News from the Tarka TrailSeeing Eyes videoDate: 21 May 2007
Tarka Trail Tilly raises £6,500 for guide dogsDate: 10 January 2007 An article from the Tiverton/Culm Valley Gazette and North Devon Journal: A woman who walked the Tarka Trail from Barnstaple has raised £6,500.Blind Uffculme resident Tilly Trotter walked the 150 miles to raise cash for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. She was accompanied by her grandsons Ashley, 15, and Oliver Curtis, 12, and for sections by her daughters Sue, Sarah and Kirsty. They set out from Barnstaple on August 17 and finished the circular route on September 4, taking in parts of Dartmoor and Exmoor on the way. Tilly's husband Tony, and Jack and Pat Wilkins, from Uffculme, acted as the support team and were also responsible for arranging the day-to-day details of the trek. Tilly's new guide dog Kendal rode with them in the support vehicle. In 2003, Tilly walked the same route in reverse and raised £8,600, which means she has raised £15,000 for the association in total. She said: "It costs £35,000 for the life of a guide dog and when you consider there are only 5,000 partnerships like the one I have with my dog in the whole of the UK, I'm so lucky. "I want to say thank you to my support team, who started organising this walk last year, and all the family and friends that walked with me and the people that sponsored me. They have been so generous."
PhotosDate: 8 September 2006
Day 19 - Bideford to The FinishDate: 4 September 2006 The three masted sailing ship Kathleen and May made an interesting backdrop for our meeting to-day. Unfortunately she is only open to the public on Saturday and Sunday and we were all too tired last night. We must come back. The Mayor of Bideford, Councillor Tony Inch was first on site at 0900, keen to meet the crazy walkers. He has been following our progress on this website. Jack, with his usual hospitality offered him a cup of tea. The High Sheriff of Devon also had a cup of tea while meeting the assembling walkers. He had come prepared for walking himself. On the first day the Chief Executive of Guide Dogs did the same which I greatly appreciated. I was apprehensive as I was having difficulty putting one foot in front of the other when we started but I put my legs into automatic and thought of Carrot Cake at Fremington. Thank goodness there were no hills. At Fremington our vet. daughter joined us for the final push so I had three daughters and two grandsons in the party. I really felt in need of a vet. at that stage. It was also good to see a strong contingent from Uffculme, some of whom had done a full days walk last week. From Fremington to Barnstaple we had eight dogs walking with us. They were all guide dogs, retired guide dogs, trained but unqualified dogs or puppies being walked for guide dogs so they were all very well behaved. Even Kendal, my guide dog, was trying hard and did not go into any of the muddy ditches along the way. He had to look smart for his grand entrance. Tom Pey, Director of Policy for Guide Dogs, had come down from Reading by car and was waiting for us. With him was Mrs Rachael Thomas, A Deputy Lieutenant of the County, who had started the walk from Combe Martin but was curious to see how it all ended. Jack Wilkins was, as always, at the finish with his caraven and the Big Yellow Flag. Tom Pey congratulated us our achievement and on behalf of Guide Dogs presented trophies, flowers and presents to the team. Ashley, Oliver and I walked every inch of the 150 miles but many others contributed by walking, encouraging and organizing. I could not have managed without them. Thank you all. Dear Guide Dogs, I could not do that again, perhaps a younger guide dog owner will take up the challenge. P.S. Pics and Stats will follow idc. Day 18 - Petrockstowe to BidefordDate: 3 September 2006 It was raining again when we started but soon cleared up and became a fine day for walking. We were surprised by a visit from Kit and Alan Gravelius who drove from Topsham to Petrockstowe to meet us. Kit is Speakers Secretary of the Topsham Ladies Probus Club and I am talking to them in March 2007. Perhaps she was checking me out! It was a fortuitous visit as Tony Carey was to have been our guest starter for the day, but as already explained has been unavoidably detained in Exeter hospital. Kit very ably stood in for him. Paul and Sue Wilkins were with us to-day; Kirsty joined us for the last two days and Les Affleck was back for more punishment. Yesterday's Rest day was a godsend. I could not have walked without that break to recuperate. As it was I started on very wobbly legs, uncertain whether I could complete the 13.5 miles to Bideford. along the old railway track. I did it but it was a case of mind over matter. Day 17 - Rest DayDate: 2 September 2006 Thank goodness for a rest day. Absolutely essential. Yesterday Tony Carey, who was to have started us off from Petrockstowe, had a hip operation and is doing well but will not be with us to-morrow. Tony is the sponsor of our website and the Daily Diary comes to you by courtesy of Tony, his wife Shelagh and son James. Get well soon Tony. Day 16 - Hatherleigh to PetrockstoweDate: 1 September 2006 The early clouds were ominous so we donned our wet weather gear for the starting ceremony by the Mayor of Hatherleigh, Councillor Gary Bush. Ashley knows his son Daniel as they are both at Chulmleigh School. What a small world! The weather soon improved and it was then perfect walking except for the numerous ups and downs, the many miles from start to finish and the nine or ten major stiles that we had to climb over. No two stiles are the same design, they are all very high, as stiles go, and are all securely stock fenced with no provision for a dog to get through. Having farmed ourselves we understand the farmers point of view but freedom of access into the countryside is restricted to the very determined. A compromise is badly needed. Many sections of the Tarka Trail are never walked. We got to Petrockstowe at 6pm after 8 hours walking. I have never, in my entire life, felt so exhausted as I do to-night. Goodnight all. Day 15 - Okehampton to HatherleighDate: 31 August 2006 The Countess of Devon set the tone for the day when she said that she would pencil-in August 2009 in her diary for Tilly's next walk. We all said "No Way". It was nice to see Geraldine and Helen from Guide Dogs, Exeter at the start. Helen and her daughter Lucy walked with us through the forest. Although to-day was a shorter distance we were still all feeling the aches and pains from the day before and not really appreciate the respite properly. Day 14 - North Tawton to OkehamptonDate: 30 August 2006 Another nice day weatherwise despite an iffy forecast. Mrs Elizabeth Hubbick, a Trustee of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, was at the start bright and early and gave us an encouraging send off. This day was in two halves. The first across three large meadows and lots of country lanes brought us to Sticklepath for 1pm where we met Ian Booker, a Dartmoor NPA Ranger, who looks after this section of the Tarka Trail and he walked with me in 2003. It was nice to see him again. His help was invaluable as we went through Belstone Cleave and then from Belstone over some very rocky ground without well defined paths descending to Okehampton for 5pm. This second half was the most difficult terrain that we have encountered so far but it was a dramatic experience that we would have been sorry to miss. Without Ian we would have struggled to find the way and he said that very few people visit it. I would have fallen many times without the vigilance of Ashley. He has been brilliant. George and Tony of the Vision On Camera Club, of which Ern Pinsent is a member, came to film some of the walk to-day. Their three films will be combined and edited to provide a visual record of Tarka Trail 2. Day 13 - Rest DayDate: 29 August 2006 A man came with a dehumidifier and to look at our bedroom and shower room flood and said that no work would commence to restore the damage until the cause was established. That sounded reasonable to us. He then asked if we were covered for "Trace and Access" We had no idea and the words do not appear in our insurance document nor in the easy to understand handbook. He then tried to ring the insurance company himself to find out for us but after listening to call centre music for a long time gave up. He explained that if we were not covered by insurance then we would have to pay a company of investigators ourselves to establish the cause of the accident to the satisfaction of the insurance company before they would consider doing any work. Since we have no idea ourselves what caused the problem this was all very worrying. Later Tony managed to get through to Norwich Union who said that we are covered. What a relief. Are you covered for "Trace and Access"? We will not bore you about the time we spent listening to call centre music or about our collection of seven telephone numbers that we collected as we got passed from department to department. Day 12Date: 28 August 2006 To-day started when I locked Tony in the garage and then shut the house front door because I thought we were ready to go. Tony had the only set of front door keys with him inside the garage. All time consuming but fairly easily solved. At Barnstaple station we learnt that Jack Wilkins had been unwell all night. He was going to have a quiet day. Terry Smith, Area Puppy Walking Manager (covering from Manchester to Land's End), who was our guest for the day, had already arrived and was planning to walk for the whole day. Penny Hall and her GD Puppy were also there. They, Kendal, Dalby and I settled in the 1001 train for the 19 mile journey on the Tarka Line to Eggesford. At about 1012 it was announced that the train had a fault and the service was cancelled. Hence Plan B. Terry to took me and my dogs in his car to Eggesford and Penny followed in her car. We were lucky, the other passengers had to wait for a bus. At Eggesford a large party of walkers had assembled and after a few words from Terry we set off, only about half-an-hour behind schedule. At the first waymark we found Tony and Ern trying to get into Ern's car because his keys were locked inside. They had not been successful but Pat Sharpe put his policeman's knowledge to good effect and had it open very quickly. Our team has some varied talents. After lunch Tony took Penny Hall, Nikki Watson and her husband Hal back to Eggesford. Nikki and her Guide Dog Annie were the only Guide Dog Partnership who joined us in 2003 and the only ones so far in 2006. Penny has also supported us both times. Thanks to both of you. During the afternoon the Tarka Trail passed near to a clay pigeon shoot which had upset the bullocks in a field that we had to cross. For me it sounded like a stampede in a wild west film. My grandsons did a good job keeping them at bay. The rest of the walk was uneventful and all walkers managed to find their cars or get lifts back to them or to home. Finally I would like to send a personal hello to Guide Dog Owner, Adrian Sparkes, who works in the Control Room at Police Headquarters at Middlemoor. He encouraged me to apply for a guide dog in the first place. I hope you you are getting on well with your new dog and are fully fit soon. Love, Tilly. Day 11Date: 27 August 2006 We had lovely weather all day. The Partridge family joined us in Landkey for the afternoon walk to Barnstaple. They invited us all to join them for a cup of tea as we passed their home in Bishop's Tawton. They plan to join us on the final day. Philip now has a retired guide dog but was walking a puppy in 2003. To-day we completed the northern loop and have now done 85 miles, a little more than half the total distance. We all have tired and sore feet but no one has any blisters so we are set for the southern loop. Day 10Date: 26 August 2006 In the middle of Exmoor we met a young man called Tarka and his wife/girlfriend. They were walking in the opposite direction to us on their way to Minehead and were training before they walked the Great Wall of China. It would have been nice to have been able to spend more time with them. They were the only walkers that we saw all day. A family on horseback passed us. The children went to West Buckland School, our destination for the day. As we came off the moor the rain stopped and the mist cleared. Kirsty remembered the route from 2003 though it looked a bit different going in the opposite direction. It was a hard day's march but we keep telling each other that to-morrow will be easier. Day 8Date: 24 August 2006 Because the expected Exmoor NPA Ranger did not show we made a late start. Before setting off I ensured that all our party had proper footwear, waterproofs, food and water for themselves. I carry the first-aid. Fortunately Kirsty, our youngest daughter, did this stretch in 2003 and was with us to-day so she safely navigated the party from Lynmouth to Breakneck Hole in the middle of the moor. Again Ashley was superb at helping me to avoid boulders, rocks and bogs. It is a tiring task directing my feet as well as his own but he still had a smile at the end. It was a hard day but for the first time since we started we had no rain. Long may it last. Probably because of the weather only two walkers, apart from friends and family, have accepted my challenge for a day and there have not been many supporters on the streets either to help our fundraising efforts. We look forward to seeing you all during the second half of the Trail! We thought that our own personal run of bad luck and mishaps was over but we returned home for our "Rest Day" to find our bedroom flooded. There has been enough water outside without having it inside as well. We took a Stanley Knife to the carpet and put it in the garden a piece at a time. Again our thanks to friends and neighbours for help when we were in no fit state to face a fresh challenge. After a half hour wait to speak to a human being Norwich Union Direct promised to treat it as an emergency when we told them about the constraints of our charity walk but at 1300 they have not even managed the promised telephone call. Such is life in the age of modern communications and technology. Tilly. Day 7Date: 23 August 2006 The weather lived up to the forecast and was wet to very wet until noon when we had lunch at Lee Bay. By the time that we got to The Valley of the Rocks the skies had cleared and we arrived in Lynmouth in bright sunshine. Suddenly the holiday crowds appeared. During the cliff part of the walk we hardly saw a soul (actually one man and a dog). Steve Proud was our NT warden today. He said that it is only serious walkers who venture along the cliff path in the rain. To keep to our published programme we had no choice. We will be sorry to leave The Rock House Hotel in Lynmouth where we and the dogs have been made welcome, have felt comfortable and have been well fed for 6 nights. I will be thinking of their exceptionally scrumptious soup for the rest of the walk. Day 6Date: 22 August 2006 Tony forgot to collect pack from Hunter's Inn, Jack left the collecting dog at Combe Martin and Tilly mislaid her mobile phone so it was not a good start but it got better as the day progressed - as did the weather. We only saw 9 walkers all day, one of which lived in Cullompton! This was the hardest day so far. The distance was not great but James Dickinson our lovely NT warden said it was considered "severe" in the South West Coast Path ratings. He kept us interested and amused all day and we all enjoyed his company. Mrs Rachel Thomas gave us a good send off just after 10am. We stopped for lunch at about 1pm and made good time to Hunter's Inn and arrived at about 3pm. We are all a bit apprehensive about day 7 for which heavy rain is forecast which does not mix well with walking on bare rocks. Day 4Date: 20 August 2006 There was a street market on the Esplanade at Ilfracombe when we started this morning. The green was set up for ferret racing and there was one ferret being walked from stall to stall on a lead. Kendal disapproved. It is Carnival Week in Ilfracombe. Roy Goodwin, the Town Crier, greeted us in his splendid regalia and led us through the town to the harbour where the Deputy Mayor gave us a good send off. Ben Totterdale of the North Devon Countryside and Coastal Services Agency walked with us until lunchtime, leaving us at the delightful Watermouth Harbour. He will probably join us again later in the walk. He is also getting the track north of Taw Bridge cleared of the prolific undergrowth! I stayed on my feet to-day despite the ups and downs of the rugged coast path. It was a big contrast to Day 1 along the shores of the estuary or the grassy slopes of Baggy Point on Day 2. Day 5 is a rest day the there are now 2 more rocky days between Combe Martin and Lynton. On Thursday we climb up to Exmoor. Tilly Day 3Date: 19 August 2006 The Chairman of Morthoe Parish Council, Mrs Wressel, started the walk from Woolacombe and Jonathan Fairhurst of The National Trust accompanied us as far as Lee Bay. It started to rain as we left Lee Bay and continued until Ilfracombe. I had a nasty fall on the wet rocks and also slipped on a manhole cover in the outskirts of Ilfracombe, adding to the bruises Despite all the mishaps it was an exciting day and wonderful to be met by Jack Wilkins standing in front of the Guide Dog Flag poles and yellow flags with a steaming cup of tea. Onwards to Combe Martin to-morrow! Tilly Day 2Date: 18 August 2006 To-day was perfect, lots of sun,no rain a light breeze and a very happy walking group. Jop Bishop of BBC Radio Devon started the walk and spoke to many of the walkers, recording as she went. The results were broadcast on Saturday morning - did you hear it? The nicest bit for me was when Oliver, my grandson, told Jo that he hated walking but was doing this one for his Gran! Sarah Latchford from the National Trust walked all day keeping everyone informed and amused. I got my boot stuck between two rocks on the cliff path and fell over but fortunately no major damage resulted. Ashley led me with confidence especially on the cliffs where it was too dangerous for the dogs to accompany us because of shear drops to the sea. My fall was all my own fault. I will remember it as one of the happiest days. First DayDate: 17 August 2006 We woke to torrential rain to-day and it continued on and off during the drive to Barnstaple, throughout the starting ceremony and for the first two hours of the walk. We then had sun mixed with sharp showers. Despite all of that our guests braved the elements. The Lord Lieutenant of Devon, the Mayor of Barnstaple and the Chief Executive of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association all gave Tilly an encouraging and rousing send off. A wholly unexpected surprise was given by Roy Goodwin, the Town Crier of Ilfracombe who stood in for Ros Chard. Thank you Roy. An unexpected send off was given by a loud clap of thunder as Tilly stepped from the shelter of the Heritage Centre onto the Tarka Trail. It raised a good laugh. Kendal let Ashley do the guiding when the heavens opened but enjoyed a good free run with Dalby when the sun came out and even managed a quick swim in the Torridge. They both enjoyed the second half of the walk to the Sandy Lane Car Park from where we start to-morrow at 1000. Tilly. All packed upDate: 16 August 2006 Tilly is all packed up, the dogs know that something is afoot and the car is back on the road and going well so we are all set for the start to-morrow. T-3Date: 14 August 2006 It is now T-3 (three days to the start of Tarka Trail 2) and all our plans are complete, packing is well under way and the debates about the weather and the accuracy of the 5 day forecast keep us occupied. The big unknown is our car which is still in the garage after waiting in a queue for the last ten days. We hope to get it back on Tuesday 15th which is a bit close to Thursday 17th ! Please keep your fingers crossed for us.
We have had wheels for those ten days thanks to the generosity of Jack and Pat Wilkins son Paul who has lent us his gas-powered Range Rover. A new experience for us and the dogs. Kendal finds the exertion of getting into the back a bit too much for him.
We are looking forward to clear skies and seeing some of you at the start on Thursday. Updates on the progress of the walk will appear on this site as often as possible until 4 Sept. Tilly 
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