Well done.Look forward to reading the report.

Yeah, thanks for sharing that Dave...

Hi everyone,yes he is right, 122 hours and 40 mins, which i am taking as a victory after all we went through.

We started off as planned on the 17th at 11.30. Everything was going well, arrived at our first accomadation at around 21.00, only to be told they were full (prior to being told they don't turn people away), so we made a decision to try and make it to the next hostel which was approx 2 and a half miles away. 4 hours later we were lost on the side of a mountain with the temperatures well below freezing. We decided to get the sleeping bags out and try to get some sleep until the sun came up ( unbelieveably cold) 6 o'clock came around, made some porridge and tried to find our path. which took 4-5 hours. Later in the day, because we had hardly slept, and dehydrated because we had not counted on being out for the night and ran out of water, we lost the path again. Hours later, we found a nice couple who gave us their water and sent us on the correct path. Unfortunately, I was already suffering too much and blacked out a few times. Managing to get back down the mountain and to a hostel in Grasmere, I collasped in the reception area and ended up having medical help from the paramedics. So, as you can see the first 36 hours went completely wrong. We were already 22 miles behind, and at that time made a decision to come home, but waking up in the morning wanted to finish what we had started.

Spent the next to days trying to catch up the mileage we had lost, making it to Orton the next night and Reeth on the third night but was unsuccessful. Waking up at 04.30 on the 21st, knowing we only had 31 and a half hours left until the 120 hours were up and 82 miles to finish. We walked 33hours 10 minutes straight all through the night over the yorkshire moors ( which was the scariest place i've been, well below freezing, already walked 50 miles with unbearable pain in our feet knowing that if we stopped up here our body temperature would drop and our physical condition would not be able to support us), and all the way to robin hoods bay at 14.10 hours, meaning we had completed the coast to coast on foot in 122 hours 40 mins, which like i said after the start we had, I am counting as a true victory.

I can't find the words to explain how hard, emotional and painful it was to get through the last 36 hours. Crying constantantly for 4 hours through the night so my mind had a different emotion to deal with and arguing with Gyula about rubbish just so our minds wouldn't have to deal with the pain in our feet and the situation we were in.

Physically and mentally the hardest thing in my life, but wouldn't have changed it for anything. Such a big life lesson.

Brilliant.

Not sure exactly how much money we have raised yet, as we still have to collect alot in, but it is well over £1000.

Regards,

Stuart

Again,well done,its an outstanding achievement and the "extra" couple of hours are irrelevant.What you find out about yourself is far more important than the time on a clock.



This is what its about,testing yourself to your limits and then going beyond what you perceive your limits to be.Often they are way beyond what you or other people think they are.

Full credit for sticking with it even though you could see the 5 day slipping away! No doubt you'll be looking to repeat the experience..?
Had I stuck with it from Grisdale Tarn on my last attempt (E-W) I was on for around, realistically, 130hrs, allowing for bad legs and feet, which don't half slow you down! So very well done, amazing that you managed to pull it back so well!

Well Stuart,
You are going to remember that experience for ever, I would think.
It's a bug..r when going wrong is eating into an already tight schedule, but good on you for keeping at at and making it to RHB.
Which Hostel turned you away?
It sounds like you lost the path at the top of Loft Beck and on Greenup Edge, perhaps the two most notorious spots for doing just that on the whole route?
Dave.

5 days? Good Lord...did they sleep?

My apologies for the moronic post above. It was posted before I saw all of the content in this thread.

What an amazing accomplishment...I can't imagine your state of mind or health those last 36 hours.

Am speechless.