Why JOGLE?

Midge and I are walking from John O’Groats to Lands’ End We start at the end of April 2013. I suppose this is really the culmination of many things not least the fact that  we have done many long distance walks that this seemed to be the obvious next step. Some of you will have read our previous travels over the last 6 years

Midge is blind as a result of a progressive retinal atrophy which has been going on for many years but he covered it up really well until about 18months ago so I could not really put off this project any longer, he is still young enough to cope with both the walking and his blindness. He loves his walks and loves visiting new places and meeting new people. I have treasured my backpacking trips with him so this is our ultimate big adventure together.

We are raising funds for Hounds for Heroes who provide assistance dogs for injured military and service personnel. You can donate here:

https://www.justgiving.com/PaulandMidge

 I thought it entirely appropriate for Midge. He loves people and seems to have an incredible empathy for folks. The fact that he is blind and the way he has adapted and thrived despite his blindness has made him real hero in his own right so this charity just right for him. By an amazing coincidence his vets’ practice Oakham Veterinary Hospital  is also supporting this charity in 2013. I know a lot of well-paid people out there I only hope I can persuade them to part with some money to support this charity.

Let me tell you about the wonderful boy that is Midge. Midge came to us from the wonderful Wiccaweys Rescued Border Collies  www.wiccaweys.com eight years ago. He was it would seem, an unwanted Christmas present judging by the day of his birth and his first vet injections. He was a very confused lunatic youngster of 7 months when we got him, a live wire of a collie who had never received any training and who demonstrated the ADHD/OCD of an untrained border collie. He was hard going. However, he is probably the most intelligent dog I have ever known and took to training with a desire and soon literally knew all the tricks in the book. If you want to read more about Midge and I please look at our earlier trips documented on this website.

http://travelswithmidge.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.freewebs.com/mananddog/

We will be following a route across the Flow Country of Scotland to Lairg, thence to Inverness, down the Great Glen, along the West Highland Way eventually linking up to the Pennine Way, down the Midlands to the Costswold Way via the River Severn and then linking up with the South West Coast Footpath. If you would like to walk a section with us contact us!