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Walk 300km in 10 Days - Portsmouth to Gamston Retford

By Oliver Hill

Donate to Oliver and help them hit their goal of £1000!

I'm fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

My dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Christmas Day, and died 4 days later.
In the build up to Christmas he had been fit and well. Pancreatic cancer is extremely difficult to detect and can be incredibly fast acting. We had no time to process what was happening, and had no idea that cancer could act this quickly. 
I am fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer U.K., in order to help with funding, as well as to raise awareness of this terrible cancer. 

I will be walking c.300km in under 10 days. I will leave my house in Lee-on-the-Solent, carrying all of my camping gear, and head North, to (hopefully!) arrive at the house my dad lived in. Dad loved walking, and we spent many days hiking together. That is why I have picked this challenge.

Please support my fundraising!

Raised

£3,003 + £371 GiftAid

My Goal

£1,000

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My donations could fund...

115 hours with a nurse on our Support Line

or

51 hours of early diagnosis research

My Achievements

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Reached 100% of goal

Reached 50% of goal

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My Updates

Day 9 - Ruddington to Farnsfield

Dropped back off at Ruddington and a chance to see my grandfather.
This was a nice day to walk across Nottingham, with lots of memories brought up. I stopped off at my dad’s (and mine, and my grandpa’s!) old school and got some pictures. Then walked past an old house we lived in a long time ago.
Rain was at first welcome, but it turned the long grass in the fields into a slip and slide, and soaked my shoes: not good for blisters! 
I had planned a final overnight camp in Farnsfield, but the offer of food, drink, and a bed was too appealing! Tonight I will be at my great Aunt’s house. Thank you!
Amazing to break the £2500 barrier, and also the day I broke the 300km point! 

Day 8 - Leicester to Ruddington

An easier day than expected due to a shortcut across country! This kept me off busy roads.
I drank a lot more water so only had mild heat stroke at the end. 
Overnight stop with friends and their very affectionate cat! Thanks Dean and Emma for having me.

Day 7 - Rugby to Leicester

40k done today - longer than planned as I keep having to divert away from busy roads. Luckily I found a route to avoid the A5, other than where I crossed a roundabout. That would not have been possible to walk!
Energy levels better, but the pain in my feet is awful. Lots of blisters now.
A difficult day again, but good to make it all the way to Leicester. 

Day 6 - Banbury to Rugby

Hot hot hot.
Lots of canals to walk took me away from the main road, and provided shade.
The afternoon was a real struggle - the heat is so challenging. It is difficult to carry enough fluids, and it doesn’t help that no where seems to be open to sell a drink! 
Very glad to make it to Rugby.

Day 5

Finally some battery and internet! 
A long long day, but only 42km. It would have been quicker, had every village pub and shop not been closed. This meant a massive detour, the wrong way, to find some food. I would not have made it through the rest of the day otherwise!
A nice quiet campsite gave me chance to shower and catch up on some sleep.
Longer day planned for tomorrow… 

Day 3 - Bramley to Shillingford

42km done today.
Terrible night’s sleep, thanks to a damp tent and the noisiest bird in the world in the tree next to me.
An 0530 start meant good progress, but feeling notably more tired! 
To dry the tent out I have treated myself to a hotel - by coincidence it is one I stayed in with dad many years ago when he came to visit me at a local base where I was training. 
First blisters…

Day 2 - Arelsford to Bramley

About 42km done today.
A good boost to see my wife and daughter in Basingstoke.
Not the best sleep - wet tent from being packed away wet, and the loudest birds screaming through the night!

Day 1 - Lee to New Arelsford 35km

Thanks to everyone who has supported this challenge - it means a lot.
First day went better than expected, as I’ve been having real issues with my knee. Walking poles and knee braces, as well as a few beers on the way, seemed to help.
I made it to my stopping point last night as it began to pour - just got the tent up in time!

The Challenge

On Friday 13th June, I will leave my house in Lee-on-the-Solent (near Portsmouth) and begin the more than 300km route to the house where my dad lived.
Dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Christmas Day, and died 4 days later. 
This is a devastating type of cancer, that can be particularly hard to detect and also very fast acting. My dad was fit and healthy in the lead up to Christmas, and none of us had any idea that something like this could happen so quickly.
I plan to do this walk in his memory, and to raise as much money as possible for Pancreatic Cancer U.K. 
I will be carrying everything with me, including my camping gear. I hope to complete the challenge within 10 days! 

Thank you to my Sponsors

£32.23

Tim Wills

Congrats mate, good effort!

£32.24

Nicholas Allen

Astonishing oliver. You should be proud.

£32.23

Toni Ball

Welldone Ollie Amazing achievement Xxxx

£27.05

Ronald Kirk

Andy would be proud of you.

£25

Martin Crossland

Well done Oliver, super achievement. Love Aimie & Martin

£26.45

Adam Lane

Good effort Ollie, some distance that!

£27.05

Tracey Weller

What a great effort to raise funds. Wishing you all the best.

£61.70

Anonymous

£53.32

Rich Greenwood-bell

Amazing effort Olly, and a wonderful thing to do in memory of your father. Go well on your final day.

£11.33

Martyn Pike

Well done mate

£53.32

Jo & Steve Bolton

Ollie! Keep going, you’re doing sooooo well!! What a wonderful thing to do! See you for a much deserved beer on your return…will have a bowl for you to soak your feet in!! Xx

£11.33

Victoria Popham

Well Done Olly!

£27.05

Ed Weston

Congrats Olly!

£106

Ruth Johnson

£10

Anonymous

£42.79

Dean (&emma) Malvenan

Great work, keep it up! Great tan lines, I did offer to visit you on route and apply sun cream…

£10

Gillian Staley

£11.09

Sam Bunn

£21.84

Nicky Dale

Amazing effort to walk so far in this heat. You've done Andy proud

£53.32

Gillian Glazebrook

If you’re coming within 10 miles of Goverton, I’ll come and cheer you on!

£25

Rita Kolosovs

Amazing! Such a deserving cause

£27.05

Caroline Watson

Good luck x

£21.84

Julie Goldsworthy

Well done Olly

£27.05

Anonymous

£11.33

Lady On The Oxford Canal With 2 Dogs

Enjoy the walk

£27.05

Will Glazebrook

Just heard about this. Good on you. Wishing you all the best for the rest!

£106

The Dexters

Good Luck ,Oliver. Andy would have been tremendously proud. Xx

£15.54

Andrew Canale

Go Olly!

£53.32

Chris Ford

A fantastic cause Oliver.in memory of a wonderful man.

£32.23

Ben Welch

Good luck Olly! Can’t believe you walked past my front door and didn’t stop 🤣

£61.70

Anonymous

Happy Father’s Day Dad x *handshake* Good luck bro 👊

£53.32

Ady

Well done for even starting ! I hope you get some interesting fly-bys.

£200

Harriet Manson

Wishing you the best of luck Oliver, in memory of Uncle Andy xx

£21.36

Christopher Luke

Great effort, hope the thunder storms stay away.

£25

Lloyd Dall

Well done mate

£21.84

Lucy Garnett

£20

Richard Knight

Good luck Olly. A great cause for a truly horrible cancer. Good luck with the walk. 💪🏼

£62.50

Neil Metcalfe

Hi Oliver, we passed on day 1 near Welborne, good luck with your journey.

£21.84

The Cranes

£10

Amanda Bamber

Good luck Olly :)

£11.33

Vicki Spencer

£10

Tim South - Cash Donation

£61.70

Alex Best

Broken legs or not, I believe in you!

£10

Joe Strange

Good luck princess x

£11.33

Emily

Good Luck!

£11.33

Mark Metters

A great cause, all the best. Mark

£5

Hopee Millar

Good luck!

£50

David And Jane Manson

Good luck Oliver, hope to see you somewhere along the way.

£50

Nick Manson

Call in if I'm on your route...

£106

Peter Walker

Oliver. Your Dad would be proud of you. I have flown with Andy many times and we have had some great adventures together. Pancreatic cancer is a terrible disease and needs all the help we can give the research teams. Your efforts will contribute to finding a cure and a means to prevent it. Good luck with the walk and take great care with the traffic and road walking. Best wishes, Peter Walker (p.s. I believe the Royal Marines description for walks like this is: 'just off for a yomp'?)

£30

Tara Suares

£27.05

Jenn Roe

Good luck Ollie!! You have still got a few days to get Maddie harness trained to go with you! X

£25

Ed Slater

Great effort Oliver!!

£27.05

Carina

Good luck Olly!

£21.84

Jane Pepper

Good luck Oliver. A great tribute to your dad ❤️

£21.84

Jonathan Merry

Best of luck with this Olly. For a great cause too.

£27.05

Jonathan Thompson

Go Oliver! Do it for our dad’s x

£20

Bridget Rech

Well done, Oliver, for doing something positive in memory of your lovely dad

£11.33

Sarah Allan

£20

Leah Stephens

Good luck Oliver! From both Carl and I :)

£27.05

Carolyn Prescott

Good luck Olly

£25

Sheila Dobbs

Good luck, Oliver. Wonderful tribute.

£137.80

Roger Taylor

A wonderful thing Oliver, for a great Dad and my best friend since 1991.

£20

Richard Beaumont

Fantastic cause and a fantastic challenge. I hope you enjoy it and the sense of achievement you’ll get from completing it!

£27.05

Sarah Byrne

£30

Will Flegg

Olly - an amazing cause - well done. Good luck (and take Compeed!).

£53.32

Anonymous

Very proud of you, as always x

£11.33

Kate Elson-houghton

Good luck Oli!

£15.54

Nancy Bate

Good luck Olly!

£16.56

Max Sloper

£27.05

Jack & Amy Mitchell

So sorry to hear about your Dad, Olly - best of luck with the walk - no doubt you will smash it!

£80

Richard Bunting

£20

Sue Mangles

What an amazing thing to do Oliver - this terrible cancer is taking our loved ones away. Your dad will be on the journey with you. ❤️

£11.33

Jesse D

£11.33

Mark Reeder

£11.33

Lindsay Bell

You’ve got this Ollie!!

£21.84

Jane Payne

Good luck Ollie

£10

Paul Gill

Good Luck Ollie!

£20

Maria P

Good luck - you've got this!

£27.05

Catherine Ray

What a wonderful thing to do Oliver! Hope all goes well, and that the weather is kind to you 😀👍

£27.05

Fly Moore

Go Oliver! We wish you all the best.

£53.32

Linda Garnett

This is an amazing thing to do and your dad would have been so proud of you as am I! Such an important cause and very personal to us all ♥️

£53.32

Trevor Northan

The best of luck Olly !

£25

John Roskruge

Good luck, John & Lyn

£103.60

Kate And Paddy

Wishing you all the luck, speed and stamina to complete this challenge.. we know how much your dad meant to you, he’d be really proud you are doing this to raise money and awareness. Love from us both.

£21.84

Holly Stacey

Good luck Oliver!! I know you will absolutely smash this challenge, walking with your wonderful Dad in your heart. We’re all super proud.

£15.54

Charles Knight

£11.33

David Emery

Go Olly!! Hope this DAAR tribute helps ;)

£11.33

Anonymous