'what have I done...look at the way they are looking at me'. I make a note to probe further in to this phobia in the future.

Walk 7 - 13.8 miles - Total 102.7 miles - To Go 897.3 miles

Section 22 Harold Wood to Upminster; Section 23 Upminster to Rainham; Section 24 Rainham to Purfleet

Load up and ready to go by 6.30. Today's challenge is that it is sleeting heavily so even a 5 yard walk to the car has me drenched. On with GPS and realise big underestimate of journey. It is 70 miles to destination and said I would meet Rob at 7.30. Then the news tells of pile up on M1 near us so diverted traffic will slow me down. All those thoughts come crashing in and then I breath in and say they are all just thoughts. Today will be great...put on some Chopin, keep calm and head off.

We meet at Purfleet Station and boy is it grey, miserable and heavy...that is the word heavy. I observe this thought and think better ones. Great to see Rob's face and words of 'come on lets just get this done'. We drive to Harold Wood, park and set off. We capture evidence of the weather at the start in front of the expensive cab office we used on a previous section. Rob, ever the artist, takes his time to snap and prevents a lady from passing on the pavement. She is patient but then wants to be on her way and says with feeling 'he is a right David Bailey isn't he?'. As we walk on I try to explain to Rob that she is being ironic but as with earlier compliments about his fine chest and sturdy legs (see Walk 5) he thinks she is being genuine and his photography classes are working.

Our theme for today is what is wonderful about today? The walk from Purfleet to Upminster in the rain warms us up to this theme. We even manage to get excited about the overwhelming browns and greys around us. We find a cafe in Upminster for our cup of tea and can appreciate sitting in the rain and cold outside the cafe - now we are into our theme! A lady laughs at us as we capture a picture of these two drowned rats in the window. We set off past a Windmill on our way to Rainham. This is a very pretty section. Lots more shades of dull brown and grey...admittedly with the odd flash of gorse yellow. A long conversation started with the question 'What is Rob Kyprianou?'. Karen pleased that someone else has to put up with these ridiculous questions. Rob rises to it and we are in to discussions about space time coordinates, parallel universes and the essence of a person. Some wonderful theories and they all made sense at the time but now no recollection of the answer. Later we saw in the Daily Mirror (honest we picked it up off a table) a picture of Steven Gerrard next to his Tussaud's copy. Which was which I asked and how do you know? Rob thought he knew but was not sure and hoped Rafa could pick both for Liverpool's next game. Along the way we came upon a Rafa Mourhino dream....the perfect nil nil...look at the picture. Surely nobody can score.

The last section goes across Rainham Marshes and by the Thames. Here we bump in to Bob of Rainham taking a walk by the river.He talks to us about the Tilda rice factory, the concrete barges used in the war to block the Thames from invaders and the Jules Verne like diver statue rising from the water. Quite earie. Bob joins us for a walk and a chat. Lovely guy whose company and stories we enjoyed. He took photos of us crossing 100 miles and then left us. Our 100 mile point is memorably called Coldharbour Point and is opposite Erith on the Thames and between Rainham and Purfleet.





Further along we came upon RSPB official Phil who told us he had just seen an Icelandic White Gull. Very rare and a significant sighting. We could not see it now but he had called another 'birder' to confirm the sighting. We talk about the place and then move on. About half a mile later we come across the other birder who has the Icelandic visitor in his sights. A totally white gull with no other markings. Very impressive and we view it in his viewfinder.

In between the sun came out briefly and the rain and sleet did stop. It was a wonderful day with only a few of the great things about it captured here. 100 miles done and a lot of great memories already. Remember most things are just a thought and make sure you have the best one for you.

Next week we start the southern section of the London Loop.

Walk 6 - 14.9 miles - Total 88.9 miles - To Go 911.1miles

London Loop Sections : Half of Section 11 starting at West Drayton railway station finishing at Uxbridge: Section 12 Uxbridge to Harefield West: Section 13 Harefield West to Moor Park.

Awakened at 5.45am by sound of clinking milk bottles. Apparently you can order milk to your door online now. Wonder what my dad would have thought of that idea when he was a milkman delivering to people in Nottingham on a horse and cart 55 years ago? I imagine it would have been beyond science fiction then. Get up and look out to yet more snow, ungritted roads and freezing temperatures. Loads of thoughts to give it a miss and avoid the roads and conditions but the strongest drive is to get together with Rob (Rob wouldn't wimp out) and do some more miles and conversations and meet people and clock up miles for the cause. MS is a big item on the news this morning with a possible explanation of the disease related to the size of an artery in the neck. I know this is old news that Karen has considered at least six months ago and is based on a very small sample. Lots more work to do and not a cure and I hope people don't go away thinking that problems now fixed. It is not.

A perfect days walking today. The first ten miles along the Grand Union Canal. A 200 year old piece of amazing engineering. Often we stopped to look at a river running below the canal or lakes around us well below the level of the canal. The small areas of our face exposed to the elements were bitterly cold but inside we felt warm with clear blue skies and lots of sun. Conversations ranged from what the EU, or Eurozone, or Greece should do about the Greek problem to the differences a person sees in a face and what is seen behind the viewed face. We solved both...but I can't remember the answers (Rob says Greece is a basket case and he should know being Greek).


We are now talking to people comfortably. We are walking along the canal and come across a barge occupant carrying out his daily task of chopping wood to keep his boat warm. Rob is overcome with excitement. A city boy who is astonished at seeing things like horses and fields can't contain himself when he sees someone working their own fuel. 'Can I take a photograph please he asks?'. I explain he is a city boy. The picture is taken. We talk with the axe man and for a joke ask him if he wouldn't mind using the axe to take off Rob's head. Rob puts his head on the block and as the man raises the axe Rob realises that he could after all be a mad axeman. Rob is now screaming 'no...please....no' and scares the axe man.....'don't worry I am not really going to do it' he assures.I will him on but it is just a photo shoot.

We meet a fisherman fishing for pike round the corner on Beaconsfield Lakes. We are attracted to talk to him as we hear the technology of an alarm telling the fisherman when a fish is caught. Man can build canals and lakes above rivers, and invent alarms to tell a fisherman when a fish is on the line.....so there must be a solution he can find for MS.

A fun day. We notice that our bodies are now receptive to this exercise. The miles are easier and recovery with stretches quicker. Exercise must be as good as they say it is. The London Loop is great but I realise I have driven over 100 miles today to walk 15 miles. Looking forward to Offas Dyke and other environmentally sensible walks with less driving. And as I arrive home I discover I have a puncture. Got to get to Purfleet station for 7.30 start tomorrow so now need to work on that problem.

Walk 5 - 13.5 miles - Total 74.0 miles - To Go 926.0 miles

London Loop Sections 14 and 15 - Moor Park to Hatch End and then to Elstree and Borehamwood.

Alarm goes off at 6am and I am so comfortable in my slumber I curl up for another five minutes. Then a thought strikes a chord telling me get up quick and get ahead of the traffic and I will be home for supper. I obey. Kit on, out the house and at Elstree station car park by 7.30am. Two cups of tea at 75pence each help start the day. Continuing with the theme of yesterday things are not what they seem. Rob turns up at 7.45 and tells me he is in the station car park. I say I am also but can't see him. I realise he is in the drop off car park at the station front next to the cafe I got the tea. I tell him I am in the car park on the other side of the bridge. Five minutes later another call....there is no car park on the other side of the bridge. He has driven over the bridge when I clearly told him I was in the car park on the other side of the bridge. We discuss the finer points of other sides until I say I will meet you at the station entrance. Finally we are together and his tea is not too cold.
We have decided to bring two cars and leave one at the end and one at the beginning as a tactic to reduce funding dodgy cab firms killing us with their prices and not knowing where to go. Yesterday £30 to get back to where we began and over an hour doing it as we tried to guide the cabby back. Off we set and it only takes us an hour to do 10 miles to the start of our walk. School runs and rush hour combining to test our mindfulness once again. So looking forward to Offas Dyke, Hadrians Wall and Coast to Coast where we can wake up and walk.
These two sections of walk are absolutely fabulous. Lots of woodland and pastureland. Yesterday I had joked with Rob that we should walk at night to avoid all the traffic challenges around the loop. Today I commented there was very little difference between the light now and that at night. A thick blanket of cloud reminding me of the descent in to Luton when you go through five minutes of grey before hitting the runway. The rain was continuous for two thirds of the walk. But there is something enjoyable about being in lovely scenery with the rain falling. Yesterday we stopped to admire some snow drops in full bloom. Look around for them at the moment they are such a delicate and demure flower appearing in the most challenging weather conditions of the year. Do stop and take a look. Also saw first signs of daffodils poking through. Today we saw first green shoots appearing on trees. That special moment when the buds chameleon like change from brown to green promising possibilities of spring in a few weeks time.
We continue our walk and come upon a stable where Sarah is at work. Missunderstanding once again as Sarah talks about Bob's fine chest, stature and powerful legs. Robert is preening his feathers with such talk but I have to tell him that she is referring to Bob her horse she is training for dressage. I am concerned at the puzzled look on Rob's face but believe he can cope with the truth. Sarah tells us more about Bob's personality and if in the field there are 25 horses and she calls Bob he comes running to her. Bob is a fine horse and does cast a glance to tell us that Sarah is special and he loves working with her.
On we go and eventually come upon Grimm's Dyke or Devil's Ditch in Anglo Saxon. A dyke to divide two lands and keep livestock seperated. A bit macabre all this as we walk to Grimms's Hotel up ahead. Why would you keep the name Grimm? Then we learn the house has history! It was owned by Gilbert of & Sullivan fame, built by Foster the famous architect in 1870. Gilbert died there in 1911 as he tried to rescue a young lady house guest struggling in the lake. Rob and I conjectured many theories about this incident - devil worshipping in the Devil's Ditch?.
I am sure most of them were wrong! We found the house which was impressive and I sang sections of the Mikado at the entrance. We had a well earned rest here and a relaxing place to spend time. Tea and a biscuit was £4 such a contrast to our 75p tea on the other side of the bridge earlier this morning.
We are getting fitter and almost half way round the loop now. We are learning that any pub or eatery we plan on eating at will be closed for refurbishment or just closed cos they hear we are coming. Some miles passed quickly today when we found we disagreed on issues from the Terry Pratchett Dimbleby lecture this week. After a number of miles we reached alignement on the matter of risk. One perspective of seeing risk as something to avoid and the other as something to manage brought us together.
Next week we hope to break through 100 miles. A little note on what this is all about. When I got home I did my yoga stretches and Karen returned home. She was so excited to tell me about her adventure. She managed to get a parking space in the disabled slot next to Waitrose entrance in Hitchin. She took her walking stick and a trolley and walked slowly shopping around the store. She has been working hard at the gym and with Pilates and her exercises to gain strength in her ailing muscles. She felt a wonderful feeling walking without a frame or a wheelchair or scooter and getting all her shopping done. It felt 'normal'. Rob and I may walk 1000 miles but it is nothing to the struggle people with MS are fighting every day.

Walk 4 - 15.8 miles - Total 60.5 miles - To Go 939.5 miles

London Loop Sections 19-21 - Chingford to Havering to Harold Wood

Are things what they seem was our theme today. Can it really take two hours to drive 31 miles to the start of a walk? Yes, I did it. Great practice for mindfulness work as I focussed on relaxation and enjoyment of Beethoven and fought all instincts to get stressed and angry. Can you walk at a rate of 3.5 miles an hour and then confront 200 yards that takes 40 minutes as you tentatively squelch through thick and deep mud feeling your way along a barb wire fence for purchase to support your footsteps and avoid water in your boots. We did. But then the weather forecast promised sleet and rain and general English winter unpleasantness. We didn't see the sun but we kept dry and for this time of year it was, apart from 200 yards, a wonderful day to walk. After ten miles we were ready for lunch. We had wanted to stop at the Kings Head along the way where Charles Dickens had been inspired for Bleak House but the timing was wrong. At the start of our walk at Chingford was the only remaining wooden clad grandstand in the UK used by royalty to observe deer hunts across the chase. Too early for breakfast but we imagined the gathered entourage that would have spent time in finery there in the past. For lunch we landed on the Royal Oak at Havering. Rob was ready to sit and recover and anywhere would do. Aching from carrying his golf bag the day before around a muddy Hadley Wood his legs were complaining. I looked inside The Royal Oak and saw an empty lounge bar one customer. I walked back to Rob and suggested we try the other place but I could see he just wanted to sit and a drink and crisps would do. In we went and were surprised once again that things are not what they seem. Kim greeted us with a lovely friendly smile...behind the bar it said smokers will be clubbed and beaten....but we were walkers so ok with Kim. Could we eat something? Kitchen closed but she offered us a sandwich. One cheese and ham and one tuna mayo doorstep fresh bread sandwich later we had experienced the lunch fare that all future hostelries will be measured by. Perfect. We told Kim what we were doing and she told us about 40 miles in two days last year for cancer research and how she had begged to stop after 19 miles out of 26 on the first day but had been encouraged to complete and had felt so pleased to do so. We are getting better at speaking to people and people are donating to us as we go along. People are so generous and so interesting to talk to.
We also talked about identity and myths created by the press and which is which. Some time on the balance of the rights of the individual versus the state, corporation or capital. No final answers on these but many miles yet to work some out.

PS....Boot on front for those wondering from the last blog. We have tee-shirts with a boot on the front and a 1000miles4hope message on the back. Rob and I had agreed one of us should wear the boot on front and one on the back. So when I texted boot on front it was so he would know to put boot on back. But as the last blog says he had no idea what I was talking about.