Walking Across England: Our Upcoming Adventure!

This summer my son Gabriel and I will walk across England. 

Literally!

On the morning of July 6 we will set off from the village of St. Bees on the coast of the Irish Sea and then head east.  God willing on July 19 our 200 mile journey will end when we dip our boots in the cool waters of Robin Hood’s Bay on the North Sea coast.

I must admit I’m pretty excited as I’ve been planning this trip since before Gabriel was born.  Back in about 1993 or 94 the travel section of the local Hong Kong paper did a feature story on the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk.  I found the concept of walking across the country compelling and turned to Tammy and declared, “One day when we have a son I’m going to take him on this walk when he turns 13 years old.”

Well, about 4 years later I did have that son and now, nearly 18 years later, I have just purchased air tickets and paid the confirmation deposit to the company that arranges the details. 

This is going to be a father – son coming of age “rite of passage”.  Just the two of us crossing hills and valleys while discussing God, school, life, work, childhood, adulthood, and why there is a difference between being a Man and simply being a male. 

…oh, and did I forget to mention the pubs.

Yes!! We’re going!…the only spanner in the original plan is Gabriel is 14 now, not 13.  Last summer we had just had Gabriel’s little brother Ethan and so thought it better to delay this grand excursion for a year.

Anyhow, I’ll be posting more info as we get closer to our departure as well as a day by day narrative of the actual adventure once it begins.

Of course, now I have 2 sons…so I may have to do this again in 13 years!