Old Millhillians Club

Young Old Millhillians

YOMS Christmas Drinks 2011

Thursday 22nd December at the Adam and Eve pub in Mill Hill from 8pm.

 

Spread the word.....Christmas drinks for OMs under 25 at the Adam & Eve pub, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill NW7.  The pub is owned by two OMs and has been refurbished to a really high standard.  Many Millhillians and OMs hang out there so you never know you might bump into some School Masters!

Come along for a few drinks and a catch up to find out what your School friends have been up to. The first drink is free and this year there will also be some bar snacks and pizza thanks to the generosity of the owners.

 

 

YOMS Christmas Drinks 2010

Tuesday 21st December at the Three Hammers in Mill Hill.

Young Old Millhillians (YOMS) are OMs under the age of 25. The Club is always keen to involve those who have just left School and there are a variety of particular benefits.

  • You are automatically a full member of the Club until you reach the age of 25.
  • You receive reduced priced tickets for attending social events such as the Cocktail Party and Annual Dinner.
  • OMs in Leeds, Taunton, Manchester, Cambridge and Edinburgh organise regular dinners and welcome YOMS who are studying nearby with reduced priced tickets.
  • Sponsorship – The Club has funds if you are undertaking an unusual or special project such as a charity bike ride or working abroad. The Club does not contribute to any charity but to OMs who are looking for support.
  • Careers Help.
  • YOMS in further education are welcome to attend the professional dinners run by the Club such as City dinner, property, engineering, legal & medical. These dinners often provide a valuable point of career contact.
  • We are always looking to organise social events for YOMS and every year we host Christmas drinks at the ‘Three Hammers’ pub where the first drink is free!
  • Don’t forget you can use the National Liberal Club but remember to take your membership card and men need to wear a jacket and tie. You can take guests and it is a great place to impress.
  • Sports – many YOMs play for the cricket, rugby, golf and fives teams, even if they can only make it in the holidays.
  • It is vital that we have your up to date email and postal address so we can keep in touch.  Please contact Shalaka in the Club office. e sk@millhill.org.uk
  • We would love to hear from you if you would like to help or have any ideas. We need someone to publicise our events on Facebook and Friends reunited so do get in touch if you are interested.

Financial Help for YOMS in further education. Are you a University student looking for an academic grant or bursary?

If you are in further education and a former pupil of Mill Hill you  should be entitled to apply for a bursary or an award from the Schools Competition Act Settlement Trust if you would like some financial support for a course.  If you go to the website www.scast.org.uk you will find an explanation and details of the awards available. Provided you are 18 and under 30 and it is more than six years since you first attended Mill Hill School you are eligible.

The objects of the Trust are to:

  • Make awards or bursaries to beneficiaries which can be used in pursuit of higher or further education;
  • Provision of financial assistance, including equipment and travel, to beneficiaries in the pursuit of their studies or research;
  • Otherwise furthering the education of the beneficiaries.

As you will see from the website, the awards are not insubstantial and since there are only 50 contributing schools, it is well worth investigation: as well as General Bursaries there are awards for Post Graduate education and research and you can get support for a particular educational project such as a medical elective.

Pippa Woodrow reports on her trip to Sri Lanka & Hong Kong

With much excitement, and a little trepidation it must be confessed, I boarded a plane at Heathrow in July for a 7-week adventure in Asia.  I had never been east of Poland before so I really wasn’t sure what to expect when the plane landed in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.  I had heard a lot about the countries recent human rights controversies and in all honesty this was a large part of my reason for going. I have developed an interest in human rights and public law over the last year or so, and when the opportunity to go over to Sri Lanka to do some voluntary work in a number of orphanages as well as some potential work with human rights lawyers in the country I jumped at the chance.

I had managed to arrange to stay with a relative of one of my mother’s colleague’s in Colombo and so, armed with a Singhalese address scribbled on some scrap paper I jumped in a taxi and soon found myself in the middle of what seemed to me to be a forest with dust tracks acting as roads. This was where I was staying.  In Sri Lanka I am told it is much cheaper to build a house than to buy one ready-made. As a result you get remarkably nice houses springing up in the middle of heavily vegetated areas… picture a few of the houses on Totteridge lane sprinkled haphazardly across Arendene!

The family I was staying with was really welcoming. Their generosity and kindness turned out to be totally typical of everybody I met during my stay. I could not walk down the road for more than 5 minutes without somebody saying hello, smiling or waving their head from side-to-side like a nodding dog you sometimes see in the back of cars (I came to understand this as a sign of approval.) The food took a little more getting used to. I’m not really a fan of spicy food and whilst everybody made attempts to feed me ‘mild dishes’, I think our definition differed somewhat! The diet in Sri Lanka is primarily, rice, rice, rice some curry, and more rice. I should say though some of the home-cooked food there was sensational. It was worth the trip just to try some of the fish dishes in particular.

My first week was spent in Colombo visiting some of the courts and observing some of the workings of the legal system. It was so interesting to see how the different their system is, despite our colonial legacy. Courtrooms are far less formal, and I remember feeling that I would far rather defend myself here than in some of the dark wood and stone chambers of the RCJ where you really feel like you’re in big trouble – even if you’re only watching! There is far less public access to the courts than in Britain and perhaps my most striking memory was seeing prisoners in chains arriving at court, who I was later informed must have been men accused or convicted of homicide offences as they were surrounded by heavily armed policemen. I was struck by the carefree and perhaps innocent demeanor of many of them, had if not been for the chains and guns one might easily have mistaken them for friends on their way to watch a local cricket game.

I was so inspired by a visit later in the week to the Weeramantry International Centre for Peace Education Research. I was lucky enough to meet Judge Weeramantry himself – former vice president of the international court of justice, the author of countless publications on the law and social decline, and one of the most impressively intelligent people I have ever encountered.  When presented with the chance to pick his brain I felt like a 10 year old in an old fashioned sweet shop… too many things to choose from!

It is hard to say what part of my time in Sri Lanka was my favorite but my second week spent in Anuradhapura must be up there.  The Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka provide a great deal of the welfare support and I was very kindly invited to spend some time in a girls orphanage in the central area of the country known as the ‘cultural triangle’.  Ever since my trip with Mill Hill to Nicaragua in 2005 I have wanted to repeat the experience of working with children in developing countries develop their confidence and language skills. The girls I encountered during my stay were some of the most genuine and deserving children I have ever come across. The unconditional acceptance of me both from the children and their carer was really touching and I had a wonderful time teaching them sport, learning Sri Lankan dancing and finding out more about them. Their English was limited and I hope I improved it a little. I was so impressed with their discipline, every evening they would sit on the stone floor cross legged, head bowed in religious worship for nearly an hour chanting in unison. I was feeling fidgety so I can’t imagine how the children as young as 4 were managing. I remember think to myself on more than one occasion that one would have quite a job trying to get 30 Mill Hill students to do this!

The girls here were not very different from those I remember in Nicaragua; earnest, playful, hugely affectionate and with a fascination with digital cameras! I was very sad to leave.  Every single child had written me a card personally designed – (some displaying impressive creativity) asking me to return and to keep in touch. A number of the older girls mentioned that seeing me travelling alone gave them the confidence to know that it is possible for girls to be independent and take pro-active steps to achieve their dreams. A number of them wanted to be teachers, a couple more dreamt of becoming waitresses.  There is still a widespread gender division in Sri Lanka and many girls seem to fear independence. This was to the extent that at times I had locals approaching me wanting to take my picture as they were so fascinated that a female was permitted to go out alone, let alone to a foreign country.  If my visit helped encourage any of these young ladies that it is not only acceptable but positive for them to strive for what they want then I think it was really worthwhile and something I would like to continue trying to work towards.

After leaving the Orphanage I went off exploring. Anuradhapura is a Holy City with several impressive ‘Dagobas’, temple and the Sri Pada Holy Tree. The temples were absolutely stunning, and the sight of pilgrims flocking to worship was very sobering. Not being religious myself I have never really spent a great deal of time in worship but even as a bystander the beauty of the architecture and the vastness of some of the old monuments was inspiring in a way that I suppose one could describe as spiritual.

Perhaps my favorite single sight during my trip was Sigiriya. The remains of an ancient palace built up around an enormous towering rock. The views from the top took my breath away, just as carrying the king up the 1,222 steps to his rock-top palace must have taken that of the soldiers!

My next stop was the vivacious central city of Kandy. Sitting in the unspeakably beautiful hill country, Kandy provided a base for some of my most exciting days; elephant riding, white water rafting, hiking through the tea country and eventually getting sun-burnt at the most beautiful beach I have ever visited to name but a few. My climb up Sri Lanka’s famous Adam’s Peak was a great achievement for me – my first proper mountain climb! We began the ascent at 2am and arrived in time to see the sunrise from the top where there was a holy temple housing what is believed to be Buddha’s footprint. I proudly rang the pilgrims’ bell once to record my single successful ascent (only to be put rather to shame by an aging gentleman behind me who proceeded to ring it 12 times…!) We were right above the clouds and I can safely say, that picnic at 6am will remain the most memorable meals of my life.

My lasting memories of Sri Lanka are the unabashed friendliness of the people. Their unassuming acceptance of me helped me to be more accepting of myself. By the end of the trip I was definitely a happier person and far more able to step back and see the bigger picture, rather than getting caught up with the feeling that life is some sort of race. Sri Lanka also left its mark through the insanity of the drivers (they don’t believe in brakes – only horns!) and the sheer beauty and variety of the country. From beaches to mountains to urban sprawl and sacred centers, the country has everything to offer, and all so within such a small country. I would love to come back here someday.

To say that arriving in Hong Kong was a culture shock would be an enormous understatement. Coming from Sri Lanka where the local convenience store is simply a table of fruit at the side of the road and the ‘house of fashion’ and the trains chug along at a maximum of 20mph Hong Kong airport was like fast forwarding a whole century! I could have simply spent the next 3 weeks in the airport alone making my way through all the designer shops and reveling in the immaculate efficiency of it all! Even the toilet queues were monitored by attendants ensuring maximum time efficiency was observed! I had decided to extend my trip over to Hong Kong as I had had an extremely generous invitation from OM Graham Harris to come and do some work experience with him at his criminal chambers on the Island. Suited and booted I found my way through the maze of shopping malls to one of the many tower blocks in central Hong Kong and found Liberty Chambers up on the 22nd floor.  They had just moved into these offices and they were pretty swish... dark wood paneling and panoramic views out over central Hong Kong. Definitely not a deterrent from coming in every morning! I was so lucky to be able to join Graham’s gaggle of summer students. We were able to watch him on a number of different cases; all memorable for many different reasons I should not divulge too much about the work but the lunches he took us to were absolutely superlative. As a dim-sum beginner it took me a while to get to grips with the chopsticks, but my goodness that was some of the best food I have ever tasted. Graham was incredibly generous and treated us to lunch whenever he could, sharing stories of Mill Hill and life as a barrister over food I couldn’t get enough of. All three of us ‘summer students’ felt so lucky to be with him in particular. He was so genuine, and so interesting to chat to, with a real sense of fun.  I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to him once more for taking care of me so well. Hong Kong was fantastic but I wouldn’t have had half the experience I did without Graham.

One of the highlights had to be a trip with Graham out the yacht of a billionaire in celebration of a case he had recently won.  I was treated to a day of supping champagne and cake on the sofa’s of this enormous boat, going over to another of the island’s for an amazing sea food lunch followed by jet-skiing. A world away from Sri-Lanka but I could definitely get used to being a successful barrister!

I managed to get a few more days hiking out in the mountains of Hong Kong. It is another Island that offers lovely beaches, mountains and stunning cityscapes all side by side. I got to see the classic view of HK from the central peak when I was fortunate enough to spend a day in court with Judge Kim Longley (another OM.) He allowed me to spend the day with him in court watching his cases and chatting about my potential career in law. He had tons of useful insights and treated me to yet another lovely munch at the country club, I think it’s fair to say that I got spoiled in Hong Kong. Judge Longley even managed to persuade his son to be-friend me, after which the delights of ‘ladies night’ were unveiled: free drinks for girls on Wednesdays and Thursdays… I really think this is something we should introduce to Boris!

On my last day in chambers the new conference room was to be christened with a little soiree. Graham’s senior pupil and I were volunteered as the entertainment and so; we put together a little ad-hoc performance of west end numbers for everybody. Whilst it lacked a little polish, nobody seemed offended, and we managed to get our revenge on graham by forcing him to do the phantom of the opera duet with me! It was great fun being in Chambers and I met a great number of people with whom I hope I will stay in contact. It has only strengthened my inclination that the bar is somewhere I might like to be and since I have returned and begun my legal studies I keep that end goal in mind. I feel so fortunate to have been able to take this trip. On a personal and professional level this summer was an experience that changed me. It has given me confidence in my own capabilities and in the strength of my convictions going forward in a career in law. I want to be able to work with people as intelligent and genuine as those I met in Hong Kong and to help the people that I saw struggling in Sri Lanka. And maybe sing a few songs along the way as well!

My trip would never have been possible without the support of the Old Millhillians Foundation, and without the support and generosity of individual OMs. I feel so lucky to be part of an organization that will extend an unquestioning hand of welcome in any part of the world.

Pippa Woodrow (McClure '03)

Robbie Yellon reports on his trip to Fiji - using sponsorship fund money from the OM Club:

Prior to the completion of my A levels mid-2009, I found myself in a quandary. For the first time in my life I  was to have a whole year in which to do what I wanted, when I wanted. Given the uniqueness of the situation, I was at a loss as to what to do. With twelve years in the Mill Hill Foundation almost at an end, my first instinct was to do absolutely nothing for a while. I soon decided that I should probably do something productive with my time. The most obvious course of action was to travel. The least obvious course of action was where to go.

The number of options laid out to me was staggering. Inter-rail through Europe? Trek through South-East Asia? Bus across South America? Such a huge range of Gap Year websites, and travel brochures didn't make it easy. Eventually the answer presented itself: Scuba Diving; a passion of mine for many years. I soon discovered Gap Year Diver, a company specialising in, well, Gap Year diving. A week later, everything was booked. I was to spend 10 weeks on remote Nasonisoni Island in Fiji, on a marine conservation expedition with the overall aim of creating a UNESCO Seascape Reserve.

Now considering the travel distance and nature of the project, this wasn't a cheap trip. Thankfully the Mill Hill Foundation was there to help. The school awarded me a generous bursary from the Lewis Van Moppes and EP Shanks Travel Award funds. The Old Millhillians Club subsequently awarded me a grant to support my project. Even more generous was the unexpected offer of paid work at the school prior to my travels where, for six months, I acted as Admissions Assistant, providing tours to prospective students as well as performing administrative assistance in the Admissions Department.

On April 11th 2010, I left the United Kingdom and travelled to Fiji via Los Angeles, meeting up with many others from around the world  who were joining the expedition. Our first couple of weeks on the island were spent developing our Scuba Diving skills to the level of PADI Advanced Open Water Divers.  After the “basic training” we spent another three weeks learning how to perform the necessary research. This involved learning to identify and name a massive number of species of fish, invertebrates, turtles, sharks, dolphin, and coral. It also involved learning the experimental protocol. This involved diving teams of three surveying the reef and counting aquatic wildlife populations. The research itself took another 3 weeks and was extremely fun and exciting. A truly unique experience. It was certainly different to any diving we had done before as we had to get used to moving steadily and accurately through the water; controlling our breathing and movements to keep us in exactly the correct positions to record the necessary data. The remainder of the trip gave those of us who wanted to, the chance to become PADI rescue divers: a certification which teaches one to support and rescue injured divers.

The expedition was not all diving however. The island we were located on was one of the most remote in Fiji, neither a tourist destination or a backpacker trail. On arriving in Fiji, the island we were travelling to was so remote, even immigration control had never heard of it. The island itself is owned by the village of Navatu, home to the only people on Nasonisoni. The villagers actually built our camp for us, and were just finishing off repairs as we arrived. A few weeks previously, a huge monsoon almost destroyed the camp and completely washed away the bure (Fijian wood-and-straw hut)  that I, and 5 others were to be living in. We were therefore lucky enough to have a brand new bure to live in for the whole ten weeks. Furthermore, each member of the team was placed with a Fijian family in the village whom we stayed with every Sunday. The villagers are Methodist Christians and so have a weekly church service which we were obligated to attend. Every Sunday we would walk across the island and have breakfast with our respective families, followed by church, followed by a huge lunch (difficult as we were still stuffed from breakfast), followed by a welcome sleep. In the afternoons we would gather in the village hall to drink Kava, a drink produced from the root of a native plant which, in addition to tasting foul (even the Fijians admit this...) makes most people very ill after too much. That said, the fact that it acts as a mild narcotic seems to mean that nobody really cared. Long walks back to camp after a Kava session were...unpleasant. If we ever had free time, once a week we could go to “Kinder”, an hour at the village where we could bring toys and play with the children. This always ended up being everyone's favourite time of the week, not least because it always ended with masses of tea and Fijian cakes.

The trip I took to Fiji was probably the most incredible, unforgettable experience of my life. I met so many life-long friends, took away some incredible memories, and had a ridiculous amount of fun. There is so much more to tell which I am unable to fit into this report. This adventure would never have happened without the aid of the Mill Hill Foundation and the  Old Millhillians Club. I cannot thank them enough for their support as without them both, I never would have experienced such an amazing ten weeks. Thank you.

Robbie Yellon, School House, 2004-2009


YOMS Christmas Drinks 2009

A sudden and unexpected snow storm in North London on the 21st December played havoc with the YOMs Christmas drinks, with the consequence that many were unable to get there.  There was chaos on the roads and tube lines, yet some 25 or so intrepid OMs made it to the Hammers, most having made it on foot. What some will do for a free drink!
There were three sets of siblings (Tom & Will Wright, Katie & Tom Anderson, and Stuart & James Ellen) and a broad spread of ages ranging from elder statesmen such as Ollie Sander and Duncan Beckman (who is about to train as a civil aviation pilot) to recent school leaver Samatha Davis fresh from her first term at Cambridge. A good time was had by all.

YOMS Christmas Drinks 2008

Over 60-70 YOMS turned up for Christmas drinks at the Three Hammers pub in Mill Hill on the 22nd December.  It was an informal and thoroughly enjoyable evening with OMs catching up with old school friends. Alan Toulson, President of the OMC, Andy Mortimer Chairman and Tim Corbett Hon Sec also attended.

ODA Project Nepal 2008
Sarah Rachael Shaul

After leaving Mill Hill last year, and whilst there having been involved in the partnership project to Tamil Nadu, I knew that I wished to take part in a similar project in the summer after my first year at Oxford University. Thus this last summer and preceding year I became involved with ‘Oxford Development Abroad’. ODA is a student based charity that organizes trips to Morocco, Nepal and Uganda for students who, through their own fund raising, wish to travel in order to execute projects that assist development in the areas that need it most.


Our project was based around a school that was in need of roofing, the construction of smokeless stoves and soak pits in the neighbouring areas and teaching English in the village primary school and local youth group. Although the initial project proposition had made it clear that the area where we were to reside and work for 5 weeks was ‘remote’ it failed to warn us of its extreme isolation in the mountains. My very first initial memory of Nepal is therefore that of the hair-raising, bumpy and precarious cliff drive up to the village; the jeep following a ‘road’ often prone to landslides. Needless to say, the hilly terrain of our village’s location meant that everything we did was an uphill hike. Despite this however (and of course the common local perception held that a construction team of five girls would be unable to deal with the work in such conditions) the project was completed on time and without any major problems. The roofing of the school went smoothly and was completed first. We later visited it to see it in full use and classes well underway. Similarly, the 11 smokeless stoves and 15 soak pits were all constructed on time, something which was especially important to us as they promise to provide the most benefits for the community. Whilst the smokeless stoves are essential for lowering the number of respiratory problems provoked by the locals’ constant use of smoky, open stoves for their cooking, the soak pits ensure clean domestic utensils all year round.

What most struck us about the community in which we were working was its organization and pro-active attitude. The community meetings made it clear that, unlike in most Nepalese mountainous villages, they had made an effort to abandon the prevalent caste system in order to give women a leading role in the community as well as establish a more democratic, unified work ethic. Despite the fact that the villagers often seemed to presume that we just had money to give them, which sometimes proved a little uncomfortable, we managed to work well alongside them and by the end they seemed happy for us to take on some more of the skilled aspects of the manual labour we executed. Our teaching also gave us time to interact with the people that lived around us, something that proved more difficult to do than we had expected due to local custom and tradition. Although the level of English was very poor, the children and adults that attended the classes always proved willing; indeed when we aborted classes one day for a fun sports day they were thoroughly disappointed and asked us that we give classes only in future. It was due to this evident enthusiasm, yet lack of available resources, that we were prompted to spend our micro-fund on books and posters for the school that we worked at before we left.

There is no doubt that without the money donated this project would not have been possible. I would therefore like express my sincerest gratitude to The Old Millhillian’s Club on behalf of my team and ODA, for donating what they did in order that such a community received the help they so desperately needed.

Sarah Rachael Shaul,
St. Anne’s College, Oxford

The 3 Peaks Jogle

John O’Groats to Land’s End via Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon

When I set out to start to plan and complete this challenge, I had expectations of what the journey would be like both mentally and physically but reading other people’s stories and imagination can only prepare you so much for something as epic as what I was going to undertake. On the 12th April I set out from John O’Groats, the Northern tip of Scotland aiming to walk to Lands End, not an unusual trip but any means but for my end to end trip I was going to add the ascent of the three highest peaks in the UK to my journey; Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon, a feat which no one had yet completed entirely on foot and unsupported.

I left John O’Groats at 9.00am on the Saturday and it was an amazing feeling crossing the start line and knowing that from that moment on, I would walk six days a week for 10 weeks with the 20kg of equipment that I needed to be fully self sufficient and prepared for almost all eventualities; navigation equipment, tent, sleeping bag, clothes, food, water etc. I was almost immediately greeted with a wet ‘hello’ from the Scottish weather, giving me an insight in what could be to come throughout my time in Scotland. Completing the first day and arriving in Wick to be greeted by my parents, who were with me for the first two days of the trip, gave me a great feeling of relief that finally after months of planning, preparation and many sleepless nights, I was finally moving. At last, the easy part!

Scotland itself, is a place of immense beauty and awe, and as a lone walker moving through the mountains, hills, glens and lochs, I felt amazingly humbled to be able to access places that only those on foot can and to be able to move at a pace that whilst covering ground, allowed me to soak up each sight, sound and the occasional heavy downpour! The first two weeks however, whilst experiencing some amazing areas, particularly the Great Glen Way along the side of Loch Ness with snow covered mountains in the background, was incredibly tough physically. Pain in my feet, shoulders and hips were major problems for me and unfortunately some days were spent moving from waypoint to waypoint with little regard for the scenery around me. I was uplifted when I met a guy who was nearing the end of his cycle ride from Lands End to John O’Groats, who was from Muswell Hill (a town near where I live) which really lifted my spirits, in what was quite a tough time in the trip. I reached Fort William only one day behind my schedule and prepared for my attempt on the summit of Ben Nevis the following day.

My brother Stuart, who had driven up to join me, and I started in earnest the next day for what, for both of us, was our first outing on ‘The Ben.’ The rain and clouds soon closed in and we soon found ourselves navigating in dense cloud, deep snow and driving winds. It was scary at times, but thankfully due to a bit of determination and handy GPS work we arrived triumphantly at the summit to find an eerie calm and around seven feet of snow cover. Our descent was a lot easier, as the snow conditions allowed us to make quick time and in just over six hours we were back at the base of the mountain. One peak down, 200 miles completed.

Stuart then left me and I picked up the West Highland Way from Fort William to Milngavie. It was a remarkable change to the past two weeks, but it produced some of the best walking and scenery of the entire trip, especially Glen Coe. I also had my first day of solid rain on the WHW! My body began to heal, including a mystery ‘sore’ on the bottom of my foot, which caused me a lot of discomfort, and I really enjoyed that particular leg of the trip. Arriving in Glasgow, for a day off, provided another change of pace and atmosphere to the trip. I then moved down towards the border, with my parents, again joining me for a few days. Crossing the border into England was a tremendous feeling and I met one of the many ‘End to Ender’s’ heading north on a bike. We exchanged stories and headed our separate ways. A few days later I headed out from Carlisle to Skiddaw, one of the longest days, but also incredibly spectacular as the landscape dramatically on the edge of the national park from farmland to rolling hills and I spent the night at the highest Youth Hostel in the UK in amazing solitude. I moved through the busy Keswick on an incredible hot day, which culminated in convectional thunderstorms in Borrowdale. They don’t call it the wettest place in England for nothing!

Scafell was next, again with my brother along with my Uncle and his dog, Digger. This was the only peak where I carried my full Bergen for the climb rather than a daysac, as I was going up and then over into Great Langdale, rather than coming back down to where I had started. The day was perfect and due to the practices that Stuart and I had done in February, navigation was a lot easier and it gave me a chance to enjoy the stunning views from a clear summit. The descent was long and not helped by the fact that Stuart and I ran out of water but all was saved by a well earned pint once we reached the bottom and celebrated two out of three.

My ‘half way point’ was Windemere, where I spent two days resting up before pushing down through Preston and St. Helens. I thought that this would have been the toughest leg in terms of suburb and town walking but thankfully, my concern was unfounded as I made great progress, clocking up some of my best mileage of the trip, 26 miles in one day.

Wales saw another drastic change in scenery and yet another dimension to the trip and having worked across the North of the country, I linked up with a friend, Ross Keiderling, and together we summited the final Peak, Snowdon, and then traversed back across the country, through Welshpool and picked up the Offas Dyke Trail. My arrival in Ross on Wye saw a large resupply by my family and a nice surprise of having my tent put up for me! We ushered in the final big leg along the South West with the first BBQ of the summer before Ross and I finished our Welsh segment of the trip, straddling the border down to Pandy, near Monmouth and having great fun picking up fragments of the Welsh language!

A few days later, saw me crossing the River Severn, an amazing experience on foot and it signalled the final leg of the trip and an amazing achievement so far. With Ross and my family having left me in Pandy, I had to readjust to being by myself again, having had 24hr company for the past 10days. The stretch across the Exmoor hills, saw me enjoy some of the best weather of the trip, with many days spent in t-shirt and shorts but with the added pressure of maintaining enough fluids in my body to make the miles. Reaching Barnstaple and the start of my leg on the South West Coast Path inspired a new vigour in me, as I hadn’t walked the coast line since I left Inverness many weeks before. A little further down the coast I reached the 1000 mile mark at the North End of Perran Sands and I never thought I would be so happy to have reached a patch of Sand!

I really enjoyed the friendly nature of everyone I met on the coast as I walked, including a guy who was arriving in Newquay, having walked the South West Coast Path from Poole! The weather unfortunately turned quite heavy after some glorious days and I found not glorious days of sun in the final stretches of Cornwall, as I had hoped, but some of my dampest days, including my last full day on the road from Hayle, through St. Ives, to Pendeen where I was soaked to the skin, including having wet feet, my kit having obviously decided to finally give up after a long time of constant abuse!

My final day saw a soggy start but one with sadness but also joy. Sad that this incredible experience, one which I had fully immersed myself in for the past 10 weeks was now coming to an end but glad that I would soon see my family and friends and be able to not worry about mileage, navigation, water consumption and just generally trekking! So in a final foggy last effort, I at last headed down the final stretch of road to the Lands End complex where I was greeted by friends and family with balloons and banners amongst other things and having imagined the day for many weeks and thought about what I was going to do, I was hit by a sudden drain of energy and for the first time since I started, I felt absolutely shattered. Lands End Finish: 21st June, 11.00am.

This trip has changed my life, my outlook on things, my priorities and it has taught me to enjoy the little and simple things in life. Knowing that I have now come almost 1048 miles and visited some of the most spectacular places that the UK has to offer yet realising it was not just a geographical journey but one that has made me explore my limits and what I am capable of is the most important thing for me. Many people never explore what the UK has to offer but it has everything you could want: beaches, mountains, coast, forests and much more; if only there was a little less rain!

I would not have been able to do any of this without the incredible support of my friends, colleagues, strangers, sponsors and well-wishers who all gave me the encouragement and help that I needed but most of all to my family for putting up with the ups and downs and late night planning but for giving me the love and support that helped me finish. I raised £7000 which will be divided between my three chosen charities.

Thank you for all of your support throughout the trip.

James Ellen

Supported By

Snugpak, The Old Millhillians, Alleyn’s School Combined Cardet Force, Mill Hill School Combined Cadet Force, Isle of Scilly Travel, Regatta great outdoors, Wayfayrer Foods, Bryher Campsite, Channel 7 Media and Cotswold.