Photo: Club President John Graham greets John Campbell, with club members Ahmed Sharieff (L) and Cecil Leitch (R)
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Talk by Mr. John Campbell on his 'Walk across England'

Coleraine Probus members where taken on a good walk at the recent club meeting, from coast to coast across England, and they didn't have to leave to the comfort of the Portstewart Golf Club to do it!

Guest speaker and well know local walker John Campbell was the man that undertook the trip, all 192 miles of it from the Irish Sea at St Bees Head to the North Sea at Robin Hood's Bay. In fact John has done this walk (and many, many more besides) twice. The first time was in 2007 as a 'retirement treat' for himself, and then again in 2015 as a fund raiser for the local charity 'Smiles'.

The talk John gave was based around an excellent selection of slides, showing the various stages of the route, comparisons with the two walks and the many changes in weather conditions! It was a very enjoyable and interesting walk, leaving the club members thankful that they could enjoy the telling of the story and didn't have to walk the route.

Cecil Leitch gave the vote of thanks for the talk and said that enjoyed a 'good walk' on the Ulster Way, but would never attempt anything of that scale - and so said many of the members, who showed their appreciation by adding to John's fund raising by making a donation to 'Smiles'

The Route Climbs
The classic route by Alfred Wainwright was intended in part to encourage others to devise their own routes, walking coast to coast connecting the Irish and North Seas. This particular route also links three National Parks taking a high level traverse wherever possible. From the west, the coastal plain is crossed to, and through, the Lake District to Shap, followed by the crossing of the Westmorland limestone plateau to Kirkby Stephen, a climb across the Pennine watershed to reach Keld and over Gunnerside Moor and Melbeck Moors to Reeth and Richmond to the low level Vale of Mowbray, before again achieving height across the North York Moors. Between Keld and Reeth you have a choice to take the high level route or a low level route through beautiful Swaledale.

*This is a shorter write-up than normal, as we thought you may like to look at some photos along the route, as well as checking some of the links below. For the photo page, 'Click' one of the pics. below, and just follow the path!:

For more information (these will open in a new window):-
Visit the 'Wainwright Society' for information about the great man and his walks:

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To 'read all about it':

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Planning the walk, lots of detailed help for members walking to DIY:

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News and Information about 'The Smiles Foundation':

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