SUNDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2006
Oh what a lovely walk!

The bright eyed, bushy-tailed nightstriders ready to stride! Nice balaclava, Ben! Nice crouching style, Anna!
Synopsis
This one included snow, walking, thick & very wet mud, a lot of walking, the scaling of very steep banks, some expert navigation, a quarry, some bulls, mr Benn, slipping over, the M25, more walking (up steps) and one too many tired limbs.
By the end we realised we'd walked pretty much-ish the whole of the North Downs Way so that was tres satisfying.
A big special well done goes to Anna and Kate who joined the striding team for the very first time and trudged a full 17 miles to boot! A sterling effort and one worthy of this week's Nightstrider Gold Star.
Below are some pics from the day so you can see the wholesome fun unfolding before your very eyes! Enjoy!

Passing Battersea on the early morn train to the start...

The nightstriders encounter hidden caves with ancient pantings all around early into the walk

Gathering for a downhill bit...

Striding through the bracken mid walk. Nice striding style, Anna!

After negotiating barbed wire and warning extreme danger signs, the team ate lunch overlooking a picturesque quarry. This shot sees the cheersome lot post-lunch. Anna is sleeping off the effects already!

Crossing the everlasting field of mud as the weather brightens...

All kitt-ed up, napsacks ready for every eventuality...

Climbing the final stairway...

Wheeeeeeeee! Nightstriders gallantly descend a reeeeeeeeaaaaaaally steep hill-come-sheer-drop-cliff-face!

Anna and her stick. Inseperable.

Heading back to the start after a magical, bracing walk around the little village of Oxted...

Made it! The exhausted but clearly extatic team back at the start, with more than 25km in those legs and 25kg of mud on those clothes. Well done one and all!
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