Following on from my last post here it seemed about time I wrote an update on my Kiltwalk plans. There's little more than 2 weeks until the day itself, and things have moved on since I first wrote about it in early July.
There's the good news that I won't be made to feel old by the other members of the group I'll be walking with. And the bad news that all of the others have, due to other commitments or ill health, had to drop out, so I'm now the oldest, youngest and only. Oh well.
I had been planning to surprise the others on the day with my attire. But since there's nobody left to reveal myself to I may as well admit that I took this seriously enough to buy a kilt (a bargain - £50 in Armstrongs in the Grassmarket) and start wearing it so I can be used to it by the time it and me are going the distance. It's the first time I've worn one for about 50 years, after a traumatic event a much younger me experienced in Budapest, but I've been enjoying it, even wearing it to a few Fringe shows. I have no idea what the tartan is (anyone?), but it's bright without being as offensive as some. It's also the lighter of the 2 weights usually available, making it a bit comfier on a warm day.
I've done quite a few training walks since that first post, but today was only the second in the kilt. The first time I tried was also the first walk on which it poured heavily and I was fair drookit, despite only doing about 7 miles. But a kilt is better than jeans in those conditions, nowhere near as absorbent, but one bit of the hem rubbed the side of my knee so much it was almost bleeding. I now know to take plasters in my bag....
Today it was the Water of Leith Walkway again, this time in the sensible direction, coming down from the Pentlands. It was dry, it was warm, and there was no chafing. It also provided an answer to one of the great existential questions of our time - what's it like to walk that sort of distance with a sporran banging against your willy every step of the way? Answer, nowhere near as exciting as you might hope.
Having been left to my own devices in this I was able to choose my own charity to donate to. I've gone with Advocard (http://www.advocard.org.uk) which provides advocacy services for people with poor mental health, people who might otherwise find themselves ignored or coerced by officialdom and other organisations. My choice reflects my own involvement, having been a volunteer advocacy worker for more than 2 years., and knowing what the service can mean to people. I'll write more about my experiences of Advocard in my next post.
Meanwhile, if you would like to sponsor me, please click on this link.
