December Training - Amputee-Adventures

Kilimanjaro Trek
in aid of the Limbless Association

September
2010

13th December 2009 - Richmond Park

The second training walk for the Kilimanjaro trek once again squeezed itself into a sunny gap in an otherwise rainy month. This fact did not go un-remarked by the day's walkers as we assembled, and did not stop us from both draining the cafe at Roehampton Gate dry of tea and eating our own weight in bacon sandwiches. After we could put if off no longer, the bacon supply having been all but exhausted, us walkers set of on the first training exercise of significant distance.
	In good order we commenced the first leg of training walk two. A generally flat and graveled path greeted us as we left the vicinity of the cafe and made our way toward the southeast corner of Richmond Park. For most of us, this was the first opportunity to meet the remainder of the group and the distance to Robin Hood Gate rapidly diminished as we grew to know our fellow Kilimanjaro trekkers.
After completing the first leg of the walk we continued without pause along the southern edge of the park, heading toward Kingston Gate. About a third of the way through this stage the ground began to rise and we made our way up another first of the Kilimanjaro training – our first hill! Broomfield Hill proved to be relatively short but also relatively steep.
After pretending that the hill ascent was not an enormous effort we paused on the crest for photographs and recovery! A suitable interval later, we continued our progression toward Kingston Gate, turned the corner and began to head north.
	At the end of probably the longest stage of the walk we found ourselves at Petersham Gate where we encountered the first issues with prosthetics. One of Ray’s leg was giving him a particular problem but fortunately he had Prosthetist Tom to rub it better!
As a result of some aberrant navigation we were forced to leave the park via Petersham Gate to avoid retracing our steps. The steepest part of the walk was then encountered as we made our way up Star & Garter Hill. After a mercifully short but very steep climb, Ray and fellow amputee Mark were amused by the road sign found at the top of the hill. With due caution we crossed the road, avoided being mown down by any of the disabled drivers turning in the vicinity, and re-entered the park via Richmond Gate.
The final leg of the walk took us around the northern perimeter of the park. It was here that we encountered the most significant wild residents of Richmond – the deer. Despite the unusual appearance of some of our walkers, we were once again ignored by the local fauna and made our way unmolested toward our end point via Sheen Gate. As Roehampton Gate hove in to view, the café promised a welcome return for the Kilimanjaro Trekkers. This was gratefully received through the medium of tea and sustenance. Our first full-length Kilimanjaro training walk had passed with no significant problems leaving the group looking forward to the next instalment of our organised training.
Click here for a map of our route.
Browse the Picasa album for more photos of the walk.