Thames Challenge

Compeed foot wax and zinc-oxide tape?? I really wish I had done the tape thing now I have read up about it . I should have spoken to Kev before I went.

Kev put me on to this tip on the day he met me at the finish.

 

I fully intend to practice the taping up of my feet now as preventative rather than having to treat any blisters henceforth!

Blisters – pop them after a few days and allow to dry out. To be fair the only blisters I had were from the first day when I had lunched out the Compeed foot wax and walked 22 miles instead of planned 18 due to diversions around improvements for the Olympics. On my right foot my little toe eventually exploded and is still shedding its skin and nail, but the other blisters all ruptured so have dried out already and are healing quickly. Whilst on my left foot I nursed the bulbous blisters the whole following 13 days with Compeed blister patches and moleskin sticky bits. Since getting home I have popped those blisters and they are now drying out nicely. I should have popped them sooner.

 Hanging – You can’t beat hanging out in the woods on your own for enjoying the wildlife in the dark just as much as in the light.

Badgers Noisy – Foxes Nosey – Owls Curious – Deer Startled – Hares Confused – Pigeons Indifferent – Earwigs – I hate Earwigs! They get into everything!

I really enjoyed lying back in the hammock falling asleep to the sounds of the woodland alive around you. Apart from the night that I stupidly hung my setup out across an animal run. It turned out to be a nice clear spot between the trees because all the animals used it as the run down to the river to drink. Still I saw a lot of different animals that night, in the glare of my head torch! I was the richer for it but a little jaded the next day through lack of sleep.

 People are surprising – Never judge a book by it’s cover, I was continually humbled by complete Stranger’s generosity and camaraderie. Often surprised when the cover didn’t match the book. In fact my opinion of the human race as a whole has been lifted by my experience and I feel the world is a friendlier place than we give it credit for.

 

 Best Pub – Undoubtedly - The Bounty
These people were the friendliest most hospitable people I could hope to meet. I had a great night sleeping in the beer garden. They even made me coffee in the morning. I cannot recommend a visit to this pub more! If you are on the river you can moor up and enjoy the hospitality or walk the foot bridge across to the pub if you come by car. The community around this pub was fantastic. I fully intend to return here in the future, without pack and poles, and thank them again.

Worst Pub – The Baskerville Arms – Lower Shiplake