LDWA Kent White Cliffs Challenge 32 -milers (53) 28 August 2016 Benjamin Letzer 5:41 www.ldwa.org.uk/kent Martyn Turner 6:26 Stephen Wakeford 6:45 David Giles 7:20 This year’s White Cliffs Challenge, part of the White 15 -milers (48) Paul Hart 7:26 Cliffs Walking Festival, produced 102 entries – 54 on Dean Chatburn 2:57 Andrew Moore 7:28 the 32-mile route and 48 on the 15-mile route. Aidan Chatburn 2:57 Bryan Darney 7:29 We had 35 entries on the day – a record for this event Ian Marshall 3:08 Julian Catmull 7:29 – and only one walker retired. He bravely battled on to Tracy Foote 3:53 Jon Legge 7:30 the last checkpoint (Northbourne, at 23.7 miles) before Michelle Barnes 3:53 Matthew Foulds 7:41 finally succumbing to blisters. Some of the entrants had Julian Manser 3:53 Paul McAuliffe 7:42 never walked 32 miles before, so there were a few Jo Daniels 3:53 Andy Carpenter 7:42 Personal Bests achieved. Ed Barnes 3:55 Mark Sayer 7:48 Angela Craig 4:24 Andrew Boulden 7:59 The event was again based at the excellent St Keith Harding 4:24 John Kirwan 8:05 Margaret’s Village Hall, both routes initially going out Cherry Burnett 4:30 Christine Howard 8:05 to the White Cliffs, which were followed to Dover Alan Burnett 4:30 Gerry McGovern 8:11 seafront, where they diverged. Judy Rickwood 4:32 Robert Haldane 8:12 The long route carried on along the cliffs to Capel, then Eve Richards 4:32 Paul Donohoe 8:52 moved inland to descend and a scend the delightful Jo-Anne Bidgood 4:36 Laura Donohoe 8:52 Alkham Valley, before going along to Temple Ewell and Paul Bidgood 4:36 Steve Russell 9:11 snaking up the hillside above the village, and then Jane Hughes 4:42 Cathryn Row 9:19 going on to Waldershare Park and the village of John Eldridge 4:42 David Moles 9:24 Northbourne. It then followed paths and bridleways to Paul Day 4:46 Marta Kunicka 9:26 Nelson’s Seat near Ringwould – a fabulous viewpoint John Deller 5:13 Christopher Blackwell 9:26 across East Kent from where, local legend has it, Lord Karrie Doust 5:14 David Findel-Hawkins 9:29 Nelson and Lady Hamilton would sit gazing across at Patrick Austin 5:14 Merrian Lancaster 9:29 the ships in the Channel – and then going to Kingsdown Dennis Jacobs 5:14 David Weatherley 9:33 Wood and Kingsdown, before rejoining the White Cliffs Robert Woodward 5:15 Manfred Engler 9:33 to return to St Margaret’s. Nicky Dawkins 5:21 Darren Bell 9:42 The shorter route went up through the outskirts of Lorraine Croucher 5:30 Victoria Bell 9:42 Dover, passing through the town’s Connaught Park Gemma Mace 5:30 Susan Mumby 9:49 before taking the North Downs Way to the village of Angela Dunford 5:40 David Davidson 9:49 Guston – which locals pronounce ‘Gusson’ – to take Debbie Scott 5:40 Mick Dodge 9:57 paths, bridleways and lanes to Martin M ill, Ringwould Chris Henson 5:40 Edward Short 9:57 and Kingsdown, from where the White Cliffs were Brian Hood 5:40 Dan Bates 9:58 followed to St Margaret’s. Nigel Bodell 5:40 Jim Parsons 9:58 Six of the paths on the routes – five on the longer route Philip Dunford 5:40 Charles Graham 10:06 and one on the shorter route – had been cleared of Sheila Bodell 5:40 Kirsty Winwood 10:12 dense, overgrown vegetation by volunteers from The Nicola Ellingham 5:42 Alec Storey 10:12 Ramblers, working in conjunction with Kent County Simon Chapman 5:42 Debbie Stirling 10:12 Council. One part of the 32-mile route, near Steven Burns 5:48 Rachael Everett 10:12 Northbourne, had been impassable before the Catherine Burns 5:48 Sammy Dawkins 10:22 volunteers, led by Kent LDWA member and Ramblers’ Michael Downing 5:48 Jack Newman 10:22 Kent public rights of way manager Averil Brice, set to Rony Charley 5:49 Dorte Newman 10:30 work on it. Tony Charley 5:49 Jayne Ward 10:30 Robert Tims 10:30 Sincere thanks to all the marshals who helped on the Paul Brett 5:56 Paul Kerrison 10:34 event:-Phyl Butler, Joy Davies Roger Dean, Nick Graham Perry 5:56 Clare McKenna 10:34 Dockree, Brenda Drew, Nick Farrer, Michael Headley, Graham Clarke 6:07 Duncan Macgregor 10:35 Neil Higham, Peter Jull, Stephanie le Men, Andrew Lizzie Harris 6:07 Linton Schwarz 11:24 Melling, Neal and Jan O’Rourke, Mike Pursey, David Stuart Harris 6:07 Dee Schwarz 11:24 Sheldrake, Graham Smith, David Thornton, Sarah Colin Davis 6:24 Midge Bennett 11:24 Turner, Audrey West and Henry Williams. Sarah Davis 6:24 With thanks to Sarah Turner for these photos of the event. .