Day four, the first of the two days walking in Swaledale was bright and sunny but with a cold wind and the occasional hail shower.

As you will remember if you have been reading this blog, my original road route was changed in February to an "off road" route for reasons of safety - too much fast moving traffic I was told!!! I have to admit that I was slightly worried about this. Comments like "this will be a hard day for you" and "there will be a lot of going up and down - this is Swaledale," whilst realistic ,did make me a bit anxious. I needn't have worried - well not much anyway.

I met my guide for the day at Keld and we set off having checked the first RV ( rendevous) point with Peter. Colin who was walking with me, probably wondered what he had let himself in for. The walk started with a quite steep flight of steps down to a bridge and then a long drawn out ascent which soon had me puffing - knew I shouldn't have had the porridge for breakfast!!

Seriously though, I soon got into my stride and started to enjoy the magnificent scenery looking down on the Swale winding its way through the dale, with little clusters of cottages well dug into the hillsides. It must be really cold up here in the winter though.

We met Peter with the back up car as arranged, first at Gunnerside, then south of Isles Bridge where we had to dry off after a sharp sleety shower ( see photo) and finally at Browna Gill Bridge before walking into Reeth just after 2.15. Not even an ice cream waiting for us after all that effort, it's just not good enough - even the pie shop was closed.

Thank you ver much Colin for "volunteering" to walk with me, and for gamely having your photo taken with "Hero" the bear. I now know a lot more about the history of Drums and Bugles in the British Army and about the Coldstream Guards, it was all fascinating. It was a good job that you didn't let on what was going to happen on Friday at Catterick, I might have turned tail and retreated........the rest of you will have to wait until the report for Day 6 to find out what happened.

As you will have guessed I am now home and catching up with the blog over the next day or so. Thanks to Emma for posting a temporary message when I couldn't get a mobile phone signal in Swaledale to report in.

Day 3 began at Willow Farm Longton, lovely weather again, just right for walking. All went as planned through Preston to Fulwood Barracks where I was given tea and biscuits and a cheque. This time I met a group of medics and no, I didn't need them - but I did learn more of the history of the barracks which was very interesting before setting off again.

Emma and Izzy had met me at Fulwood, in fact they walked the last mile with me, at least Emma walked, Izzy was pushed in the pram. She may be a very advanced baby but even she can't walk at 16 weeks!!! She has however been asked to leave her first pub.... we arranged to meet further up the A6 for a sandwich and a coffee and by the time I caught up with them, Peter, Emma and baby had had to relocate to a different venue as Izzy was asked to leave the pub where we had agreed to meet.What will her father say when he finds out that we tried to take her in her first pub!!!

After lunch I continued up the A6 to the meeting point and then Peter drove me up to Swaledale where I discovered that neither of us had any mobile signal, hence the reason for Emma's post. Tim arrived later with details for the next three days.... has he forgotten how old I am ....phew!! Feet not too bad, a few blisters but nothing I can't cope with and I wouldn't like you to think I was having it too easy. More later when I have downloaded some more photos. Thanks for the message Karen, I did get it.

What a change. Yesterday bright sunshine but this morning it was cold and overcast with a strong headwind and squally showers - winter is definitely back worse luck!!!

I left from the Town Hall in Southport but before I had gone very far I had to stop and put a jacket on as it was really cold and starting to rain.

By the time I got to Churchtown there was the first of several really heavy showers with the wind gusting and making walking much harder. Once I was out in the open countryside with very little to shelter you from the wind I was really having to put my head down and plough into it.

Met Peter at lunchtime at Dunscar, he looked at the plants while I checked out the Musto, well I wasn't going to loose an opportunity was I,and then after a quick snack I carried on up the A59 towards Longton.

After lunch the wind dropped a little and the sun came out so it was a lot more pleasant. Met Emma as arranged at Willow Farm and then back home for a soak. I have now walked the first twenty eight miles, so more than I had originally planned to do but the forecast for tomorrow is not good. Feet holding up well so far. More tomorrow.

A really great start to "Judys Journey - the Extra Mile"

We arrived at Altcar just before 9.00am so that I could do a circuit of the camp and get "focused" before I set off.

Considering that I didn't get to bed until early this morning as I had been speaking about H4H at an event in Liverpool last night, I felt really good and ready to go. It was great to have all the family there, even Izzy and of course I was given a good send off. Pity I forgot the H4H flag but Dave came to the rescue and produced a Union flag for me. Jill then kindly volunteered to collect the H4H flag and take it to the next stop at Woodvale.

Negotiating all the roadworks between the start and the Formby by-pass wasthe first challenge but I made it and reached Woodvale exactly on time at 11.15 to be met by the Mayor and Mayoress of Sefton and Sqn Ldr Norman. After a quick cup of coffee and more photos ( with flag - thanks Jill) I set off again with the Mayor and Mayoress who had kindly offered to walk the next five miles to Southport Town Hall with me.

As we walked into Southport I had a lot of support and encouragement from passers by and we arrived at the Town Hall just after 1.30pm.

So the day finished with the family meeting up with me again. So far so good and I am off to have good sleep to make up for last night. More tomorrow, but will it stay fine?

Well this is it folks, the moment when you suddenly think that this was probably the worst idea you have ever had!!! Then reality takes hold - I have done the training and more, the feet are covered in zinc oxide plaster so hopefully I will remain blister free, my brothers have both told me to stay focused, in fact the whole family has been really supportive and of course it is for a really fantastic cause so here goes.
Final thanks before I set off, to Gel and Sue for keeping the aches and pains at bay, to Netty for keeping me training and to Peter for everything. Jill, Emma, David and Izzy will be there to see me off in about an hours time - thanks guys, and hopefully when I get to Catterick, Izzy will be waiting for Granny J. or so I have been told - could this be a bribe to keep me going?
More tonight after Day 1 and pictures will be posted later - at least Hero ( the H4H bear) is photogenic.
Guess what the sun is shining.

The story since the last post has been all about boots!!!

At the beginning of January I bought some new boots thinking that I would have plenty of time to break them in before the walk itself and that I could use the ones I walked in last year as a backup pair. Well it didn't work out quite like that!!! Firstly, last year's boots suddenly decided to fall apart and the new ones, same make, model and size etc felt very stiff and uncomfortable and made my damaged foot very sore.

At that point with only six weeks to go, panic set in!!! I tried different combinations of socks, used a different insole and even reverted to my old leather boots but nothing really helped. Then Peter suggested I tried his - same make, size etc and together with a new sorbothane insole, thanks to Albert and Geraint for the idea, panic over - phew!!

We have been in Grasmere for the Easter weekend and Easter Sunday, as you can see from the top photo, was warm enough for shirt sleeves. They had had snow again in Grasmere the previous Wednesday and were even giving out avalanche warnings, yes really, then rain on Friday and Saturday, glorious sunshine on the Sunday and when we left this morning back to torrential rain again.

Training is going well and pretty much to plan, I am now walking twelve miles plus, three times a week, doing two sessions in the gym an aqua class and having two rest days. Off to the gym again now, got to work off those Easter Eggs!!

Finally, as you can see, it has actually stopped snowing and the weather has been much milder. I have ditched the waterproofs and I have been enjoying milder weather - I bet that remark will tempt fate and it will be raining in the morning!!

It is nearly the end of March and training is going to plan I am doing more walking and less in the gym. The route has also been finalised and I have had a lot of help with this for which I am very grateful.

I am even involving my new grandaughter in the training programme. Izzy is being pushed round Southport in her pram, partly to help get her off to sleep since she came supplied without the sleep manual and partly because pushing a pram and avoiding obstacles on the pavements like wheelie bins and recycling boxes makes it more of a work out. More next week.