Do you know how some apparently normal people take on challenges that on the face of it look like they are way beyond the limit of what is typical or wise?
Did you see how their idea became a draft plan and how all sorts of thoughts spiralled together so that this relatively normal individual ended up unicycling to the South Pole?
Hmmmmm…. Yes….that was me….ish! In 2014, I was a 50 year old, overweight, desk jockey who acquired this affliction and had this idea to take on a challenge and a half and attempt a 5000 mile, 10 month walk around the coastline of mainland Great Britain, even though I was torn between obsessive enthusiasm, worry for my family and massive self-doubt that I could actually do it.
I can’t say where or how the idea really originated, though a long dog walk may well be the culprit. However, having had the idea, I’ve read a fair few books and blogs from people who have completed the challenge to see if I could understand what motivated them. In conclusion – I don’t think they knew either. Maybe it was an age thing. In truth I suspect it was an urge to do something tough that could also tangibly contribute. Some might describe it as a personal pilgrimage but maybe I saw it as more of an item in my bucket list. I also found myself with the opportunity to raise money for two excellent causes.
And my family? Despite my 10 month absence, my family were incredibly supportive. My partner lurched from enthusiastic support to resentment at my clear desertion but she also insisted that I had to do it and had no excuses. The kids were hardly children anymore and though exams pressed for all of them, they were confident that modern technology could keep up communications and couldn’t have been more enthusiastic.
GB Coast Walk 
Good luck on your adventure.
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Thanks Gary – Hope all is well at WOSL. Feel free to follow my blog or donate a pair of crutches to help me. Cheers Pete
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Trying to get Cedric, the Queens Guide, to take you across the sands of Morecombe bay, that should save a few miles!
Pip
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That would be lovely and most welcome ….thanks muchly. Pete
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Get in touch nearer the time and Cedric will guide you over the sands, weather dependant and God willing. He is doing an organised walk on the 25th May from Arnside departing 1515, so maybe you could join that one.
Pip
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Hi Pip….Thanks muchly – I didn’t realise you were Martins connection. Contact me directly and leave your email. I would love to think that I will be on schedule but there is no way I can guarantee anything yet. Thanks again. Pete
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Mon 24 Feb
Thoroughly enjoyed our chat this morning at ringstead bay hope we didn’t slow you down.
Good luck and I hope for good weather for you,we are in awe of your challenge and we
wish you all the best. Keith and Carol(and the 2 dogs)
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Hi Keith and Carol
Lovely to meet and chat with you both too – I would happily have taken one of your dogs with me. Parked up in Abbotsbury tonight – a bit further than I thought, so might slow down a bit tomorrow. I Hope you enjoy following my progress.
Best Regards
Peter
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Lovely to meet you last Friday. I am glad to be of assistance to your requirements! Rob is very much looking forward to assisting you further in April, sadly I will not be there to cook! You are doing amazingly well, keep positive. We will hopefully be there to see you cross the finishing line 🙂
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Hello Pete,
although we didn’t have enough time to talk to you, it was a pleasure to meet you and learn about the incomprehensible challenge you’re pimping your life with. We really wish this experience is going to pay its dividends while you’re at it already, and for what it’s worth, from our first impression between Sennen Cove and Cape Cornwall earlier today, you looked incredibly relaxed, sunshiny and ready to go. If somebody’s gonna make it, it’s gonna be you.
All the best,
Marlon and Silke from Germany
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Thanks for your kind words. It was lovely to meet you today and I hope you enjoyed your walk in the other direction. It was great to chat to two enthusiastic people like you guys and I wish everyone I met was as positive. Hope you enjoy the weather in Cornwall – while it lasts!!!
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Best of luck Pete on your mammoth walk. You have an unbelievable journey ahead of you and no doubt many challenges.
I’ll certainly be following your progress.
Best Wishes
Rob
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Hi Pete
Met you on Tuesday, we were walking between Tintagel and Port Isaac. Just tracked you and can’t believe you are in Bude already !!! Hope you got your pint in Boscastle .
Good luck with the rest of your challenge
Maggie & Bow
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Hi
Thanks for your chat – always lovely to actually talk to the few people I meet. The pint in Boscastle was very welcome – though after today I’m back on the lemonade now!
Cheers
Pete
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Hi Pete,
We are the Aussies looking for the Hawkers Hut, we found it 5 metres from where we spoke to you. We tried to get back to but you were so quick. Hope all goes well in your walk around the UK. Ros and Andy
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Hi. Thanks for your kind words and lovely to meet you. I too found the hut on my map 5 minutes later noticing it was yards from where we met. I hope you see some decent Cornish weather. All the best. Pete
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Hi Pete, we met you near Dale on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path today (24th April). It was great to meet you and to hear about your charity challenge and progress to date. Well Done!
Here’s wishing you good luck over the rest of this amazing journey.
Don & Diane – mere day walkers!
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Hi and great to meet you too. It’s always nice to have a chat on the path, however brief it may be. Great weather for a walk. I’m a mere day walker too….just every day! Cheers Pete.
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Hi Pete, we met you today on the cliff path near Solva – you heading to Whitesands, us in the opposite direction. The very best of luck with your amazing challenge, we will be following your progress now we have found your web-site. Clare and Jane
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Hi again, I do hope your training session for the 100km challenge went well. It was a longer day than I expected, but at least I have my first couple of days off to look forward to and to prepare for a heavy week ahead. Thanks and good luck with your challenge too. Pete
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Hi Pete, hope you had a good rest before yesterday’s leg of the coast path. I have been posting about your challenge on the Wales Coast Path Facebook page (other pages are available), so, hopefully, a few people might be looking out for you. All the best, Clare
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A pleasure to meet you on the Ayrshire Coastal Path up on the hill north of Lendalfoot today Pete. Best of luck for the rest of the trip. Hope you made Maidens ok – it was an incredibly hot day for walking so far!
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A great pleasure to meet you both too. It was a tad warm this afternoon but made it across to Maidens in one piece. I bumped into the fisherman who had just sunk his boat but he didnt seem in the best of moods as he recovered debris and belongings from the beach.
Feel to free to spread the word as it all helps the good causes.
Cheers
Peter
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Now then git …… good luck from downunder. Keep going mate and try and put the cricket out of your mind !!
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Apparently we won the last one!! Not that I could get a signal to listen…..hmmmm!
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hi Pete
we met briefly at Kylesmorar, with Edna the parrot, ill post the pictures as soon as, best of luck with the rest of your trek
jimmy,linda,donna,paul,harry,daisy,the four dogs and last but not least Edna
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Hi Jim et al, Lovely to meet you if a slightly surreal experience, but then again my whole walk is a little bizarre. Thanks for your wishes and give my regards to Edna. Cheers Peter
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Peter, you definitely are in Highland Fuels territory now!
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I’ve seen a fair few of their vehicles……bothered? nahhhh!
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Nearly finished Spud Ponsonbys book on her round Britain trek,what a good read .You certainly have my admiration.
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Thanks James – I thought her book was a grand read too. Sad ending though.
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It certainly was sad,read her other book about going across Scotland.with a horse .dog and baby,again very sad.
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Hi Pete- we so enjoyed our chat with you at Wallasea yesterday, and apologise for the muddy paw prints Merlin the retriever tried to decorate you with. Watch out for the trench foot!
All the very best…Simon, Leah and the dogs!
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Many thanks – it was truly lovely to meet you too and Merlin wasn’t as muddy as I ended up today. Thanks again. Pete
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Hi Pete, since we met in the spring on the coast path in Pembrokeshire, I have been following your progress and am thrilled that you are passed Essex, will you be home for Christmas? Good luck on the last leg. Clare and Jane
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Hi again. I remember our meeting and think i can almost remember every conversation ive had on this trip. Thanks for following and please spread the word as i would love to raise a bit more for the charities. My scheduled finish date is 6th Dec and with any luck I will keep to that date. Cheers. Peter
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Hi Pete,
Was a pleasure meeting you today, I doubt myself and Chris made anywhere near as much progress as you did, evident after losing sight of you by the time we had finished playing around at Shornmead Fort. Hopefully you were in the dry before the rain set in too much.
Best of luck, hope you have a big celebration waiting for you in Southamton.
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Peter, what an amazing journey and an inspiration to us all, have a great time when you arrive at Southampton.
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a year ago i didnt think you could sort out the logistics for the trip before you started in feb and i was concerned how those old injuries would hold up but im very happy to have every concern proved wrong, a fantastic effort and you cant be a bad bloke to have had the help and support of so many people, hope you are proud of your achiement and proud of the number of great friends and family you have had willing to help, just a tremendous year. ireland next i assume!
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Thanks Gary. I’m surprised I’m still vaguely in one piece too. I’ve had superb support throughout and couldn’t have done it without them. I must be in debt for a fair few favours now. Ireland? Errrr …..maybe not!
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I was wondering if you might be able to offer me some help and advice please. I have decided to walk the coast of Britain as a tribute to my beautiful 5 year old daughter who I tragically lost in December of last year after a short illness. I will be doing this walk for her memory and a children’s charity.
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Natalia,
I have replied to you separately and directly. Ofcourse – I would be delighted to help you in any way I can. If you don’t get my email please nudge me again. Pete
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