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Day 124 has seen 5 miles walked, 656 feet climbed and fears conquered.

My dear friend Allie, whom I met on a train back in October last year, has been working extremely hard studying for her PhD and needed a break. She came up with a genius idea. Come and join me for a walk and at the same time do a reconnaissance of the delights of the Deli Ecosse that I keep talking about. That would require some walks around Callander of which there are lots but with the winter weather I decided to keep them reasonably low level.

Snowy hills from walking along Callendar Crags
Snowy hills from walking along Callendar Crags

I knew exactly the walks we could do. The 2.4 miles of the Callander Crags up to the Jubilee Cairn in the morning. Lunch in the Deli Ecosse and then the 3 miles of the Bracklin Falls in the afternoon. It was a great plan and the sun was coming to join us. We were in for a real treat. Allie arrived and first thing was to show her St Modoc’s church and take the opportunity for a few prayers. Prayers done we set off, parked up, locked out our walking poles, grabbed the map and kit and set off. We walked through the town and then up the road towards the golf course. Hit the car park, found the trail and set off to discover that parts of the route were closed due to windblown trees. This was hugely disappointing and not sure what the best thing to do was I stopped a dog walker to seek some local knowledge. He was incredibly helpful so I then told him about the challenge to discover that his wife had just recently been given the all clear after her 3rd battle with Breast Cancer. I was thrilled to hear such news both for her but also for encouragement for me and I very much hope that they do come and join me on the journey. Allie and I set off up the hill to tackle the crags, pushing away from the route closure in a North Easterly direction to the Jubilee Cairn to enjoy the views before dropping down to the road on the Eastern edge to follow that back in to Callander. As we gained height so the amount of ice increased along with the chill factor. The temperature dropped rapidly and considerably and it was immediately clear, as we scaled huge ice covered boulders, that retracing our steps rather than dropping off the crags in the East was not going to be an option. It took a lot longer than planned to get to the Jubilee Cairn due to the ice but we got there without incident. The temperature had dropped further so after a few photos we decided to crack on and it was here that Allie demonstrated significant courage in the descent. Allie had little mountain or hill experience and was particularly nervous of the downhill elements, as so many of us are, but today there was no choice but to have to trust in the equipment of boots and poles, trust in the instruction given by me and then trust in her own ability to safely descend down the rocky side of the crags on thick ice tracks and over large icy boulders. I was thrilled to be up there with a clear head and not the slightest sign of a seizure so was able to give Allie sensible guidance as to how to tackle this technical descent safely. My feet were falling where intended, my poles were planting where intended, my angles were good, my balance and stability was good. I was thoroughly enjoying the challenge and as we took our time to descend safely, step by step and pausing to enjoy the wonderful views I was witnessing the courage shown at the start materialising into a significantly increased and continually increasing confidence in Allie tackling this technical descent. On we trod, step by carefully selected and tested step until eventually making it down to the road. We had done it. I had never expected to be tackling the Crags on ice but by taking our time and enjoying the sunshine while helping each other we did it with not one slip. It was a great feeling and as we walked down the road towards Callander Allie told me about a wonderful quote said by Nadiya after she won the Great British Bake Off on TV.

A selfie with Allie and I at the Jubilee Cairn
A selfie with Allie and I at the Jubilee Cairn

‘It was all about the boundaries I put on myself. But with each week of Bake Off another boundary fell away until I felt completely open and free to run as far as I wanted. I feel there’s nothing I can’t do.’ ‘I’m never going to say I can’t do it again. Because I can do it!’

I’m never going to put boundaries on myself ever again. I’m never going say I can’t do it. I’m never going to say ‘maybe’. I’m never going to say, ‘I don’t think I can.’ I can and I will.’ As we walked and we talked I understood entirely what Allie was telling me. She had faced her fears of going down steep descents in the coldest of conditions presenting the most technical and treacherous descent she could ever hope to have to undertake without taking up winter mountaineering and was feeling great because she can do it. Allie had just done it! It felt really good for us both to have done it together and I very much hope that the memory of today’s success in the face of significant challenges will buoy her when she faces those difficult hurdles to be scaled during her PhD. Because she can do it!!

We arrived at the Deli Ecosse which was buzzing with people brought out by the sunshine. Sadly the wood burner had been on earlier and the Deli was very warm so no wood burner flaming for us to sit beside but it was delightful to be able to enjoy the warmth of both the building but also of Julie, and the team when they had the opportunity to come and say hello. Even better Julie handed me a very generous donation for the challenge from one of the ladies who I met on the New Years swim by the Trossachs Swimmers in Loch Venachar. What a fabulous surprise and a great way to top off a brilliant morning. It was lovely to see them all and to enjoy the Archie lunch of warm egg mayonnaise sandwich with a large salad followed by a Mocha and a Flapjack for two. We had taken a couple of hours longer descending off of the Crags than I had planned so it was 3.30pm by the time we had finished. Did we call it a day after such a challenging but successful morning or did we get back out into the fading sunshine and do the 3 miles of the Bracklinn Falls Walk?

We did, of course, do the walk. It was quick and easy along good, ice free tracks and offered stunning views of the Falls. We also bumped into a couple of friends of Allie’s over from Kilmarnock for the day so I got to meet them, give them a flyer and invite them to enjoy a glass of wine while watching a video so was well worth it. Walking done. 5 miles completed it was time to head home to catch the children as they came home from after school Hockey. Kit sorted, children back and sorted it was time for a shower before cooking tea of a sausage and red cabbage stir fry which with sausages and loads of red cabbage, stir fried in coconut oil with red onion, apples, sultanas, apple juice and apple cider vinegar was really scrummy and packed full of good stuff.

It has been a great day in glorious sunshine in the company of great friendship, courage and generosity without seizures.

Me posing in the glorious sunshine!
Me posing in the glorious sunshine!

So:
The challenge so far in numbers in total since the start:
Days completed: 124
Total Miles Cycled: 635
Total Miles Walked: 613.5
Total Miles Run: 41.2
Total Miles Paddled: 7
Total Distance Cycled, Skied, Ran and Rowed in the gym: 23.3
Total Distance Swum: 1,860 metres
Total Miles covered under own steam.1,321.7
Total Height Gained under own steam: 34,679 feet
Mountains Climbed: 5
Hills Climbed: 18
Days of Voluntary Activity: 7.5
Organ tunes learnt and performed: 5
Salmon Caught: 0!
Bats Found:0!
Curling Matches played in: 7
Curling stones placed on the button (the centre of the target): 1
Weight Training Sessions: 9
Aerobic Circuit Sessions: 6
Press Ups: 312
Pull Ups: 73
Sit Ups: 312
People Met and Hands Shaken: 373
Pots of tea shared: 27
Prayers joined on the top of a hill: 2
Prayers joined in the street!: 4
Prayers joined in a Train Station: 1
Prayers joined in a Café: 1
Pills popped: 546
Days until Driving Licence (lost to epilepsy) possibly Returned: 719
And most important of all – Money Raised as at Day 112 – £6,050.77

Considering I started this challenge 22 weeks ago very quietly with no target beyond a fiver, thanks to the brilliant advice from a friend of mine, I am absolutely thrilled and again thank you all. That is £54.02 for each and every day that I have managed to find the will and energy to do something worthwhile and my goodness it has been worth it for my peace of mind, for my healing and for the five wonderful charities you are supporting through your generosity. Long may it continue. May I also ask however that if you are not sponsoring me to please consider it for as much or as little as you can afford. My rate of revenue raising has slowed from £70.00 a day to £60.00 a day to £54.02 a day so please sponsor me and encourage your friends to as well.

Thank you all for your incredible comments and support. Please continue to spread the word.
If you see me around do please give a cheery hello and shake my hand or toot your horn and give a cheery wave to show your support and encourage me on.

Snowy views of Loch Lubnaig
Snowy views of Loch Lubnaig

Thank you for joining me on my own personal journey and encouraging me to walk, cycle, climb, paddle, sport and do good deeds each day to ‘Beat the Beast’ while helping to improve the lives and life chances of so many more people through sponsorship. The Five Charities that I have selected to support are:

  1. Cancer Research UK – My Father Succumbed to Lung Cancer; a couple of friends are currently fighting cancer and I am fighting a brain tumour. Let’s Help to Beat Cancer Sooner.
  2. The Prince’s Trust – Inspiring and preparing disadvantaged Young Lives for success.
  3. British Red Cross – helping those in need around the UK and the world whoever and wherever they are.
  4. World Wide Fund for Nature – For a Living Planet and a Future Where People and Nature Thrive.
  5. Help for Heroes – Support for our Wounded and their Families. To learn more about my story that brought me to this point, how I plan to ‘Beat the Beast’, what activities I plan to do within the challenge and why, please see my welcome video on this page.

How to Sponsor Me

The Beat the Beast Challenge is self funding through my own contribution while keeping costs to a minimum with voluntary support and corporate sponsorship in kind. Therefore the entirety of every penny donated will go directly to the 5 charities listed above.

Please sponsor me by completing a standing order form either through your own personal internet banking or by completing a hard copy standing order form in your branch of your bank and then handing it in to the teller.

It is entirely up to you how much you would like to and are able to sponsor me for so do please give as much or as little as you can. Every penny will be very gratefully received.

While I hope you will encourage me to keep going by sponsoring me for every day I survive and am able to find the cognitive and physical capability to complete a day’s task designed to improve my chances of ‘Beating the Beast’ or improving the lives of others, 5 days a week, four weeks a month, for as long as ever I can. Any One off Cash contributions will be most gratefully received and distributed in exactly the same manner to the five charities as the sponsorship. Any one off donations can be made by BACS or cheque.

Thank you for having enough faith in me to sponsor me.

Yours aye

Archie