Later this morning, after catching the 7.35 train, I should arrive at Preston train station for 9.50, which is where I will start my 191 mile walk from Preston to Carlisle. The route I’ll be following (the North-West Way) will take me along parts of the Ribble Way, through the Forest of Bowland, via the Yorkshire Dales, along the Pennine Way, across the North Pennines, and following parts of Hadrians Wall before arriving in Carisle a week on Saturday. That’s if all goes well, which I’m hoping it will! I’m currently feeling very confident and quite excited about how the walk is going to go.
Over the next 11 days, I plan to write a blog every few days depending on my internet connection and what I have to share. At this point, I haven’t even started the walk but I thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce the series of blogs that I’m planning to do and promote the cause that I’m raising money for one last time before I set off.
Along the way, I plan to have my binoculars strung around my neck most of the time and I will no doubt be treated to some superb scenery. I’ll also, hopefully, see some swifts which is what the money I raise from doing the walk will go towards. The BTO’s swift project includes tagging and studying swift movement to gain more of an understanding about them and to ensure that they can be preserved in the future following their 47% decline in recent years. By the time I return home, in almost two weeks’ time, it is likely that the birds I see daily will be getting ready, if not have already left, for their migration back to their autumn and winter grounds.
This BTO’s project really is incredible and very interesting. Previous tagging of swifts has already uncovered valuable information about their migration and foraging whilst breeding but more is needed to help work in halting their decline.
A link to my Just Giving page can be found here – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Georgia-Locock
Georgia Locock 