We are delighted to welcome Nick Robinson to the blog today. Hear how he went from surgery on his foot to completing the Coast to Coast! Plus you’ll never guess who he met along the way!
“In March 2021 I had surgery on my left foot to tackle various issues caused by arthritis which has left me with two fused toes (Big toe and second toe) and screws in my big toe. The result is that I can’t now bend these toes and have little shock absorption in my foot which proves somewhat challenging when walking!
Recovery has been slow and often painful. With plenty of knock backs. In April, the month after surgery, I only managed on average a mere 833 steps per day. Little more than to the end of the garden and back.
I was however determined to climb a hill again and set myself the challenge of getting fit enough and mobile enough to attempt Wainwright’s Coast to Coast walk. 192 miles from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay, crossing the Lake District, The Pennines and also the North Yorks Moors in the process. Many said I was mad to even think about it.
Progress was slow and often took a step backwards. My walking boots post operation didn’t fit properly and my fused toes caused my foot to roll outwards. Blisters on my little toes were regularly the result.
I have a huge box of insoles in a room upstairs from attempting to find any that might help with the rolling and also provide some cushioning to enable walking to be relatively pain free. None worked how I needed them to and though little milestones were reached, a mile walk, then 3, my first small hill (up on to Ilkley Moor) and then a bigger one. A little more distance and so on, the pain and the blisters meant the dream of attempting the coast to coast was very much out of reach.
After another trip to a local podiatrist failed to deliver the results I yearned for I came across the custom fitting services of Whalley Warm & Dry and felt it was worth giving it a go. Booking an appointment with Jon.
Jon initially sorted me out with some Altbergs though recommended I also get some custom made insoles from The Foot & Insole Specialists, which I did. The insoles worked brilliantly to alleviate my rolling foot and give me some cushioning and for the first time in months I stopped getting the blisters. However, due to the insoles lifting my heel a touch, the Altbergs weren’t holding my ankle securely enough. A trip back to see Jon and he quickly resolved the problem with a swap to some straight fitting Hanwag’s. Perfect.
And so finally, after over a year of searching, I had a boot and insole solution that truly was working. Using the Yorkshire Wolds and occasional trips to the Dales as my training ground I gradually increased the milage and the weight in my pack. Finally, in early Sept 2022 I headed to St Bees and over 2 weeks, with full back pack including tent and cooking equipment, I completed my Coast to Coast challenge. 192 miles, meeting some great new hiking friends and having many memorable experiences along the way.
I’m already planning my next multi-day hike. The Tour du Mont Blanc in 2023 awaits….. Yes I must be mad. But at least my feet don’t hurt.”
You’ll never guess who Nick met…
“My son Alex joined me for Day 2 and 3 of my Coast to Coast walk during the Lake District section and with good weather we went high, climbing Red Pike from Ennerdale Water. The plan was to hike along to High Crag and then Haystacks and wild camp near Innonomate Tarn, where Wainwright’s ashes are scattered.
En-route we could see a helicopter hovering over High Crag. Assuming it was being used for mountain rescue training. However, we passed a hiker who claimed it was Tom Cruise filming a scene for a new movie.
Around 4:30pm we reached High Crag to find the camera crew sitting around. They said Tom was done for the day and they were waiting to be picked up by helicopter and returned to Borrowdale.
A few minutes later, I filmed the helicopter arrive but instead of being there to collect the crew, out jumps Tom Cruise in full parascending gear to film the final scene of Mission Impossible 7.. A quick wave, a hello and an apology for the noise his helicopter had been making, we were then asked if we’d like a photo. Naturally we said yes and Tom positioned himself on a grassy mound (with myself and Alex slightly lower down to even out the height differences!).
Fist pumps and some ’nice to meet yous’ later and the photos were done and then Tom then literally ran off the mountain to parascend down. In total he was up there for just 6 minutes which makes our being there at the same time even more surreal. And none of it would have been possible without the wonderfully fitting HanWags and custom insoles.”
Thank you very much Nick for sharing your amazing journey! We love to hear your stories, please do not hesitate to tell us yours!
