ROUTE 1066: Thursday 29 October 2026
I am getting quite a few folk asking me for a bit more detail around the preparations for my ROUTE 1066 walk – so I thought that I would attempt to answer some questions on this post, in one fell swoop. Arguably the most important component for my challenge is fitness, and over the last month or so I have upped my walking to around 35/40 miles a week – nothing approaching the 100-miles-plus that I will likely be covering weekly on my imminent ramble, but about as much as I can fit in at the moment whilst preparing for all aspects of my journey. I am reasonably well conditioned now, but there is unavoidably an element of ‘walking yourself fit’ whenever a long multi-day walk is involved.
The next area of getting ready is, of course, equipment. There is no real science around this beyond making sure that every item that I carry is fit for use and, most importantly, that it is necessary and will be used. This does not mean having to spend big on every item of clothing and kit – sometimes the basic versions are lighter and more efficient than more sophisticated products – especially as I will be walking in the lowlands and passing through plenty of large towns along the way, where I can readily get hold of any vital items. So, on this trek, I won’t be taking a survival shelter nor the sun hat – but I will certainly be needing a head-torch for the longer walking days, and the hi-viz stripes. My aim is to keep my pack weight down to around 7.5 kilos (excluding water and food), plus – most importantly – my well-worn-in pair of great walking boots. And, naturally, I will have my nordic walking poles to hand.
In one of my recent Blogs (‘Steppin’ Out’, on Saturday 17 October) I covered the next area of my preparations – namely the walk planning. This is all in place, and I am now starting to book my overnight accommodation for the first few nights. There are a lot of variables here, including my walking condition and the prevailing weather, so subsequent nights will be booked two to three days prior: I am hoping that availability will be fairly straightforward given the season, as I won’t be equipped for sleeping rough!
The final area of preparation is the promotion of my ROUTE 1066 escapade – and huge thanks are due here to the team: to James for his leadership and support, to Paul for the card design, and to Ben for the website work that enables my website to connect directly to the SAVE CASTLE FIELDS site. The wider team’s efforts in spreading the word is astounding, and I hope that my walk will raise awareness still further – so please pass on details of my website and this Blog to family, friends and anyone you know who may be interested. I detailed the recent Castle Fields media coverage in my last Blog (‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine, on Monday 26 October), and there is a direct link to this earlier post below.
Just a quick reminder – tomorrow morning (Friday) from 10.00 am James Moir of Berkhamsted Castle Trust and myself are being interviewed live on MIX92.6 Radio by presenter Steve Simpson. MIX is a St Albans-based community radio station, with a catchment of half a million souls and staffed by over 70 presenters, production and technical volunteers. Each month, as the station’s ‘Resident Rambler’ I present a local walk on Steve’s Saturday lunchtime ‘Mix Brunch Show’, and I also speak a little about my recent and upcoming treks. The station has already been very kind in promoting the SAVE CASTLE FIELDS cause, and I will be recording a short audio piece each day of my ROUTE 1066 walk, and these will be played on MIX every morning (around 11.20 am) – as well as a longer live segment from the trail each Saturday lunchtime (between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm). If you would like to tune in tomorrow, and subsequently, then please go to the MIX website http://www.mix926.com or on catch-up via their ‘Listen Again’ tab.
I have thought about setting a sponsorship target, and maybe 250 plots would be a good mark to aim for over the next few weeks as my ROUTE 1066 walk progresses – all as part of the wider SAVE CASTLE FIELDS campaign generally of course. So let’s see if we can all help to save Castle Fields together.
Thank you for following my ROUTE 1066 journey – re-tracing the steps of William the Conqueror in 1066 on his 360-mile campaign trail from Pevensey Bay, via Berkhamsted, and on to Westminster Abbey. If you are following my Blog, enjoying the ramble, and would like to help us to SAVE CASTLE FIELDS for future generations by pledging £39 to sponsor a 3×3-metre square of the land, then please click on this link:
THANK YOU ALL FOR SUPPORTING MY ROUTE 1066 WALK, AND FOR HELPING TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF CASTLE FIELDS
I have chosen my Blog heading today for its apt title. The song ‘Ready For It?’ is an upbeat electro-pop number from Taylor Swift, that is all about lust and infatuation – and with lyrics such as ‘and we’ll move to an island’ there is perhaps a tenuous link or two with my impending walking challenge. The song was co-written by Swift, and it appears on her sixth studio album ‘Reputation’ from 2017, that made the Top 10 in many countries including the US, UK and Australia. The singer used ‘Ready For It?’ as the opener on her 2018 stadium tour, and it also featured at the start of the ‘Reputation’ set on her 2024 Eras Tour.
