Safety First

I thought I would address the issue of safety along my walk as lots of friends have expressed concern for me as a woman walking on my own and sleeping in a bivi bag. I have always done a lot of solo long distance walking both in the UK and Australia and have never encountered any problems.

I am not as naïve to think that bad things don’t happen, in fact I am all to aware as my sister was bashed over the head with a lump of wood. She was out walking the dogs in company when she was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by a mentally unstable chap. She was knocked unconscious and left with a fractured skull. The man was known to the police, he had previously slashed a woman with a stanley knife and while on remand assaulted both his mother and a WPC. He was locked up in a mental hospital but has since been released.

I don't want to live my life in constant fear, I want to enjoy it. I walk my sisters dogs during the week, on my own, through woodland and the last man to jump out of the bushes at me explained he was surveying and redrawing maps for the local orienteering club. It did make my heart race but I am sure that statistically I am more likely to get killed driving around the M25 (especially with my driving!) and more likely to be assaulted on a night out in London than walking along a coast path.

I have registered my mobile number with mobile locate (www.mobilelocate.co.uk) so that my friends can track my location at any given time. It only shows my location within a 2.5km range but will be a way to verify my walk.The system is dependent on the phone being charged up (I have a wind up charger) and receiving reception. I do appreciate the phone reception is likely to be poor in areas due to the hilly terrain.

I would be lying if I said I am not slightly apprehensive about the security side of this walk but I feel that it will be worth the risk.