Nightwalk.

I have just got home from the annual Nightwalk in aid of our local hospice and the Macmillan nurses. This year as well as the long routes from Torrington and Bideford to Barnstaple along the Tarka Trail they also offered the option of walking along the beach at Saunton Sands. I was really pleased when my friends from school all said they would prefer to walk along the beach. Also we decided to do the 5 mile walk though there was the option to walk 10 miles. Since I have had to stop taking anti-inflammatories my knees have been a lot worse and I thought that 10 miles would have been a bit much for me. I got there after 7.00 and was already regretting my decision not to bring my big camera, it usually goes everywhere with me but I thought we had too much cloud cover for a good sunset and only took my pocket Nikon.

It was still quite light when we set off having been issued with wrist labels, a banana and a bottle of water.


That's Paula's mum in the bright pink wig. I'm not sure why everyone is laughing at that point but there was plenty of laughter along the way.

It was a lovely 2 1/2 miles along the beach and then we turned and walked back. The setting sun turned the wet sand pink and we kept stopping to take photos and jump on sea urchin shells which had been washed up.

On our return to the car park the path was lined with candle lanterns. Earlier as we had been walking along the beach one of the marshals sent up one of those paper balloons with a light inside.

It didn't get dark until the very end of our walk so all our glow stick adornments didn't show up that well. Janet did best with some battery operated Christmas lights though my flashing shoe laces looked quite good once it was dark. At the end of the walk, once we had given in our numbers, we were given a certificate and a pen and then a cup of coffee and a bacon roll. A better end than last year when the heavens opened and we got soaked. I took the precaution of putting plasters on some of my toes as my feet are rather wide and used to being in wellies, crocs or flip flops but I have still got a big blister all down the side of my big toe because I decided to wear a pair of old trainers instead of my walking boots. I think I am going to have to try and find somewhere that does wide fitting trainers because I either have to have slightly cramped toes or trainers that are far to long for me. I LOVE CROCS.