Our names are Frederick English and Oliver Mumford. We are 14 year-old boys from Kent and Sussex and we go to Bennett Memorial School in Tunbridge Wells. This year we are launching our first expedition on our own to walk the 125 miles from Farnham to Dover over the course of 2012 - hence our expedition name 'Men for all Seasons'.
Expedition concept and objectives:
Expedition – MEN FOR ALL SEASONS
The expedition Shackleton never did
Walking the North Downs Way 2012
Who:
- Frederick English (14 yrs),
Kent - Oliver Mumford (14 yrs),
Sussex
What:
- We intend completing the
North Downs Way in 2012
Where:
- North Downs Way; 125 miles, Farnham to Dover;
When:
- 2012
- Trials in Oct 11 - Jan 12
- Walk from March to be undertaken over the course of the year; 30 miles over 2 days, 6 times with 2 trials
- Presentations and fund raising from Oct – Dec 12.
Why:
- We are doing this walk off our own ‘bat’. Our objectives are to:
- Develop an understanding for the history and country side of the South East.
- See where Dickens lived, wrote and walked in this his 200th anniversary year of his birth.
- To meet people of public significance along the way to better understand how (in particular
Kent - Raise funds for our school (Bennett Memorial CofE Tunbridge Wells) and our local churches through presentations in our villages and school.
- We will prepare and submit an article to the Kent Messenger.
- We wish to learn how to run an expedition (with our parents' experience and help) in order that we can go on to achieve greater acts of adventure in the future.
- Seek adventure.
Our blog will keep you up to date with our progress. We intend to make the journey in 6 weekend hops across the year. To date we have conducted two trials in October 2011 and January 2012.
We think we've ironed out the major problems of surviving the journey. We have already learned that we need to drink a lot more water than we thought, we need to ensure we don't over walk on the first day if we are going to do the same again the following day and we now know what sort of clothing we need if we are not to over heat or get too cold.
Our first leg will be coming soon and we will keep you updated on this blog.
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| English on trial walk two Lamberhurst to Wateringbury, aproximately 17miles. Picture taken January 14th 2012 |
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| Mumford on trial two, near Lamberhurst. January 14th 2012 |
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| Trial two: English's kit, during a kit ajustment and food break. January 14th 2012 |
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| Trial one: (Mumford) Ightham to Wateringbury, followed by a looped walk along the Greensand Way and the river the next day. October 2011 |
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| Trial one: (English) We were very ill-equiped with no proper walking clothes and bags. The food took up most of the bag space. October 2011 |
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| Mumford (right) and English (left) shaking hands with Deputy Manager after recieving sponsorship from Cotswold Outdoor. They later gave us a complete set of route mapping and carriage equipment, for which we are extremely grateful. January 28th 2012 |
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| Left to right: Col Wilson, Cdt Mumford and Cdt English after we had briefed Col Wilson about our expedition. We are extremely grateful for his and the ACF's support. 21st February 2012 |
