Two OAP's are embarking on a challenge with a difference, to raise money for a children's charity. Jacki Dixon, a Customer Service Duty Manager from British Airways at Heathrow's Terminal 5 and Pat Gorringe a retired Government Official will be completing the long trek from Lands End to John O'Groats using their Freedom Travel Passes. The pair, Jacki just 60 and Pat 70 have been friends for 30 years and for the past 10 years have been involved in volunteer work and fundraising for the charity GET KIDS GOING!
Their challenge will start on the 6th May when they catch their first bus from Lands End at 11.15a.m. They are determined to complete the journey without spending any money on their journey. They know there are some areas where they will have to walk miles to catch the next bus but these girls may be OAP's but they are not whimps. Jacki is no stranger to fitness, she is a runner and has run marathons to raise money for the charity and Pat is a seasoned walker as well as a jogger.
The pair will be sponsored by The Cotswold Outdoor Clothing Company who have provided them with rucksacks, walking shoes, fleeces, coats and trousers.
1) Lands End
2) Exeter
3) Bristol
4) Cheltenham
5) Wolverhampton
6) Stoke on Trent
From Lands End to Penzance and then on to Truro to catch bus to Exeter. But the bus to Exeter had already left so we had to walk 5 miles to divert to Newquay where we stayed in a b&b.
07th May
10.33 am
We are on our way to Exeter singing “The Sun has got his hat on”
11.30 pm
So we got to the bus stop in Newquay to catch the 9.30 to Exeter only to find it left at 9.15. We had to divert to Bude but at last we made it to Exeter - 3 buses and 3 miles walking later. We had a cornish cream tea before we left Bude - met some local yokels who gave us cash for Get Kids Going!
From Exeter we went to Taunton and then to Burnham on Sea. We then went to Weston Super Mare where we stayed at a B&B and had fish n Chips and lotsa chocolate! Bristol tomorrow and on to Gloucester and the Cotwolds we hope.
We met a lovely lady called Edna who put some cash in the box and then quite a few on the bus donated! We arrived in Exeter via Bude and then got the bus to Taunton. We then ended up in Burnham On Sea and finally onto Weston Super Mare. We stayed in a great B&B called Blakeney Guest House and had a Fish n Chip super.
08th May
11.27 am
Yipee We are in Bristol
After a good breakfast we got the bus to Bristol. We couldn't find a bus to Gloucester so we diverted to Dursley. We had to walk a long way to find the bus to Gloucester. From Gloucester to Cheltenham then Sedgeberrow to Bidford on Avon. Walked 4 miles to Stratford On Avon where we finally found a hotel. Phew we were so tired.
09th May
Spent some time in Stratford on Avon - met David who showed us William Shakespeares grave in the church and we met John, the Asst Verger at Holy Trinity Church, who took official photos of us and our story will appear in the Church Magazine with the Get Kids Going! website for people to sponsor us. In the afternoon we took a bus to Birmingham and then onto Wolverhampton. Next onto Stafford where we got stuck at the bus station for hours and the bus never came!! So we stayed in Stafford for the night - got to bed at 10.30...yawn!l
10th May
Walk into Stafford centre to catch the bus to Stone and then another bus to Stoke On Trent. Stayed the night at Julies - nice to have some home comforts.
11th May
Jacki at Stoke Bus Station
Bakewell Tart, yum
Judith and Ian in Leeds
10.48 am
We are on the move, just leaving Stoke on Trent - next stop Buxton
12th May
Tea at Betty's
90 year old bus driver
Simon and John - The Country Hotel - Kendal
We left Leeds on the X84 to Ilkley where we visited Betty's Tea Rooms.
From Ilkley to Skipton then onto Settle. We had a 3 hour wait for the bus to Kirby Lonsdale and came across " Ye Olde Naked Man" and felt compelled to go inside! We had tea, but sadly no naked men to be found.
3 hours later a strange little bus appeared and Jacki knocked on the drivers door, ( he was about 90 years old ) to ask if he was going to Kirby Lonsdale "YES" he said, Jacki said " I love you, will you marry me" to which he replied "I'll have to kill my 80 year old wife first". Oh well better luck next time.
We have finally arrived in Kendal, staying in the County Hotel, Simon and John who run it have been wonderful, we recommend it for a generous and warm welcome. There is a wine club group staying in the hotel who have donated generously to Get Kids Going at one point it was like a doctors surgery with people waiting to donate money. " Thank you"
13th May
We left Kendal on the 555 and went to Lake Windermere. We got off at Grasmere and went hill walking.
Next stop Keswick.
14th May
We are in Scotland
No more cream teas, its a pint of McEwans for me! Well, we are in Scotland
Thank you Yvonne at the Abbots Arms in Galasheils for your hospitality
Galashields
We left Grasmere this morning and made our way to Keswick. We had a 3 hour wait for the bus to Carlisle.
Visited the guys at the Cotswold Clothing shop.
From Carlisle to Langdale and then finally reached Scotland at 4pm. Got the bus from Gretna to Galashields and in B&B tonight before heading towards Edinburgh and then Dundee
Lovey Robert the Manager at Galashields Bus Station organised free bus travel to Edinburgh
16th May
After spending the night at Joyces in Broughty Ferry we boarded the 09.55 M11 Dundee to Perth - M90 Perth to Inverness and then the X25 Inverness to Wick. We arrived in Wick at 17.30. We caught the last bus no.77 from Wick to John O'Groats at 17.40 - Phew that was a close connection! We arrived at John O'Groats at 18.20.
We were booked into the Weigh Inn Hotel in Thurso for the night but it was too far away and there were no more buses. So we stayed at the Sea View Hotel at John O'Groats.
The sky was clear and we could see for miles. So we signed the official End to Enders Log and had our paperwork stamped, then we headed to the headland for our final photo by the John O'Groats signpost.
SO - ITS OFFICIAL
52 buses, 10 days, 7 hrs 5mins we travelled from End to End Free of Charge.
READ OUR FINAL BLOG TOMORROW
17th May
We are in JOHN O'GROATS
10:00am We arrived JOHN O'GROATS 16th May at 6.20pm. 52 buses and 10 days. Phew.
18th May
Jacki and Pat return safely at T5 today at 1pm flown back safely by British Airways
Jacki with grandson James-Tobias and Pat
Jacki was met at T5 by family, Jacki and her mum Alice
Jacki, her daughter Kelli, Grandson James-Todias and Pat
We would like to convey our sincere thanks to the following for their support and kindness during our challenge.
Cotswold Clothing Company - Rowan at the Kingston Branch
San - for setting up the website
Linda our Agent who managed the press coverage and organised our dispensation for travel on the Scottish Bus routes
Bob and Roger for driving us to Lands End to start our challenge
Kelynack at Lands End for our accommodation
Shelley - St Columb Road for her hospitality
Edna - on the bus towards Plymouth
Blakeney B&B Weston Super Mare
David and John from Holy Trinity Church in Stratford Upon Avon
Julie, Paul and Kiera in Stoke on Trent
Jude and Ian in Leeds
Betty's Tea Rooms in Ilkley
Debbie at Kendal Tourist Information Centre
Simon and John at the County Hotel in Kendal
The Wine Club Group from Haywards Heath
Heather in Grasmere
Yvonne at the Abbotsford Arms in Galashiels
Robert Tragis at the Galashiels Bus Station
Joyce in Broughty Ferry
Weigh Inn Hotel, Thurso
Seaview Hotel John O'Groats
James at Miller's Cabs John O'Groats
Ken and Anita Carter from Eastbourne
Marriot Hotel in Aberdeen
Karen and Nicola at Scottish City Buses
Mary Barry at British Airways
British Airways for flying us home
Finally, thank you to everyone who has sponsored us. Love Jacki and Pat
