# Diabetes Support's UK Virtual Challenge!



## Northerner

With all the talk of meet-ups around the country I thought it might be fun to start something up to perhaps give us all  a bit of motivation and maybe showcase some of the places that members live that we’d like to visit but are too far away or difficult for some of us to get to.

Welcome to the launch of the Diabetes Support UK Challenge! 







What is it?
The Challenge is a virtual journey through the United Kingdom, travelling from John O’ Groats to Lands End, stopping off for virtual refreshments at places recommended by members that are local to them.

How does it work? 
Members of the forum resolve to perform some regular exercise  - it can be anything that involves some sort of distance covered or extra energy expended. So, running, walking, swimming, treadmills, rowing machines, cross trainers, steppers – anything that can be added to the overall distance covered collectively. I’ll work out a converter based on calories used for activities such as gardening, squash, badminton, football etc. so no-one needs to feel left out  Note: rally cross not allowed)

Here you can report your distances covered, which can then be added to the total to move us further along our journey. We will have a destination to head for and a celebration when we reach it. The following destination will then be decided on – the destinations can be anywhere in the UK, but heading generally south from John O Groats.

Add your efforts to the following thread:

http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=8226

This thread will be used so we can follow the journey more easily!


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## Northerner

First destination is Helmsdale in Sutherland, via Wick! We have a total of 51.4 miles to cover, so please let me know what you have done to speed us on our way!


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## Northerner

AlisonM said:


> Here's a mile and a half from me too. I did manage to get out and walk the dog for an hour today, in spite of it all and that's how far my gadget told me I'd gone.



Excellent! We're practically in Wick!






This is a good map of the route so far...

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usmapindexes/caithness.html


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## Northerner

MCH said:


> I did 2.4 miles (according to the thing which measures it anyway) on the bike on my way to a course this afternoon, and if you can add on the 2.5 miles I cycled to work this morning even though it was before the official start, you can have that as well.



We're in Wick!  I've just spotted a Wetherspoons, The Alexander Bain. We'll have something to eat and a couple of jars/drams/diet pepsis!


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## Northerner

rawtalent said:


> Half mile cycle to and from park and 3 miles running. Time for tea.



We've made it to Helmsdale! Excellent  We'll rest up here and enjoy the local hostelries, then tomorrow we set off for our next destination - Alness!

Miles completed so far: 52.8
Next stage, Alness     : 46.2


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## Northerner

Goodness, can you believe it? We are nearly in Aberdeen, having gone from Alness to Banff via Inverness and Nairn!  Total covered so far is 214.7 miles and just under 20 miles to Aberdeen!

Nairn High Street:


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## Northerner

Well, you've all been doing extremely well! We have reached Aberdeen, and left it behind to head west to Aviemore, and then all the way across Scotland to Fort William! We have completed 333.7 miles so far, with around 44 miles remaining to get to Fort William:

Aberdeen, Union Street:






River Spey at Aviemore:






Fort William at dusk:






Keep up the good work!


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## Northerner

Wow! We are certainly moving on our journey! We are now headed for Campbeltown in Argyll, after a tour of the Western Isles aboard the Oban ferry! 488 miles completed, with only 48 miles to go to Campbeltown 

I managed to add a measly 3 miles today, which was about a mile further than I should have gone as my poorly knee is now screaming at me 

Oban Ferry terminal:





Cambeltown, Argyll:


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## Northerner

Wow! Well, since my last update ages ago, we have covered a total of 252 miles and gone from Cambelltown, Argyll to Newcastle Upon Tyne via Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Alnwick! 

Everyone round to Steff's new gaff for tea and crumpets!


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## Northerner

Wow! We have really made a lot of progress! We've gone from Newcastle to Ripon by the roundabout route of Carlisle, Penrith, Keswick, Windemere and Bedale! 185 miles in total!

Derwentwater, Keswick:





Bedale, Yorkshire Dales:





Ripon:





Since the Google map thing doesn't save the route in its link, here's a picture of it instead, so you can see where we've been:


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## Northerner

Well done everyone! We've taken the long route round from Ripon to Skipton, by heading along to the East Coast of Yorkshire. We've visited Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington (where I spent many a summer holiday in my younger days!), and come back to visit Becky in York, stopping off at Harry Ramsdens in Harrogate for fish and chips, and finally stopping for the night in Skipton.

Skipton:





154 miles in total for this stretch!  and an astonishing 1127 miles since we began!


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## Northerner

Well done everybody! We have made the journey from Skipton to Liverpool, via Todmorden, Preston, Blackpool and Southport - 137 miles! That leaves us with 4 miles left over for a leisurely pub crawl of Liverpool! We deserve it!

Brighouse, my home town:





Todmorden, in the Pennines (yes, it really is still in black and white!):





Blackpool:





The route:


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## Northerner

Well done everyone! Distance travelled since the last stopover in Liverpool is 315 miles! This means we have got from Liverpool to Barmouth, via Sheffield and the Peak District, Chester and Anglesey! 






Passing through the grounds of beautiful Chatsworth House on the way!


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## Northerner

Well done everyone! We have completed another 422 miles, travelling from Barmouth in Wales to Peterborough, via Derby, Skegness, Norwich (hi aymes!) and Cambridge!






All the houses in Stoke-on-Trent are like this!






We met some lovely Skegness donkeys!






And went for a punt on the Cam!






Keep up the good work everyone!


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## Northerner

Hurrah! Well done everyone! Our collective efforts have seen us travel from Peterborough to Haverfordwest, via Leicester, Birmingham, Worcester, Gloucester, Cardiff and Swansea! A grand total of 283 miles!






Penny Blacks bar, Birmingham - that's our table!






Cardiff






Haverfordwest


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## Northerner

Another terrific effort by everyone has got us from Haverfordwest to Winchester, via Bristol (hi John!), Bath, Oxford and Reading - a total of 293 miles!






The most beautiful building on Earth, the Royal Crescent, Bath:






The Dreaming Spires of Oxford:






...and the lawns outside Winchester Cathedral!






Right! I'm off to The Wickham Arms for a sausage and a pint!


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## Northerner

Right! Another 227 miles covered, so that takes us from Winchester to Truro, via Plymouth and Newquay!






Plymouth's bustling, modern streets:






Off for a surf in Newquay:






And finally, magnifcent Truro Cathedral:


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## Northerner

Well, we've had a bit of a break over the festive season, but time to get back on track with our virtual tour!

Since the last update we have covered a total of 330 miles! We've travelled from Truro to Croydon, via Paignton, Bournemouth (woo!), Southampton and Brighton!






Paignton:






Bournemouth (woo!):






Southampton:






Pretty soon we'll be heading off to the continent to tour Europe - get your passports ready!


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