Maybe my last walk?

Last week, I completed a 61 mile solo walk from Oakington Barracks, north of Cambridge to Ipswich  - walking solo and sleeping rough at night just south of Long Melford.

It was hard, wet, and more difficult than I thought it would be, the last 20 miles were on quiet country roads, the sun came out but my shadow was scary- do I  really limp that much? The answer is probably - yes - and now I sit here with damaged feet, this may have been my last long walk - it was all for a good cause - over £2000 raised for Walking with the Wounded and their 'Walking home for Christmas' project.


Thanks to those who sponsored me but if you missed out you still have a chance to donate here.

Just a few pictures from my trip:

My rations for the walk

Oakington Barracks - Main Gate, changed a bit since 1979!

Pub in Oakington Village

First stop, 10 miles in, by the river in Cambridge

Small horse!

Christmas village - Fenn Ditton

Lunch

Tory cutbacks? Only one pole?

Dinner - pub in Clare

On my way, day 2

Only meal on day 2, coke and a Scotch Egg - meal of champions!

Home!

Walking Home for Christmas - again

My last big walk- my right leg is now beyond repair! So this will be my final solo (third) walk supporting WWTW - Walking Home for Christmas. Next time , something shorter, maybe as a group of us – more of a social event.

I thought I would walk from where it started! My first posting in the army was at Oakington Barracks with 3RGJ in 1979. So I will walk from the old barrack gates to Ipswich, stopping overnight when tired, and sleeping rough in a Suffolk field and completing the walk the next day - 61 miles #Fromwhereitstarted

The walk will start at 7.30am on Wednesday 13 December – finishing (hopefully) at 4.30pm on 14 December

Why do I support this charity? - ‘Walking with the Wounded’ – many reasons, based locally in East Anglia – plus it looks at helping those with less visible injuries- PTSD –

For example they helped a Riflemen from my former regiment – Simon, moved to 3 Rifles and served in Afghanistan in 2010, he may have already been suffering PTSD after the loss of a close friend in our Battalion, he was then injured by shrapnel and left the army.

Struggle to keep down a job, turned to drink and found himself in trouble with the police.

‘Walking with the Wounded’ has helped Simon, who was set up with a placement at Starbucks, this then moved to a full time job, since then he has completed a course in property maintenance and has had help with his mental health issues.This was achieved thanks in part to the sponsor money you have donated for my last two trips.

So if you can sponsor me – it would be appreciated, because of my leg, being lazy and doing no fitness for a year – I think this will be my hardest challenge – but I think you need to do something that is challenging, it may attract more sponsorship and I feel that it should be hard, (but no fridge this time) – just walking, darkness, and sleeping rough. Rations will be 4 x cans of coke and a six pack of Toffee Crisp.

My giving page is here- https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlasdairRoss

Thank you again for your support

Alasdair Ross

Walking home for Christmas - with a fridge!

Next Wednesday I will be walking back to Ipswich from Felixstowe 16 miles may not seem much of a challenge. Last year for the military veterans charity, 'Walking with the Wounded' I walked part of the 'Essex Way' at night, on my own - no roads (over 60 miles).





It nearly killed me! I fell in a bog up to my waist after an hour and when I finished 20 hours later, I was shattered. So a shorter distance this time seemed a better option but a challenge was still needed - so I am carrying a fridge on my back!!

Now this is not that original as it has become a bit of charity fund raising ritual in the Royal Green Jackets, I remember Steve Wilson walking from London to  Cambridge in 1981 (I think the year is right) and then Joey Byrne walked from Southampton to Winchester and only this year Garry Collins did the Birmingham half marathon with a fridge in his back - so it is not original.

But I still hope to raise £500 ( now aiming for £1,000 after reaching first target) for this worthwhile charity - 'Walking with the Wounded' is doing a great job for veterans and it is also close to my heart as the charity not only has links with the Royal Green Jackets but as they are Norfolk based, a number of their projects involve working with veterans in Suffolk.


If you can sponsor me that would be appreciated




Charity link is here- Alasdair Ross - Walking Home for Christmas




More on this worthwhile charity here- Walking with the Wounded

Walking Home For Christmas - done it!

A few months ago I decided to participate in the #walkinghomeforchristmas charity campaign organised by the veterans charity, 'Walking with the Wounded'.

I also decided to make it very challenging for myself, so came up with the idea of walking back to Ipswich from Fulham, well not exactly West London, I decided to get the train to Chelmsford and then walk back over 60 miles, solo, starting at midnight and cross country via the Essex Way.

Good news is that I have raised over £2,000 so far bad news was that it was harder than I thought, not helped by falling a mug bog up to my waist after only just 40 minutes! But by Wednesday evening i was home if slightly tired!

You can still sponsor me here

Find out more about 'Walking with the Wounded' here

My week ahead, 14 - 19 December 2015

Monday 14 December, 4pm – Culture Portfolio meeting

7pm – Labour Group Christmas Dinner

Tuesday 15 December, Midnight – Start of my 64 mile walk home to Ipswich, for Walking for the Wounded – more info here and sponsor me here #Walking Home for Christmas

Wednesday 16 December, Still walking!! #Walking Home for Christmas

Saturday 19 December, 10am – Labour campaigning, North East Ipswich

This week is just about one thing really – my walk home from the ITFC game at Fulham (only walking from Chelmsford!) 64 miles for the ‘Walking with the Wounded’ charity, still time to sponsor me!!

Walking Home for Christmas - 64 miles

Walking Home for Christmas

Many of our veterans have walked in far worse and more dangerous environments than we might care to imagine. The ‘Walking with the Wounded’ Charity have given us a chance to be inspired by their determination and challenge yourself to take part.

This Christmas the charity is asking us to walk 1 mile or 100 miles or more home on day between 12 and 26 December

As an ex-soldier, I have taken up their challenge and on December 15 after the Fulham – Ipswich game I will get the train as far as Chelmsford and then I will walk the rest of the way home, but too make it more difficult I will be walking on my own, starting at midnight and not using roads where I can.

I will be walking 64 miles, mostly on the ‘Essex Way’ and the first 7 hours of it in the dark.

I hope you can sponsor me – the money raised will help the ‘Walking with the Wounded’ charity with their ‘Home Straight’ project which helps homeless veterans get back into employment.

Remember for every soldier who is physically wounded, five will have a mental injury.

You can find out more about the charity here 

And please sponsor me here