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The following is a list of people who have completed one of my challenge walks - you are invited to send me pictures of yourself and party on the walks for inclusion in this record and for placing on your certificate...I look forward to hearing from you! THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Suzie Bell and Paul Rowe of Hull, completed the walk, in winter - between February 13th. and 16th. 2010. The first of the year! Well done to them. SEVEN LONG CIRCULAR WALKS IN EASTERN HERTFORDSHIRE - 120 MILES Wendy Hawke and Bob Allport of Harlow Essex, have become the first people to walk seven walks from the above book.The first was on May 10th. 2009, from Stanstead Abbots. The last on September 26th. 2009, was from Barkway. My congratulations to them! THE BELVOIR WITCHES CHALLENGE WALK - 25 MILES Suzie Bell, Paul Rowe and Carole Davy of Hull, completed the walk on Saturday December 12th. 2009. Congratulations to them.
THE LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS BLACK DEATH CHALLENGE WALK - 28 MILES Alex V. de Carle of Leicester, completed the walk on November 17th. 2009. Congratulations to him. THE ISLE 0F WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Anne Hill of Guildford walked the route between 19th and 23rd. October 2009. She also raised £800 for the children's charity - I CAN - which works with children with speech, language and communication needs. Congratulations and well done to her; a great achievement. The photo opposite was taken by Anne on her walk. THE LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS BLACK DEATH CHALLENGE WALK - 28 MILES Congratulations to Suzie Bell, Paul Rowe and Carole Davy from Hull, who completed the walk on Saturday October 10th. 2009. Well done to them!
THE LITTLE JOHN CHALLENGE WALK - 28 MILES Stuart Platts of Mansfield, completed this walk around Sherwood Forest on Thursday September 17th. 2009. My congratulations to him. THE RUTLAND WATER CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Glyn, Ashley, Abby and Bethany Williams of Gravesend completed the walk on August 27th. 2009. Congratulations to them - a family event. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Edward Hallam of London, walked the route between June 22nd and 26th. 2009. Congratulations to him. THE LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS BLACK DEATH CHALLENGE WALK - 26 MILES Mike Haddrell of Osfordshire and Michael Mooney of Buckinghamshire completed the walk in lovely weather on August 22nd and 23rd. 2009. Well done to them. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Laura Papworth and Robert Carter completed walk between July 25th and 30th. 2009. "We both wanted to say what a splendid time we had - the weather was kind with slight rainfall when we left Rhyde for about an hour and an exhilarating squall as we passed around the headland near Totland. We have returned with batteries fully charged and would like to thank you for your wonderful book." Well done to them. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Brian & Alyson Pearce and Tony & Carole Redford of Lincolnshire, who completed the walk between June 14th-20th 2009. My congratulations to them.
THE MONSAL TRAIL. - Anne Hill and family, from Guildford, have completed several walks and Anne has walked 12 miles, end to end. All betweeen 25th. and 30th May 2009. The photo is one of the one's taken by Anne on the walk of Cressbrook Mill. THE SWEET PEA CHALLENGE WALK - 28 MILES Wndy Woo and friend walked the route over 2 days, complting on July 17th. 2009. Well done to them. "We are pleaqsed with and throughly enjoyed the challenge of the distance we walked and the walk itself." THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Wendy and Tim Holland of Leicester, walked the path between July 13th-17th 2009. Congratulations to them. THE EPPING FOREST CHALLENGE WALK - 21 MILES Suzie Bell and Paul Rowe of Hull, completed the walk on Sunday July 12th. 2009. Congratulations to them. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Sarah and Tim Frost, of Halifax, completed the walk bewteen 23rd. and 28th. June 2009. Well done to them. COAST TO COAST WALK - Ravenglass (Lakeland) to Lindisfarne - 192 miles in eight days. Congratulations to Colin Banks and his partner, who have just completed the walk for Charity - East Cheshire Hospice. Finished on Sunday May 30th 2009, after walking 24 miles a day. Tired and blistered, they are now having a rest! Great effort for a worthy cause....so far they have raised the incredible amount of more than £6,000. If you would like to make a donation - www.justgiving.com/colinbanks192miles Anything would be most gratefully recieved and a tribute to their fine effort.
THE ISLE OF MAN COAST PATH - The way of the Gull - 100 MILES Aelwen and Chris Evans and Alan Ashby of Cumbria, completed the walk between May 17th and 25th. 2009. A great time was had by all. THE EPPING FOREST CHALLENGE WALK - 21 MILES John Merrill and Jann Marriott and David Green of the Kingsmead Ramblers Club, did the walk on April 19th. for charity. The walk in fine weather was completed in 7 1/2 hours. A great day was had by all. THE PEMBROKESHIRE COAST PATH - 182 MILES Andy Norman of Twekesbury, completed the walk on Sunday April 12th. 2009.Well done to him. THE MIDDLEWICH CHALLENGE WALK - 22 MILES Keith Bassitt, of Ripon, on Saturday March 29th. 2009, completed the walk in 5 hours 50 mins., - the fastest yet! Well done to him. THE EPPING FOREST CHALLENGE WALK - 21 MILES Marcus Rogers of Watford, completed the walk on December 27th. 2008 in 7 hours and 15mins. - "another excellent walk, John, Thanks." THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Between 5th and 10th. October 2008 - Jime Parker, Dave Rudd and Brian Lucas of East Ham, London, walked the route. Well done to them. I only learnt of this walk completions on December 2nd. 2008 Adrian Broadbent of Huddersfield has completed the following - The Derbyshire Section of the Pennine Bridleway - 41 miles - on October 16th. 2005. Jennifers Challenge Walk - 21 miles - on April 18th. 2007. The Rutland Water Challenge Walk - 24 miles - on August 26th. 2006 and the Hope Valley Line Challenge Walk - 36 miles - completed on February 6th. 2007. Well done to him. THE DARK PEAK CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Christopher Bolton of Glossop, Derbyshire, completed the walk on Wednesday August 22nd. 2007. He is 70 years old and keeps on walking - "otherwise I will go rusty", he said. Only informed of this walk completion on 20th. Oct. 2008.
JENNIFERS CHALLENGE WALK - 23 MILES Mary and Michael Coates of Northumberland - see others below - walked the route on Wednesday 17th. September 2008 in 9 hours and 14 mins. "This was a very pretty route through some picturesque villages. We have been walking together for more than 20 years and this makes Michael's 30th. John Merrill Challenge Walk." Simply, my congratulations, one of few to has reached this goal.
THE WHITE AND DARK PEAK CHALLENGE WALKS (Peak District) - 24 miles Mary and Michael Coates, from Northumberland, walked both routes over two days. White Peak Challenge on Friday 12th. September 2008 in 11 hours and 5 mins. Dark Peak Challenge on Saturday 13th. September 2008 in 10 hours 3 mins. On the Dark Peak, "We had fanstastic weather, sunny and warm. On the White Peak it rained. Congratulations to them and a rare double walk. On the 15th. September 2008, Mary and Michael Coates walked the 24 mile - STAFFORDSHIRE MOORLANDS CHALLENGE WALK in 10 hours 15 mins. The are now going to do Jennifer's Challenge Walk - 24 miles - before going home! Really a great pair of walkers.Michael added to his letter - PS "I've done 29 of your challenge now; lots I've done more than once." He is probably the most walked John Merrill walker! THE MIDDLEWICH CHALLENGE WALK - 22 MILES Mark Radford of Nottinghamshire, on August 30th. 2008, completed the walk in 7 hours 13 mins. "A wonderful walk in the heart of Cheshire. This is my 16th. challenge of yours now completed, the first being the Peak District White Peak Challenge Walk (25 miles), back in August 1985". Well done and congratulations...keep on walking!
THE ISLE OF ANGELSEY COAST PATH - 130 MILES Karina Meachin of Cheshire completed the walk on 11th.November 2006, having walked in stages over 3 1/2 years, starting on May 4th. 2003. Well done to her. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Theresa Mundy of Leeds, completed the walk on August 12th. 2008. Congratulations to her. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Kay and Bill Nimmo of Oxford, completed the walk between August 1st and 6th. 2008. They started and ended at Cowes - well done to them. THE RUTLAND WATER CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Ann Powell, John Walker and Catherine Sage,of York, did the walk on July 8th. 2008 in 7 hours of walking, with one stop for a cupof tea at the Horse and Jockey Inn. "Two things inspired us to keep going with various blisters - the beautiful views of Ritland water and the prospect of getting out first ever John Merrill Challenge Walk badges!!" Well done to them. THE CHARNWOOD FOREST CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Tony Penn completed the walk on June 26th. 2008 - Enjoyed it! Now going to do the Belvoir Witches Challenge Walk.
THE RUTLAND WATER CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Suzie Bell, Paul Rowe, Carole Davy and Dave Rowe of Willerby, Hull, walked thr route on Saturday June 7th. 2008 in 8 hours. Well done to them! THE LITTLE JOHN CHALLENGE - SHERWOOD FOREST - 28 MILES Graham Hofmann, Dennis Juke and Mark Biffin of Trowell, Nottinghamshire, walked the route in 11 hours and 10 minutes, on May 31st. 2008. "On arguably the hottest day of the eyar so far. We started in fine spirits as we left Edwinstowe and made good time to Creswell Crags, but soon after felt the heat. The last part back to Ollerton was a bit like marching across the Sahara Desert!" "The combined age of the three of us is 158 years, so we feel fairly proud to have completed this Monster! Our next jaunt is the Three Peaks in Yorkshire, then your Charnwood Forest Challenge Walk." Well done to them. "THE WHITE PEAK CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Jim Tait of Crewe did the walk on May 31st. 2008 in 9hrs. 5 mins, which includes stops! Well done to him. THE EPPING FOREST CHALLENGE WALK - 21 MILES John led a small party of walkers around the route on Sunday April 20th. 2008 and raised £200 for the National Rhuematoid Arhtritis Society. Walkers were Danny Long, and Amanda and boyfriend from Bishop Stortford. A beautiful day out was experienced by all. TEN CHALLENGE WALK CUP - Danny Long of Saffrom Walden - completed his tenth challenge walk on January 26th. 2008 by walking the 28 mile River Lee Navigation. His first challenge - Rutland Water - was in 1992! See photo opposite. THE ENFIELD CHALLENGE WALK - 25 miles - Danny Long of Saffron walden - The first walker to complete the challenge. December 28th. 2007 NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Stephen Potter of Bridlington, ran the route in 5 hours and 50 mins on November 6th. 2007. One of the fastest circuits. He started and ended at Robin Hood's Bay...."and must say I enjoyed the route; certainly saw plenty of the moors. Ah well not a bad effort 5.50 mins and with all them hills." WALKING THE CHESHIRE RING CANAL WALK - 100 MILES Roy Pullan of Cheshire - aged 79, an inspiration to us all. He set off on August 31st. 2007 and completed the walk on September 7th. 2007. He walked alone. On October 5th. 2007, he writes - "I have now completed the collection of money and handed it over to my chosen charity - East Cheshire Hospice in Macclesfield - £1,305.00." "You book was a gret help in the planning and execution of the walk, with its descriptive passages and maps. I appreciated the book and its comments and thank you for setting out the walk in such a format." COMPO'S WAY - 38 MILES Keith and Christine Martin, from Worksop in Nottinghamshire, walked over three days - just over 15 hours of walking -, finised on May 26th. 2007.
THE LITTLE JOHN CHALLENGE WALK - 28 MILES - Graham Ladds led a party of five around the route, which he has now done five times! Stephanie Hopkinson walked it for the first time. Together they raised £400.00 for the Home Start Charity in Edwinstowe, Sherwood Forest, Notts. Walk took place on Saturday, September 22nd. 2007 THE RIVERS WAY - 40 MILES - The Peak District - Edale to Ilam. Alex and Peter de Carle of Leicester, on July 24th. 2007. They are both keen hiker and have walked many of my routes...well done to them. LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS BLACK DEATH CHALLENGE WALK - 15 MILES - Completed on Sunday August 12th. 2007 by Brian Davey and Steve Tomlinson, from Halifax, West Yorkshire. " We reached the 16 mile pub at Donnington on Bain before some heavy showers arrived. Glad to be on good paths afterwards so we didn't get soaked on the legs. Very pleasant." THE DARK PEAK CHALLENGE WALK - 24 MILES Andy Mohun-Smith of York - walked it twice; one on June 4th. 2007 and again on June 13th. 2007. "I have now managed to complete 40 of your excellent walks, including the Dark Peak Challenge four times. The 30 walk Shield occupies pride of place on my mantle piece. Have you considered creating a 50 Walk Award? All the best, Andy." THE BELVOIR WITCHES CHALLENGE WALK - 25 MILES Graham Hoffmann and Amanda & David Hill of Nottinghamshire, completed the walk on July 7th. 2007 in 8 hrs. 25 mins. "This was a lot more fun than the Rutland Water Challenge because it didn't rain! The Little John Challenge Walk - 28 miles - will probably be our third walk of the year and as we are now quite fit the challenge walks make a smashing day out." THE WHITE PEAK CHALLENGE WALK - 25 MILES - A party of eleven from Manchester did the walk on Saturday 9th. June 2007 and raised about £10,000 for NSPCC and Cancer Research. A massive thank you to the party for raising such a a large amount - this means some £20,000 has been raised for charity in the last 3 weeks, by walkers doing my routes - this brings the overall total to over £750,000. The walkers took eleven hours for the walk, their names are - Adam Brady, Simon Dew, Dean Thompson, Will Moroney, Ben Ward, David Anderson, Simon Perks, Adrian Schfield, Julian Painter, Craig Mathias and Michael Ripley. I salute you all; well done. TISSINGTON TRAIL - END TO END - 13 MILES - Only learnt of this on June 15th. 2007. Donald Priestley of Solihull completed the walk in August 2004. THE EPPING FOREST CHALLENGE WALK - 21 MILES 30 walkers from a local LDWA walking group, completed the walk on Sunday May 20th. 2007. "At last I have seen into King Geirge's Reservoir. Also, although I have walked and lived here for 40 years, I never knew Warlies Park existed!" COMPO'S WAY - Rod Heywood of Huddersfield. Completed on May 19th. 2007. THE PENNINE WAY - Jim Tait of Crewe, Cheshire. walked between April 28th and May 12th. 2007. THE SNOWDON CHALLENGE WALK - Ryan Lowe, Aidan Lowe, Mark Moloney, Jennifer Moloney. and Jessica Moloney of Stalybridge, Cheshire, completed the walk on May 6th. 2007 THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - 77 MILES Mr. N. Thomas and party of three, frpm Bolton, completed the walk on May 7th. 2007. THE NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS CHALLENGE WALK - 24 miles Linda Allen and Charlie Collin - on April 22nd.2007 "What a lovely walk that is". THE ISLE OF MAN COASTAL PATH - THE WAY OF THE GULL - Brian Smith, completed the walk on April 8th. 2007.. THE ISLE OF WIGHT COAST PATH - R.A. Davis & C. M. Bingham - walked 7th. to 16th. November 2006. THE SNOWDON CHALLENGE - Michael Coates and Peter Fretwell - Monday March 26th. 2007. Time 11 hours and 40 minutes. "It was a beautiful warm Spring day with wall to wall sunshire throughout." SIX SHORT CIRCULAR WALKS IN THE DUKERIES Charlie Collin completed in April 2007. SIX SHORT CIRCULAR WALKS ON THE GRANTHAM CANAL Completed by Charlie Collin in April 2007. SIX SHORT WALKS IN SOUTH YORKS - Iain Barker - March 20th. 2007
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