Two Dads walk Coast to Coast for their daughters
 My story of walking 192 miles for my daughter
After months of planning, the two Andys arrive at St Bee’s. Both our daughters have been ill and we wanted to raise money and awareness for their illnesses. My fifteen year old daughter Ella suffers from endometriosis and hormone problems.
On Friday 17th September after dipping my boots into the Irish Sea and picking up a pebble we set off enthusiastically on the 1st day of our 192 mile coast to coast walk.
As we walked along the coast you could just make out the Isle of Man in the mist. The morning’s walk was quite pleasant, but the afternoon we hit our first hill and realised that this wasn’t going to be as easy as the books or the TV programme implies. In 1 ½ miles we climbed over 1000 feet! It was the start of more tough hills to come! Staying overnight at Emmerdale Bridge, we were tired out. After a beer and a meal we had an early night.
Next day we set off and passed Emmerdale Water. Walking through the forest I must have dropped the map and had to walk back to find it. Not a great start. Later that morning we started to climb our first mountain in the lakes. We stayed at a field centre at Seatoller that night.
Next morning we headed off for Grasmere on a beautiful, warm, dry day and enjoyed fantastic views from Helm Crag although it was quite hard walking.
Four days in, we had a good days walk to Patterdale but with low cloud and drizzle the view wasn’t great and it was quite a hard climb. 47 miles walked so far...
On the following day we climbed up Kidsty Pike. Strong winds made it scary and difficult walking. We carried on past Haweswater to Shap leaving the lakes behind us.
Moving on from Shap to Kirksby Stephen was a 20 miler and the walking was a bit easier. That night we stopped at a very nice B&B near the church. We climbed up from Kirkby Stephen to the nine standards onto the peat bogs, walking was hard and all of a sudden Andy was up to his thighs in the bog, unable to move! We had to stop and think of the easiest way to get him out. Then we made it to Keld, by this stage we had walked 95 miles – almost half way.
The next day was a lovely 20 miles walk along the river Swale through to Richmond and we then finally had a day off.
Setting off from Richmond on a beautiful warm dry day we walked 23 miles across flat farm land to Ingleby Cross. For the next two days we walked across moor land to the Lion Inn.
From the Lion Inn we walked across more land stopping for lunch at the Steam Train at Grosmont Station. This was one of the steepest walks; out of Grosmont Street to Little Beck with only 13 miles to go!
Next morning we set off and in our excitement to get going we took a wrong turn and lost one and a half hours getting back on the right track! In the end we made good time and spent the last three miles walking along the coast viewing the North Sea. Finally we reached the beach! I got my boots wet and threw my pebble that I had carried for 192 miles into the sea. We had another well earned pint in Wainwrights Bar at Robin Hood Bay.
With no blisters or strains but physically worn out, pleased to have finished and hopefully having raised £2,000 for Endometriosis UK it was over. In doing this challenge I hope to inspire Ella, my daughter, who calls me ‘old man’ to turn her dreams and ambitions into realities!
Andy Knight
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