This November, Stephen Collins has been taking on the 268 mile Pennine Way from Edale in Derbyshire to Kirk Yetholm near the Scottish Border:
"Well... what a roller coaster!
Let's get the low bit out of the way. Chips, my Belgian Malinois was kindly left with neighbours but after a few days of barking 24/7 I had him picked up and now he's settled again. No more barking.
I've learned that when doing a gruesome walk in horrible weather, your feet need total care. I called for advice from a local company and after sending photos, Carol suggested that I rest for a day and bathe them in hot apple cider as my nails turned black and my big toes had a fungal infection (can't thank you enough for your free advice).
I've met some lovely people on the Pennine Way. With completely different views on life, they were very caring and helpful, even though we talked in the rain.
The walk is not for the faint hearted or to have a dog and a 30lb backpack to add to the rocky road. Will be a lot lighter next time in good weather when I can see the beautiful walk. A lot of the path is very dangerous as I question myself over and over again why I decided to achieve this at the wrong time of year in horrendous weather. So, even though I've taken a small break, I face the same again in praying for a good day of weather.
It would just be the prettiest place in the works in the summer so will come back and see it in its natural beauty.
I would like to thank the Ravenshead Newsletter for keeping in touch while I'm doing this. It's very lonely here and the messages are heart warming which gives me the strength to continue.
And the silly texts from veterans which have made me chuckle when I felt like calling it a day. When I was thinking why am I doing this? The answer is easy, I wish someone had helped me!! If I can just save one person, I've done a great thing. Just thinking it was only last May I wanted to bow out and tried to bow out of this world. That's what PTSD does.
Pictured are some of the photos I've taken so far.
Looking forward to sleeping in a bed at the next hotel... and a shave wouldn't go a miss either!"
Stephen Collins - The 268 miles of the pennine way | Combat Stress
"Well... what a roller coaster!
Let's get the low bit out of the way. Chips, my Belgian Malinois was kindly left with neighbours but after a few days of barking 24/7 I had him picked up and now he's settled again. No more barking.
I've learned that when doing a gruesome walk in horrible weather, your feet need total care. I called for advice from a local company and after sending photos, Carol suggested that I rest for a day and bathe them in hot apple cider as my nails turned black and my big toes had a fungal infection (can't thank you enough for your free advice).
I've met some lovely people on the Pennine Way. With completely different views on life, they were very caring and helpful, even though we talked in the rain.
The walk is not for the faint hearted or to have a dog and a 30lb backpack to add to the rocky road. Will be a lot lighter next time in good weather when I can see the beautiful walk. A lot of the path is very dangerous as I question myself over and over again why I decided to achieve this at the wrong time of year in horrendous weather. So, even though I've taken a small break, I face the same again in praying for a good day of weather.
It would just be the prettiest place in the works in the summer so will come back and see it in its natural beauty.
I would like to thank the Ravenshead Newsletter for keeping in touch while I'm doing this. It's very lonely here and the messages are heart warming which gives me the strength to continue.
And the silly texts from veterans which have made me chuckle when I felt like calling it a day. When I was thinking why am I doing this? The answer is easy, I wish someone had helped me!! If I can just save one person, I've done a great thing. Just thinking it was only last May I wanted to bow out and tried to bow out of this world. That's what PTSD does.
Pictured are some of the photos I've taken so far.
Looking forward to sleeping in a bed at the next hotel... and a shave wouldn't go a miss either!"
Stephen Collins - The 268 miles of the pennine way | Combat Stress
