Category: Living With Cancer Strollers

A School Group Up Mount Kenya

A School Group Up Mount Kenya

As a Valeways walk leader, I have had the privilege and pleasure of leading coastal and countryside walks for the past 2 years. As there are no Living with Cancer Strollers or Carers Walk this month, due to the coronavirus, I thought I would share some of my adventures as a walk leader further afield….

As a young teacher in Kenya, I decided to take a school group up Mount Kenya. This is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. There are 3 peaks on Mount Kenya and walkers head for the less technical trek to Point Lenana (4985m).

My school party consisted of 25 pupils and 10 teachers. We had guides to take us through the breath-taking scenery: tarns, glaciers, dense forest, a vertical bog and to point out the wildlife: including mongoose, hyrax (evolved from the elephant) and duiker. Fortunately, we didn’t spot the rarely seen giant forest hog or bongo!

There are various routes up the mountain and the climb takes 3 days. After acclimatising at Naro Moru, we spent the first night on the mountain at the met station. All was well. The next day we set off through forest and high-altitude equatorial vegetation to reach Mackinders Camp with the dramatic peaks of Batian and Nelion looking down on us. Tents were set up for us and the head of the school cooked a high energy pasta dish, which very few people ate. Altitude sickness had struck…not something that my walkers around Cosmeston or Barry Island have ever experienced!

Headaches and sickness took over a large number of the party so only a few emerged from their tents at 2am to head to the summit. Heading off at 2am meant the scree and the glacier at the peak were frozen and more easily walked on. After a long trek we reached the top and watched the sunrise.

On the descent, one pupil, slipped on the ice and started to head towards the tarn….luckily a guide stopped him. Not a sight that is easily forgotten. On reaching Mackinders Camp, where we had left a large group of sick individuals, we were greeted by happier and healthier pupils and teachers; the British army had arrived for a training session and had provided lots of hot tea and biscuits.

So …… at Cosmeston and over at Barry Island, if you join us when the social distancing finishes, you can feel confident that you are in safe hands….as long as there are no frozen tarms to fall into or great heights to be scaled….

Lynne Frugniet

 

 

One of the Longest Walks

One of the Longest Walks

March’s walkers welcomed a new member, Sylvia, who was lucky enough to join us for one of the longest walks the group have been challenged with. However, plied with St David’s Day Welsh cakes, everyone stayed dry and finished the walk in style.

So after the wettest February on record, what made people turn up for this stroll in March? In summary:

Marvellous scenery

Animals, insects, flowers and trees all around

Robust exercise

Companionship

Humorous chat

The Valeways Walking Organisation has cancelled their walking programme for March and April, due to the coronavirus. Hopefully the Living with Cancer Strollers and the Carers walks will resume soon

 

 

Navigating Through Ciara’s Quagmire

In Africa the Big 5 are a huge attraction for people visiting the safari parks: rhino, lion, elephant, leopard and buffalo. On the Living with Cancer stroll in February the group were treated to the Little 5 and enjoyed spotting a rabbit, squirrel, Dalmatian, blue tit and pigeon! Eyes could be occasionally lifted from the mud below our feet to enjoy the wildlife, as walkers had to be very careful to navigate themselves through the quagmire created by Storm Ciara the previous weekend.

Two new walkers were welcomed to the group and enjoyed the walking, talking and refreshments. If you want to join us, we are back to our normal schedule in March: the first Thursday of the month, 10:30, Cosmeston.

 

 

New Year – New You!

 

New Year, New You!

Want to feel better, have more energy and have fun? Then join our walking group at Cosmeston.

Exercise has many benefits including burning calories and can prevent and manage health problems. But everyone knows that! So make time this new decade to exercise more and feel some of the benefits!

The group managed to keep their boots relatively clean for the first walk of 2020, despite the previous weeks of rain turning many paths to muddy puddles. No promises about clean boots for this year, but in two years the group has only experienced a light rain shower!

February’s walk is a change from the normal plan: it’s the 2nd Thursday of the month, then back to the first Thursday for March and the rest of the year! Hope you can join us.

 

 

December’s Cosmeston Walk

December’s Cosmeston Walk

Christmas hats adorned the walkers for December’s walk around Cosmeston. A 3 course Christmas lunch was the carrot that kept the group going for the longer walk the leader decided on! Thanks to the staff at Cosmeston for a splendid Christmas lunch, enjoyed by all. And thanks to the members of the walking group who have turned up on the first Thursday of every month in rain, sun, wind and mud: it’s been a great year of walking and talking. Join us in 2020.

 

 

November Walk

Dealing with everyday life can be difficult when you’ve been affected by cancer. Whether you are a patient, carer, or loved one, people often struggle with a diagnosis or the treatment of cancer. Anxieties, sadness and fears for the future sometimes overcome you. To support a more positive outlook, the living with cancer strollers offer a chance to walk, talk and enjoy good coffee!! If you would like to join us, we meet the first Thursday of every month at the Cosmeston Information Centre.

 

 

An Autumn Stroll

An Autumn Stroll

Autumn had definitely arrived for the October stroll. Shorts and t shirts were replaced with coats and bobble hats; blue skies and sunshine were replaced by grey clouds and cool breezes. The companionship and chatter on the walk were the same as ever: is there a better way to spend the first Thursday of every month? Fresh air, lovely countryside, gentle exercise and coffee….join us next month!

 

 

A Grumpy Looking Character ?

A grumpy looking, wooden character from the Mabinogion could not dampen the mood of the August strollers at Cosmeston.


A very cheerful group gathered at the start of the walk to join Tess in the celebrations of her 80th birthday.
Age is not a barrier on this walk as the pace is gentle, and all ages and levels of fitness are welcome.
If you fancy joining us, meet us at Cosmeston on the first Thursday of every month.

 

 

International Friendship Day Walk

The August Living with Cancer Strollers coincided with International Friendship Day. International Friendship Day is a United Nations day that promotes the role friendship plays in promoting peace in many cultures. The Stand up to Cancer support group spent the day celebrating the special friendships that offer support, love and laughter during some of life’s most difficult moments.

The Living with Cancer Strollers celebrated the day with a gentle walk in the August heat around Cosmeston. There’s plenty of friendship and laughter on these walks so if you want to join us, see you the first Thursday of September at 10:30am.

 

 

National Meadows Day

National Meadows Day

National Meadows Day is an annual celebration of wildflower meadows across the UK. The event takes place on or around the first Saturday of July every year. National Meadows Day events are helping to raise awareness of the importance of meadow conservation of a fast disappearing habitat.

The Living with Cancer July Stroll coincided with this special day and the strollers felt fortunate to be walking under bright blue, cloudless skies amongst a huge range of wildflowers, insects and grasses. Cosmeston has an abundance of wildflowers and Tess and Helen did a great job naming a selection including knapweed, orchids, oxeye daisies and cow parsley.

The strollers were also treated to the sight of a grey cygnet with its proud mother.

 

We are lucky to have Cosmeston on our doorstep with its myriad of paths. It’s different every time the strollers go there! You’re welcome to join us: the first Thursday of every month at 10:30am.

 

 

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