Well I am back, well got back on wed, after setting off on last Friday, managed to get as far as Horton on Ribbles-dale, unfortunately I had a fall on the approach to Fountain fell, where I turned my ankle, managed to follow path to top of Fountain fell even with wading through up to 3ft of snow and was feeling quite good until I started down the path opposite towards Pen y Gent and then the pain kicked in (later found out after 4 hours in A&E that I had pulled a ligament in the knee and had torn/ snapped a ligament on the ankle), I am now on crutches and some horrid painkillers, back to A&E next week to see if I need an operation). Spent the night at the campsite in Horton with the hope that the pain would calm down by the next day after swallowing too many Nurafen but by morning I could not stand on the foot and knew the dream was over, foolishly I had turned the same ankle a few times before but I had never had the pain going up the front of the foot like this, so it was with a sad heart that I hobbled off to the train station and spent 8 hours getting back to Surrey. Anyway while it lasted it was fantastic, great country side and the Yorkshire people are just out of this world, can’t do enough for you. The weather was, well different, hail stones, snow, rain and the bloody wind, did not mind any of it except the wind, I have never experienced such strong winds and after being blown over many times on high ridges I was getting quite [censored]*d off.
I learnt 2 lessons:
1. Whilst I had got the weight of the pack down to 24/26 lbs with 7 days food and water, wearing inov trail shoes did not provide nearly enough cushioning or support and so by the second day my knees were killing me.
2. 20 miles a day straight off the bat with no proper training is stupid!!!
Even though I had dreamt about this for over a year and planned this trip for 6 months and spent a small fortune on gear I failed through lack of physical training. I will be back next year and complete it (may be a little later in the year though) will write up my trail notes and post later. I still have a week off and I am hating every day of it, I sooo much want to be out there doing the trail.
Oh and I now have to get my care package back from the post office in Bowes, had even got the missus to pack my boots and yeti gaiters in with the food.