A very versatile writer, a feature on Claire Voet.

I would like to continue my feature on the best writers that  I have come across in recent times, those that can easily hold my attention through the quality of their writing. I have already talked about Chuck Lovatt, from Canada, a brilliant writer of historical fiction. Now I would like to showcase another very good writer, Claire Voet.

I came across Claire's WHITTINGTON MANOR  while just browsing through what was available at Amazon one day. I had collected a few e-books on my kindle and kept trying to get into reading more than just a few pages of each, before becoming frustrated with the bad flow and messy style of so many 'authors'. I put the word author in inverted commas as in the modern world of 'anyone can write a book' it seems that just about anyone can, and publish it. It can be a bit of a trek wading through the mediocre stuff to find the good or the very good.


 Whilst I would not want to knock anyone for trying, as every piece of written work can have it's merits in it's own way, when one comes across writing of much more depth and higher quality the reading experience becomes so much more enjoyable.

WHITTINGTON MANOR  is a lovely story, set during the second world war, around the area of Portchester on the northern edge of Portsmouth Harbour. I enjoyed this book very much indeed and, having finished it, I managed to contact the author via social media to enquire whether she had a follow up planned. She did indeed have one in the pipeline, so to speak, but was having a few issues with her publishers at that time. She pointed me in the direction of two other books that she had written.

 I purchased and read THE OTHER DADDY and THE GHOST of BLUEBELL COTTAGE in the space of a couple of weeks. They are both very different to the wartime tale, and both are very well written. I was most impressed with her ability to cover a completely different genre, rather than be happy to stick with just one. Both DADDY and BLUEBELL have quite a bit of the paranormal in them, as well as a love story in the latter. I won't give too much away here, but I'll include my reviews of the books. As you will see, I was and am most impressed by Ms Voet's work

5.0 out of 5 stars Superbly written with a great plot., 29 Jun 2014

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Daddy-World-Away-ebook/dp/B00DI6DGAY/ref=la_B006R46XMM_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410616228&sr=1-2

    

This review is from: The Other Daddy - A World Away 

Having read some of this author's previous work, and enjoyed it, I was looking forward very much to this one. She did not disappoint me. It was a very different kind of read, but extremely good. I think she must have thought long and hard about the plot, because it really is very good indeed. There are several different strands to the story, and the author cleverly slips between the various plot lines, as well as different time zones, but it all seems to follow very nicely. Slipping from different tenses can be awkward to follow, but the author has knitted everything together very well because the story fits together perfectly. The plot builds, the characters form, and the reader - I found - was drawn in and kept there. The further I got into the story, the more interesting and intriguing it became. As I neared the conclusion of the story I was still struggling to guess the final outcome. When it came it was a surprise, but not a shock. This is not all that easy to achieve as a writer, so very well done Claire Voet. There are many complex characters in the story, some very likeable, others maybe not quite so, but all totally plausible. An excellent book, very well written. I notice that at least one other reviewer thought this book would be well suited to being dramatised for television, I agree. It would make a superb mystery, full of suspense and things not quite explained but somehow believable. I look forward with relish to that happening, and also to reading more from this highly talented author


It seems, possibly, that I may have been correct, but I'll let Claire tell you more of that a bit later. So, most impressed as I was with THE OTHER DADDY, I went straight into THE GHOST of BLUEBELL COTTAGE. This was another triumph, an excellent story and quite possibly my favourite from her so far.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Ghost-Bluebell-Cottage-incredible-ebook/dp/B006NKOGQA/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410616286&sr=1-2

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, enthralling. 19 July 2014

By Alec Hawkes

I have read other work by this author and enjoyed all of it, but this is my favourite book from her so far. (I do hope there is more to come!). Writing about ghosts and all things paranormal is not, I think, all that easy. Many people have many different views on whether we might, or might not, have an after-life, or even a past life. I am, like most I reckon, very open-minded about the subject. Who really knows what happens when we shuffle away from this mortal coil? and who really knows whether we actually used to be someone else? Who knows when dreams are just that, dreams? Do we dream something that is going to come true, was once true, or merely just a jumbled mix of thoughts? The author tackled this, I thought, very well. It was all very plausible, and I could see many people having similar experiences to report on that the main characters in the story had. The story itself I found to be most enthralling, with the characters well formed as the story got going, and with the plot thickening nicely. The parts of the story where the reader is taken back a few hundred years worked very well indeed, I thought. I was gripped as the plot took several twists and turns, none of which I will reveal, but suffice to say I enjoyed this charming story very much indeed, and would not hesitate to recommend it. Well done Ms. Voet!

There you are then, my reviews of those two excellent books. I'll talk a little more about WHITTINGTON MANOR shortly, as I managed to get a little chat with Claire about her writing, her inspirations and influences.  Here it is.

Me:      Hi Claire, thank you very much for this, I know you are very busy with your writing, as

            well as family, and the 'day job'.

Claire: It's my pleasure Alec, I can see that you like my writing so it's never a chore for a writer to

            talk about their own work with someone who really likes it.

Me:     And that I do, yes. So tell me, you have been a published author for around four years now. 

            But have you actually been writing for a lot longer than that? Was it something that you

            enjoyed doing as a child?

Claire: Well yes, I did very much enjoy writing stories and essays when I was at school, but I didn't

             really have ambitions to be a writer as such. It was when I was teaching in Spain that I

             became inspired to write. I was teaching English as a foreign language and it was actually

             the students that kept telling me that I should write a book. I used to make up little stories

             for them, print them off, get the students to read them, then ask them questions about the

             story. They really enjoyed doing this and it was they that encouraged me to think about

             writing a book.

Me:      That didn't happen straightaway though?

Claire: Oh crikey no, it wasn't until I finally gave up the teaching job that I had the time to write.

            That was when I wrote Whittington Manor, four years ago.

Me:      I enjoyed that very much. The way it finished had me hoping that a follow up might be on

            the way, to see what became of Joe and Sarah. Did you have a lot of call for that?

Claire: Actually, yes. Quite a lot of people got in touch with me to ask about just that. So I  had to

            oblige. It was released only recently, I'm quite pleased with it. I recently found myself a new

            editor who is pretty good, so that helped me to get it all in order.

Me:     That must help a lot. I've seen quite a few books that were in desperate need of editing. Many

            good stories, but ruined by poor grammar, or bad flow. Tell me how and why you came to

            write about Whittington Manor then, is it based on fact, as I know this was your hometown?

Claire: Well I was born in Gosport, which is just across from Portsmouth on one side of the harbour

            and Portchester on the other. I spent seventeen years there until we moved to Spain. I still

            have affection for the area, so it seemed like a good place to base my first book around.

            The whole area did get  a fearful pounding from German bombers during the early years of

            the war, being right down on the south coast. I researched a good bit about the local history  

            of  the area.
Me:     I enjoyed the references, in the early stages of the story, before war started, to Portsmouth's
           football team. I remember myself as a child hearing my grandad talk about the great side
           'Pompey' had just before and just after the war. I am always very pleased to see little bits
           like that in a story, as for me it always helps to set the scene and give me a real feel for the
           area in which the story is set.
Claire: Thank you. The bits about the main hospital in Portsmouth are all pretty accurate I think.
            When including references, or complete story lines, to actual places they must be as factually
            correct as you can get them I think. The characters, though, are fictional.
Me:     Very strong characters I thought. So you went from there to writing the paranormal stuff?
Claire: Yes, I enjoy very much the challenge of writing about the unexplained. Bluebell Cottage 
             seems to be very popular with readers but I actually preferred the other one, The Other
             Daddy. Bluebell obviously struck a chord with several people.
Me:      Well I enjoyed it very much, it was such an intriguing tale, particularly with the stepping
             back in time to what had happened there a few hundred years ago, and with restless spirits
             still hanging around being restless. Do you find that writing about the unexplained gives
             you a lot of scope?
Claire: Well it can  expand one's powers of imagination a lot I think, and lead you off on all sorts of
             paths. So that's a yes I'd say!
Me:      I'd agree. So then you moved onto The Other Daddy. Tell me about this one.
Claire: Okay well this one was a big challenge, but I love it. There are, as you will have seen, two
             main strands to the story. A remote Scottish island in 2003, then eight years later in
             Cambridge, England. Two girls mysteriously disappeared on the island, then clues as to
             what might have happened to them began to surface a few years later and several hundred
             miles away from where they had last been seen.
Me:      Without giving too much away, then, I thought that worked extremely well. Initially I had
             to really concentrate to get everything straight in my mind as the plot thickened, until all of
             the little pieces fell nicely into place.
Claire: Thank you.
Me:      The way the various different story lines built in the book made me think it would be perfect
             material to be dramatised for film or television. If done very well I could imagine it being a
             gripping thing to watch. Are there any plans that way?
Claire: Actually, yes. I have long wanted to try my hand at writing screenplays. My first book,
            Whittington Manor had won a third place prize in a competition a year or so ago and I had
            an approach to maybe think about adapting that one for television. That hasn't happened, as
            yet, but I am very much hoping that it will with The Other Daddy. I have now completed the
            screenplay for it, now I'm trying very hard to get a production company to take it on.
Me:      Any interest so far?
Claire: Yes, quite a bit, and several actors are looking at it. I'm very hopeful.
Me:      Exciting times ahead then! Just to get back to the first book for a bit, I gather that the follow
             up is now published?
Claire:  Yes it is, Whittington Manor Two - The Poppy Sunset.

I'll leave my chat with Claire Voet there for a minute or two, as I have now read The Poppy Sunset
and very good it is too. So here are my reviews of both the first Whittington Manor and the excellent sequel.

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story of heartbreak and love through adversity., 9 May 2014

     

This review is from: Whittington Manor (Kindle Edition)

It was something of a chance meeting in semi rural pre-war England, on a quiet hill in a sleepy village, between two people from vastly different backgrounds that leads to an enduring, though unlikely, story of true and pure love. A young woman of class and privilege, and a young man of simple farming stock. That these two young people should fall for each other, totally and beautifully, and discover a love between them that lasts through the sickening horrors of war is a wonderful thing. The young fellow, along with millions of the same ilk, were hauled off to fight and as we all know only too well, most never returned. Many heart breaking things happened to the lovelorn young woman while her man was away in France. As with millions of others during these ghastly times of war, she suffered loss, and more loss, and the inevitable clinging on to anything that might possibly offer hope, and a chance of happiness, however brief or fragile that chance might be. But through it all her love survives. She does indeed find her true happiness at last, just when she thought she had lost everything. A lovely heart warming tale of how, sometimes, love can survive even the biggest battering that life can throw at anybody. A few minor grammatical errors which, for me, did not detract at all from this wonderful book. I eagerly await reading the follow up, as well as more of the work of this clearly talented author.

 

           A gripping and enthralling story., 24 Aug 2014

This review is from: Whittington Manor II - The Poppy Sunset (Paperback)

This book is another triumph for this talented and versatile writer. I have been continually impressed by Ms Voet's books, with her ability to form a solid base for the story she wants to tell. She introduces us to the main characters, lets the reader get to know them gradually, while thickening the plot of the story. This story is a follow up to Whittington Manor, as the title would suggest, so I would recommend that the earlier one is read first. However, even without doing so this is a marvellous story in it's own right. The war is over, the country is slowly being rebuilt, as are the lives of so many who had their world ripped apart by six years of the most terrible carnage our planet has ever known. There was, quite obviously, much hope and optimism in those early years of rebuilding, though not everybody had the same goals, as this story covers very well. As Joe and Sarah pick up the pieces of their lives, with a baby on the way and Joe beginning a new career, everything appears to be going quite well for them. But things do not go quite to plan as an unexpected, and ultimately unwelcome, visitor to Whittington Manor threatens to ruin everything for them. A gripping tale follows. I will not give any of the plot away, but suffice to say what follows covers many of the traits, faults and, happily, the good points of human behaviour. Greed, jealousy, deceit, love; strap yourself in for a roller-coaster ride of emotions. An excellent book that I heartily recommend.


My reviews of Whittington Manor and the sequel. As you can tell, I really enjoyed both books. So, back to Claire.


Me:    Getting back to your reasons and inspirations for writing the story, Claire, it really does
           seem that having a good local knowledge of an area helps enormously to write an authentic
           story about that area.
Claire: Absolutely, yes. Though I don't think it's essential, as long as the author does their
            research thoroughly.
Me:     Of course, Bluebell Cottage was set in Corfe Castle, in Dorset. Was that a lot of fun
           researching for that one?
Claire: Oh yes. Research can be quite hard, and you can spend a long time doing it. But it really is
            so vital if the book you write is going to be good and taken seriously.
Me:     I guess you love to read as well? Do you have much time for that now, with so many other
           things to do?
Claire: Yes I do love to read but, with having children who I love dearly, as well as my writing,
            not to mention the 'day job', I get very little time for reading. I used to read a lot more
            though, and reading the work of other authors, particularly the very good ones, helps a lot
            in structuring your own writing I find.
Me:     I'd agree entirely with that. Do you find that you continually learn new things about your
           chosen craft then?
Claire: Oh yes, all the time. When I started writing I chatted a fair bit with other authors, picking
            up little hints and tips all the time. I think we should never, ever stop learning, or trying
            to at least.
Me:     Quite true. So does Claire Voet the writer get much time for other things?
Claire: Not really. I would like to write every day, but I don't manage that always. I do love
            spending time with my family and in particular my beautiful children. They keep me very
            busy too!
Me:     Would you like to be spending your time as a full time writer?
Claire: Oh yes, I'd love to be able to, once a writer always a writer I reckon!
Me:     Well I wish you all the luck going in getting your screenplay accepted for production, as
            well as your books continuing to sell. Good luck particularly with the new one, The Poppy
            Sunset. Thank you very much for the little chat!
Claire: My pleasure. Thank you.




So that's Claire Voet, a very good writer with great versatility.


                   


and some links to buy The Poppy Sunset
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whittington-Manor-II-Poppy-Sunset-ebook/dp/B00NLEZX86/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410965621&sr=1-3


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Whittington-Manor-II-Poppy-Sunset/dp/1782283587/ref=sr_1_3_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410965730&sr=1-3


http://www.amazon.com/Whittington-Manor-II-Poppy-Sunset-ebook/dp/B00NLEZX86/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410965793&sr=1-3&keywords=claire+voet
http://www.amazon.com/Whittington-Manor-II-Poppy-Sunset-ebook/dp/B00NLEZX86/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410965833&sr=1-1


                  Alec Hawkes    16.09.14

 

Chuck Lovatt.

Writing, reading, things related.

Here is where I will talk about  another great love of mine, all things related to reading and writing. This will include bits about my own books, books I have read and enjoyed very much, my favourite authors from the world of independent and relatively unknown authors. I will also include reviews that I post, about those books that I have read and been impressed with.


The first author I would like to talk about is a fellow named Chuck Lovatt, from Canada. Chuck writes historical fiction, and he writes it very well indeed. Here is my article about, and interview with, the bearded wonder.

Through the murky mists of cobblers, a few stars shining brightly.

It was some two years ago now, that I began to dip my toes in the murky waters of the world of independent authors. Myself, a very 'wet behind the ears' amateur with no experience whatsoever in this field, I really had not much idea of what I was doing. I wrote a book, called Common Sense Would Be Good. It wasn't really a book, though, it was a collection of my thoughts in my computer, which I then had printed onto a pile of A4 sized paper. I googled publishers, found one in North Yorkshire, and sent my thoughts to this 'publisher'.


Several months later, having been totally ripped off by Pink Cloud KDP Publishing Limited, I began to find out a lot more about this murky world, a world where keen, amateur, would be writers are easy prey for those who wish to make a fast buck out of hopefuls, those who would say yes to pretty much anything, in their quest to follow their dreams of being a published author.


I have learnt a lot in these two years. I have seen, and heard of, many so-called professional publishers, proof readers, editors, most of which have a definite talent, though not one which aspiring writers will actually find of any practical use at all. That talent is the ability to present a wonderful package, so it seems. A lovely, professional looking, shiny, all-singing-all-dancing website that promises so much, but - like so much in our modern world - delivers very little. The basic errors and bad grammar that are not picked up by these so-called professionals beggars belief. For amateur writers, the error and mistake count can be  high, very high in some cases, though I have also found that some just don't care. But along the rocky road of independent writers I have found, to my great enjoyment, some exceptionally good writers. I myself would love to reach the dizzy heights of accomplished writer one day, but for now I will continue to listen, look, and learn, and pick up as much as I possibly can from the good writers. Those that do their research properly, those that pay the greatest attention to the smallest of details, for these are vital ingredients in the writing of a book that can be elevated above the drivel, the average, and the quite good.


One of these very good writers is this fellow;










This distinguished looking chap is C.W.Lovatt, Chuck, from Canada. Here he is surrounded by books, surely a favourite situation for a keen writer, as well as one who loves to read.


I sort of stumbled across Chuck, 'bumped into' him, as it were, while discovering how enormous the world of independent writers actually is. As previously mentioned, I had discovered that although there were a small amount of good, talented, writers that appear to be very professional, I was being bombarded with so much of what turns out to be utter drivel. It was against this backdrop that, on seeing the front cover of Chuck's The Adventures of Charlie Smithers, I decided to investigate further.


The cover looked most interesting, and so different to the majority of 'the rest'; shiny, manufactured, overly produced and quite pretentious looking. The cover of 'Charlie' seemed far more straightforward, beckoning one to take a peek inside.








I did indeed take that little peek inside, as in this rapidly changing modern world of the 'e-book' one can do this, just read a few pages as a sort of appetiser to see if it's your 'thing'. I was instantly impressed, and a smile arrived on my face. There was no long introduction, so I was straight into the action, so to speak. The writing I found to be succinct, to the point. The scene was 1854, in the days of empire, of derring do, of adventure and discovery. It's a decent length for a book, with a plot that builds beautifully, steadily, drawing in the reader, keeping him or her there, hooked. I loved the book, the story was wonderfully well constructed and kept me gripped right the way through to the end.




Here is the review I posted after reading the book.






3 of 3 people found the following review helpful 5.0 out of 5 stars A truly epic tale, exceptionally well written., 31 Aug 2013 By Alec Hawkes - ordinary bloke. "Alec" (Leighton Buzzard, England.) - See all my reviews Verified Purchase(What is this?) This review is from: The Adventures of Charlie Smithers (Kindle Edition) I was attracted to this brilliantly written tale purely by the title - The Adventures of Charlie Smithers. It conjured up images of the sort of stuff I, as an English kid back in the 1960's, would read about in things such as The Boys Own, or tales of Biggles the dashing pilot. I was vaguely correct I suppose, but this was the most magnificent adventure I have ever come across. Anything Biggles, or William Brown for that matter, may have got up to in the way of adventures pales when compared with Charlie Smithers and what happened to him on his perilous, though always exciting, journey through untamed Africa. His journey is quite incredibly dangerous at times, and many times I was led to think 'surely he's a goner this time!?'. The author has written this quite amazing, yet very believable, tale with such aplomb that you cannot help - given that you get'right into it' - getting so involved in everything that happens. He has, as other reviewers have noted, done his research very well indeed and he held my attention to such an extent that my breakfast had been stood for four hours before I touched it, not being able to abandon the story for even ten minutes to eat. I was moved to genuine tears as the story reached it's conclusion, though the author skillfully managed to ease the grieving with another charming twist. I really cannot recommend The Adventures of Charlie Smithers too highly,just buy it and read it yourself. You will surely find it one of the most engaging reads ever, whatever your particular preference, or usual choice of reading matter. This would, without any shadow of a doubt, make a magnificent film. I could easily see a modern day equivalent of Richard Harris in this. Though at times Smithers' tenderness and ability to wax lyrical would have been perfectly suited to another great of the screen, Richard Burton. I echo previous sentiments when I say I would love to read more of Charlie Smithers. To the author, very well done indeed Sir.









As you can tell, I was very impressed. But please don't just take my word for it, here are the links to the book on Amazon, where you can find several impressive reviews.


http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Charlie-Smithers-C-Lovatt/dp/1907954333/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403714490&sr=1-2&keywords=cw+lovatt










and the UK link...


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Charlie-Smithers-C-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B00A4A407U/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403714746&sr=1-2&keywords=cw+lovatt




It does still surprise me a little, that there aren't many more reviews of this quite splendid, and brilliantly written, book. But like I mentioned earlier, there are so many independent 'writers' out there, and wading through a lot of drivel to find the good stuff can be a difficult task at times.


I was, though, smitten. I found Chuck Lovatt's writing style to be most engaging indeed, and I wanted more. I also had the desire to find out about the man, and what inspired him to write as he does. We connected, so to speak, through the medium of Facebook. Chuck is indeed a very engaging fellow, appearing to be fairly relaxed about things, and possessing a fine sense of humour. We had a little chat about his writing, as well as life in general. Something else comes shining through when talking with Chuck, he is a modest fellow, quite humble, which is a marvellous quality to have. So many aspiring writers I find to be the complete opposite, which repels me very quickly from their work.


So, here's a little more about Chuck. I asked him how, why, and when he got into writing the kind of stuff that he does so well now.






"Well, I have been writing on and off for roughly thirty years now, since the early 1980's, but it's really been in the last ten years or so that I have been taking it seriously. A friend of mine, whose opinion on literature I greatly respected, gave me some intelligent and critical encouragement. This was the first time that I'd had this kind of feedback on my writing. I find that honest criticism is rare, but to get honest criticism that is also intelligent and therefore helpful, I find to be extremely rare. I can't state quite how important this was to me, merely to say that I took it all 'on board' and used it to continue to learn my chosen craft."

Me; "It seems to have worked Chuck. I find 'Charlie Smithers' to be very polished indeed."




"Thank you. But it didn't happen straightaway. I spent a good few years honing my technique penning short stories, and what they like to call novellas. She, my friend with the critical eye, was very good indeed with me, and when criticism was, or is, needed she can be merciless. But this is what's needed. There can be no merit or any use at all in someone praising you for the sake of it, where some praise might be merited, but also criticism is vital. The only way we can keep improving as writers."

Me; "I couldn't agree more Chuck. The number of times I've seen the daft phrase 'you're awesome, you rock' applied to aspiring writers would suggest we are awash with writing talent everywhere, which I think isn't always the case."




"Yes, I'd agree. Constructive criticism is immeasurably more use than hollow praise."

Me; "Has history, and historical fiction always been your thing?"




"Not always, not for writing it at least. You will, I'm sure, have appreciated that Charlie Smithers wasn't just a thrilling adventure, it was a love story as well."

Me; "Yes, that shines through very brightly. I thought that part of the story was handled with much sensitivity. It was very touching, quite lovely."




"Thank you, well I am something of a sensitive soul, and some of my earlier works were quite a bit about love and romance. Also, I am a long standing big fan of the work of Stephen King. I like to think I have a pretty well developed sense of humour, and of drama. This led me to penning a 'noir romance', my first published work, called Tin Whistle in 2008. I had several more published after that. All the while though, I think I was learning more and more about the craft of writing. I have always been very interested in anything historical, and when I thought more deeply about how I could try to hold a reader's interest for 100,000 words or more, I just knew it had to be something that I myself was as interested in as the reader. Being, as I said, very interested in history, I decided this was to be my chosen genre."

Me; "Is this how you came to write The Adventures of Charlie Smithers ? "




"Yes, I think so. I'd always been interested in British history, being Canadian our history has often been pretty close with that of the British, as in we were part of The British Empire, and of course we are very much part of The Commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth is very much our Queen as well. Many of the exploits of The Royal Navy took them all over the empire, including to my homeland. That is part of how I came to write my most recent book, but Smithers came first."

Me; "Research for something that was set in 1854 must have been very interesting!"




"I'd love to say I was able to spend a few months in the dense African jungle, navigating dangerous rivers and plodding across deserts. But that, sadly, wasn't possible. The internet, when used properly, can be a wonderful place to research and gather vital snippets of information. Add to this what I had already found out over the years, and I managed to get a pretty good picture of what it may well have been like for an English manservant lost in the wilds of untamed Africa. Adding a little 'poetic license' in the writing, and there it was, I hope, a decent read that was essentially fiction, but could easily be based on fact."

Me; "Well it 'grabbed' me very early on in the piece, and held my attention the entire way. The tension grew, the plot thickened, the characters were excellent and yes, very believable I think. Has it done well?"




"It became an Amazon best seller in three different countries, so I think that just about qualifies it as 'done quite well' !"

Me; "Tell me about Josiah Stubb. After reading 'Smithers', I was very keen to read either a follow up, or something similar. Similar as in historical I mean. And well done with the sales of Smithers!"




"Thank you. Well, researching for Josiah Stubb, the siege of Louisburg in 1758, was an entirely different kettle of fish, so to speak. As youngsters at school in Canada, we learnt - or at least were told - a lot about the seven years war, between England and France, and though the siege of Louisburg is an important part of Canadian history, very little was actually generally well known about it, except by historians who studied it. So I had to start pretty much from scratch."

Me; "A labour of love?"




"Well, yes because it genuinely interested me, but it did involve a lot of work. I would like to tell you that my methods for researching are nicely structured, but I can't because that just isn't the case. I spent many, many hours reading historical references to the time in question, occasionally googling to see what I could find on the internet that may be of use, making a lot of notes, and gradually forming a picture in my mind, as well as gaining an understanding of the time."

Me; "Well the result is brilliant methinks. You seem to have a very good understanding of that period, and the way you have written it makes the characters come completely alive. What particularly impressed me was that you seemed to have captured the language of the time. Was this tricky?"




"Thank you for that, but I'm afraid I can't really answer that one, as I simply don't know. I can say that I very much enjoy writing as if I was actually in the period that I am writing about. I try to completely immerse myself in the story and the characters. There was more though, with Stubb, probably the most important piece of research I did. My great friend with the highly critical eye, and myself, travelled to the actual place where the story took place. We covered a round trip of 4000 miles in one week. Once at the actual site, I decided to walk every last square inch of the place. Doing this I found I was able to absorb the feel and atmosphere of the place. I tried to imagine what it must have been like some 250 years previous. I didn't find it that difficult to be honest, as the restoration there is really quite excellent. Getting a real feel of the town of St. Johns was a little harder, and required the help of an historian. We did all this after the rough draft of the book was finished in 2011, and then I felt quite ready to crack on and tidy the book up to get it to it's finished state."

Me; "Well I think the research was all worth it Chuck, as the result is a quite brilliantly written book. By the way, how are you when you get totally immersed in the writing, as you described earlier?"




"I would say I'm probably a bit like an actor, I think writers need to be. To really get the part in your soul, to get completely immersed in it, I think you have to get right 'in the zone' as it were. I'm sure actors go through this, and I certainly do. As I said, I like to get completely into the time that I am writing about. I think it seems to work."

Me; "It most definitely does work Chuck, for 'Smithers' and 'Stubb' are without  doubt two of the finest books I have ever read. Thanks very much for this little insight, and for your time. I look forward very much to the next book from C.W.Lovatt!"




"My pleasure."

So there it is, just a little insight into what makes Chuck Lovatt tick, and why his books are so good.









      A quite perfect way to spend a couple of evenings, may well be to crack open a bottle or two, park yourself somewhere comfortable, and lose yourself in a wonderfully well written book. There it is above, a bottle of red and Josiah Stubb. Perfect.




The US link to Amazon...


http://www.amazon.com/Josiah-Stubb-The-Siege-Louisbourg/dp/1907954376/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403791483&sr=8-1&keywords=josiah+stubb


and the link for the UK...


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Josiah-Stubb-Siege-Louisbourg-C-W-Lovatt-ebook/dp/B00IZKEIYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403791585&sr=8-1&keywords=josiah+stubb

Good news and bad news.

It is with some reluctance that I am announcing that in 2015 I will be unable to do the charity walk that I so desperately wanted to do. I am now resigned to the fact that I will not be able to afford either the time off work, or the cost of staying in guest house accommodation for more than one hundred consecutive nights. For this reason I am having to shelve my intended charity walk,  some fifteen hundred miles from Lands End to John O'Groats spanning one hundred days of walking and climbing, until the following year, 2016.


However, I most definitely will be able to afford a mere two weeks away from work and therefore I have now settled on walking The Coast to Coast again. In 2012 I walked the one hundred and ninety two miles from St. Bees Head on the west coast to Robin Hoods Bay on the east coast of northern England. Two years ago I completed this moderately tough walk with my good friend Helen Aitchison, also known as indestructible Mrs. Bootcamp. (probably only to me, but I know she doesn't mind the nickname!). It really is a fantastically beautiful walk, spanning no less than three of Britain's loveliest National  Parks.


Some pictures from last time.

High in The Yorkshire Dales, sunshine after the blizzard!                     The sign says it all...

And the snow came fairly hard on the heels of two days of torrential rain! This was on Orton Moor, pretty bleak when the weather is bad!

We did have an extremely mixed bag of weather though, here I am with Helen at around 3000 feet up on March 30th. It was 77 degrees farenheit, and only four days before the big snowfall!

 On the right, there we are at the finish of the walk, the literal and absolute end, as we are stood in The North Sea at Robin Hoods Bay. We had walked just under two hundred miles in twelve days of tough climbing, and raised over two thousand pounds for charity in the process.


So, in around a year's time I shall be doing it again, this time in the opposite direction, east to west. The start is in North Yorkshire and the finish in Cumbria. The route will take me through Thr North York Moors, onwards through The Yorkshire Dales, then finishing with four days' through The Lake District.

Again, I shall be hoping to raise much needed funds for charity, watch this space for more news coming soon!

                                                            Alec Hawkes     20.08.14     

Beginning to plan the next one.

August 2014, it's now just over a year since I completed my walk from John O'Groats at the top of North East Scotland, all the way down to Land's End in South West Cornwall. I had walked a total of 973 miles in fifty six days of walking, broken only by six rest days along the way. Largely, it was a lot of fun, with a good amount raised for four charities. Two things, however, had tarnished the walk somewhat. Firstly, after Scotland - which was superb - I had picked a pretty naff route through 'middle England', with far too much walking alongside roads. Secondly, the person that I had agreed to joining me on my charity walk turned out to be interested only in shameless self promotion, so fund raising for the charities along the route became difficult, to say the least. That is now buried, done with, and I have learnt from it. The issue with not finding the best route for someone who dislikes flat, boring road and track walking I can also resolve with much better planning. So, here are my ideas for my next go at it, this time going the other way- south to north.


Firstly, I will be sticking very closely to the South West Coast Path as I make my way up from Land's End to the western outskirts of Bristol. This will take me all along the northern coast of both Cornwall and Devon, then into Somerset until the path ends near Minehead. From there I will be forced to steer inland for a day or two, until I can cross the River Severn into Wales. From Chepstow I will pick up Offa's Dyke Way, heading north west towards Brecon. Onwards from there towards Snowdonia, where I will bag Snowdon as the first of The Three Peaks that I'll be climbing along the way.

The picture above being part of The South West Coast Path, near Portreath in Cornwall. You can see the path pretty clearly, and just look at the view - the Atlantic ocean!




After Snowdonia, a few more days to reach the north coast of Wales, then I'll have little choice but to follow less inspiring routes as I head due east to North Derbyshire for a week or thereabouts. I will pick up The Pennine Way at its' start in Edale in The Peak District. The Pennine Way is a long and winding road - the backbone of England - and will take at least two weeks to complete it. The path takes you along the borders between Yorkshire and Lancashire, through stunning scenery and up and down many fells - the kind of walking I adore!

Two contrasting pictures here. The left one is part of the Coast to Coast walk, taken a mere six days after the other one! The weather can change drastically and quickly along this most beautiful of routes. Cringle Moor with laying snow, and Windy Gap, under Great Gable, bathed in warm sunshine.


After a few days walking through another of our National Parks - The Yorkshire Dales - I will then turn north west at Hawes to spend a few days following The Coast to Coast path into yet another beautiful area of our little island, The Lake District. Here I will bag number two of The Three Peaks - Sca Fell Pike - then head north to Carlisle to follow Hadrian's Wall for a couple of days, until I rejoin The Pennine Way just past Haltwhistle. From here, I will head due north through Northumberland National Park and into Scotland. I will need to find a good route to get me between Edinburgh and Glasgow, avoiding roads as much as possible, until I can pick up The West Highland Way just north of Glasgow at Milngavie.

Loch Ness, above, on The Great Glen Way, and on the right The West Highland Way.





The West Highland Way is stunning, beautiful, though I may well steer a path that goes a little higher - over the mountains as opposed to looking up at them! On this stretch I will bag number three peak - the mightily impressive Ben Nevis. On reaching the end of the WHW I will follow The Great Glen Way further north to Inverness, then it will get very interesting indeed. It is at Inverness that I plan to head west instead of north, into the wilderness to plot a route up to the coast without using the busy coast road alongside The North Sea. I hope to reach Dunnet Head after some one hundred days of walking, then stroll the last few miles down and across to my finishing place at John O'Groats.


The total miles plodded will be something over fifteen hundred I think, though as I get the route properly worked out it could be a little either way of that figure. I plan to walk for one hundred days, taking a rest day roughly every ten to twelve days. Mountain hopping can be a little more tiring than flat walking, so this will be taken into account as I plan where exactly to stop.
Last time I took a large bag full of all sorts of things that, in the end, I didn't really need. Getting the bag shifted from stop to stop was a major headache which I most definitely do not want to repeat. This time I will have only what I can easily carry on my back; one change of clothes, one book with my pre-prepared routes all in it, and a few basic provisions. The experience of last time has taught me to just treat every day as a single fifteen mile hike. As long as all of the planning has been thoroughly done, I should not need anything else. I will have the odd small package already wrapped and ready back home (possibly containing spare boots, fresh clothing) then I can call home to ask for the package to be posted to a pre-arranged place a few days ahead of me.


So over the next few months I will be meticulously sorting out my route, though not actually booking anywhere as I am not yet sure whether I will be able to afford it next year, or whether I will have to wait until 2016. I very much hope that it will be next year though, and I will be looking to start in mid-July in Cornwall, finishing in late October at Groats, just before we lose the extra hour's daylight. As for whether next year, or the one after, that depends on getting a little sponsorship in the way of free bed and breakfast at a few places. This I will be working on.


Now, the main reason for wanting to take on this really rather challenging task - to raise money and awareness for excellent charities. My favourite charity in the UK is called Whizz-Kidz. This is what they do:-


https://www.facebook.com/whizzkidz?fref=ts


As you will see from the link, above, they help disabled children become more mobile and to enjoy and live life!


Also, I very much want to raise awareness - and therefore try to help in some way - about a most awful thing that affects more people than most of us would even know about. Cluster headaches. Please take a look at this you tube video of a cluster headache sufferer. I warn you, it's quite stark and disturbing. I do have the full permission of the poor lady to show the video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3asqGKIupc&feature=youtu.be 


As you will have seen, it's quite awful that people suffer in this way. So, whatever I can do to help those who suffer from this beast - even just wearing a shirt that might help to raise awareness of this thing - I will very gladly do. What Whizz-Kidz do is also quite marvellous, so in due course I will be setting up a donation page on this blog where those who can afford to can donate to the charity via a safe place like 'Just Giving' the online charity donation site. If I can find a charity that actually provides practical and financial help to sufferers of those beastly cluster headaches as well, then that will be added also.


So there it is, I will endeavour to make my blog of the walk entertaining and include some lovely pictures of the mountains, lochs, rivers and anything else of scenic beauty. Watch this space for updates!


                                                                  Alec Hawkes  August 2014.

Milko Went Walkabout, my review. - Part Two, England to the end.

Scotland had been marvellous; the weather, the people, the scenery. I did feel a little 'flat' as I plodded towards the first destination in England. I really needn't have though. It was a Friday, and the weather was still set fair. The destination, some 20 miles plodding distance from the border, was Talkin village, 3 miles South of Brampton. The walk had seemed a little laboured, probably because I had been so sad to leave Scotland without - I thought - really doing it justice. I had 'done' The West Highland Way, yes, bits of The Great Glen Way. But to walk through this beautiful land in only 25 days, and barely climb a mountain? My Scottish ancestry were looking down on me and frowning!

I had consoled myself that I was definitely coming back before too long, and next time I would work out a much better route, and take in so many more of the wonderful mountains and lochs. I even 'spoke', sort of, to my father's Uncle Bid - official title Captain Alexander Campbell Ritchie, who was in Colditz Castle as a prisoner during the war, and told him I was sorry, but would be back, if they'd have me.

I was thinking a lot about family members passed on, particularly my father and my grandad, and even sent a text message to my mother saying how much I was missing my old dad. Mum replied that he was with me and watching over me, so don't worry and get on with it. As the distance remaining to Talkin was decreasing rapidly, I was sad no more; rejuvenated by happy thoughts of my dad and grandad, believing they were watching my every plod. Mum had said she was enjoying the blog very much, so with a renewed spring in my step Talkin came into view as the last little hill levelled out, and there was a very welcome sight indeed.

The Blacksmiths Arms.

 The afternoon sun had become very warm indeed, my t-shirt was stuck to my back, and even my rucksack was damp with sweat. I walked straight into the bar to be greeted with the lovliest of welcoming smiles. "you must be Alec?!" said the very pleasant lady at the bar. "your bags arrived earlier, with the nice people from Gretna Green!" I smiled back, nodded, and she put a pint of cold water on the bar which I sank in next to no time. "yes, and thank you very much indeed!" I eventually replied.

The Blackies is a family run pub with several letting rooms for bed and breakfast. I was instantly impressed, to a pretty high level. The rooms were excellent, as was the food, the ale - local brewery at Brampton - the service was super and, as already mentioned, the welcome was so friendly. A splendid evening was had here, and the lady with the lovely smile - Emma - even got her hubbie to shift bags on to the next stop. The Blackies was top of my list for superb pub/hotels on the route through England and, though matched a couple of times, was never surpassed in my estimation. I'll most definitely be returning there!

My sadness at leaving Scotland was now gone, and the plod could carry on with renewed vigour. Still in Cumbria, Salkeld was reached and passed

through some lovely woodland alongside The River Eden.

Some lovely people went from passing strangers to friends, even sharing a relaxing evening in a pub, and donating generously to my charity fund. Thank you Craig and Krystyna, it was lovely to meet you both!

Penrith was bypassed on the road to Shap, the gateway to Lakeland and important stop on Wainwright's Coast to Coast, and my choice of a rest day.

I had learned of Brookfield House through a recommendation by the great man (A.W.) some years ago, and that Margaret Brunskill, the host, was an absolute treasure. I met her myself on my own coast to coast walk the previous year with my great friend Helen. Margaret had been so wonderful and welcoming, and gave me the most precious piece of advice I had ever recieved with regard to long distance plodding and keeping feet in good shape. After 4 solid, and tough climbing days through Lakeland my feet were, to put it bluntly, buggered. I woke at 3 a.m. in pain, tried to stand, fell over, and realised quickly that my right foot - whole leg even - was very much not having it, so to speak. Helen woke, told me to just try and get comfortable and sleep, and we'll look in the morning. (though I know she was worried, and so was I ). Margaret quickly realised my problem at breakfast, told me not to fret, and fetched me a bag of sheep's wool. She told me to put it against my skin, particularly on the instep, bind it in with a bandage, sock over that - or two - then the boot, "you'll be fine by afternoon lad!" she told me as we left in the rain, Helen lending me a walking pole as I was still limping. The afternoon came with good progress having been made, and Helen asked how my right foot was, as I seemed to be playing with the pole instead of using it to aid walking. I had actually forgotten about my foot, as all pain had gone! It's the lanolin in the wool, it gently seeps into the joints and has a wonderful effect. To this day I always walk with wool under my socks - just lumps of it that can be found stuck to the fences that surround sheep fields - not cleaned, not interfered with in any way, just as it is when the sheep discards it. Wonderful stuff, and wonderful Margaret for letting me in on the secret!

So, this time around Brookfield was an absolute must for a rest day, to see Margaret as much as anything else; she also makes the most fantastic cakes and is without doubt the best in the guesthouse business bar absolutely none!

Pretty woodland passed on the way to Shap, and the historic village of Clifton. The sign as you enter the village tells it all.

 Brookfield House, and on the right is Wet Sledale reservoir on the moorland near Shap.

Beautiful Swindale, near Shap, and John and June; a lovely couple who also stayed at Brookfield. It was June's birthday, so Margaret slipped out to the kitchen and made her a birthday cake, just like that, amazing lady!!

Onwards from Shap, the route took me over the hills to Orton. The weather was still pretty good but, with stronger breezes and the odd light bit of drizzle, walking was very pleasant. Orton is a lovely little place, hiding a very nice little secret.

The best chocolate shop in the world. All hand made on the premises, you can even sit in the tea room/coffee shop at the side of the shop and look through the windows at the girls hand crafting the choccies!

From Orton the walk went on into Yorkshire, right on the Western edge of the Yorkshire Dales. Sedbergh - which was lovely - then to Casterton, just outside Kirkby Lonsdale, and on down to Settle.

The Dales looking a bit misty, but lovely all the same!

Some damn good ale around these parts, and plenty of good traditional Yorkshire pubs to sell it.

The wide open Dales near Settle, and on the right my friends Julie and Kevin, who very kindly shifted bags, and generously gave to my charities - thanks you two!

On down into Lancashire, in the form of Clitheroe, onto Blackburn. I had felt a little guilty again at this point; why on earth had I only included 3 days of walking in Yorkshire? Oh well, it was what it was, and I knew there were some lovely parts to come just over the hills from Blackburn.

High quality ales brewed around these parts!!

As the sign says, now in Lancashire, and the River Ribble is a good one to follow for a couple of days. I noticed many signs showing the "Ribble Way" walk, it looks a good one and a mental note has been made by the author to check that one out in the future.

The Ribble passing under the bridge at the lovely little village of Whalley, on the way from Clitheroe to Blackburn. Another lovely friend shifted bags for 2 days in this area - thank you Ruth Sloan (and Barry!), and once out of built up Blackburn, a little treat was to follow...

Through the lovely little village of Tockholes - stopping for a splendid brew with Ruth and family - and onto marvellous Darwen Moor, part of The West Pennines. The West Pennines are a bit of a treasure, tucked away a few miles North West of Manchester, they offer lovely scenery and a large area of wide open moorland. There are several reservoirs around this area, with the villages of Belmont and Rivington to pass through on the way, a last really good bit - for me at least - until the South West is reached.

Belmont reservoir on the left, and Rivington resevoir on the right.

 

 

 

The last little bit of semi - rural plodding for a few days, the river from the bridge at Grimeford.

 

I was, by now, becoming irritated with myself again. Several days of urban plod were to come, with some rural bits admittedly, but why had I done this? I could have sent the route through Derbyshire and the Peak District. Too late now, with bed and breakfast booked all the way down to Lands End I just had to plod the plotted route and console myself that I would get it right next time!

 

 

Wigan, Warrington, Northwich were plodded through, as was Alsager (just North of Stoke), then into Shropshire and renewed hope the The River Severn would throw some  good scenery and decent riverside paths. It did, when in the towns that stand upon it, but to a great extent the Severn path was a big disappointment. Most of the walk takes you away from the river, through boring flat farmland, and little used field tracks that are therefore very overgrown. It was on this section that my boots gave way. They got so wet for 2 whole days that - with little chance to get them properly dry - they split, not badly, but splits had appeared. A good friend that lives in the area came to the rescue with some gaffa tape. The rest of the plod my boots held together beautifully, bound with the afore-mentioned miracle tape. They are so comfortable that I was very reluctant to let them die!!

 

The pictures above are the Severn at Shrewsbury.

Some more pics of the Severn, at Bridgnorth above, and further along a bridge carrying The Severn Valley Railway. It was along this stretch that the two lovely ladies below,

 

Caroline and Jayne, shifted bags, donated to my charity fund, made me dinner (Jayne, and superb rhubarb crumble!), and generally gave me a wonderful boost for the plods to come, thanks girls - you are a couple of diamonds!!

 

Onwards from Stourport to Worcester - which was very good indeed - and down to Tewkesbury.

A birds eye view of the Severn Valley Railway, and the river wending it's quiet way towards Chepstow and the estuary.

Worcester Cathedral standing guard over the river, and St Georges Chapel inside the Cathedral. Worcester was a very good choice for a rest day, and a good day was had exploring the Cathedral, as well as watching a bit of cricket at New Road, and supping a few with fellow walker Greg.

Two fine Worcester pubs, The Cricketers above, and The Cap and Gown. Marvellous.

 The cricket ground at Worcester, and Greg. Greg was walking a bit of the Severn, and had a rest day booked also in Worcester. Having a liking for ale and walking in common, we had a splendid evening sampling some fine ales. Cheers Greg!

Above is The Tudor House Hotel at Tewkesbury. It was marvellous indeed. The service was excellent, as was everything about the place - even duty manager Kurt leaving a radiator on all night for the drying of wet boots, which had been stuffed with newspaper!! Good friends Steve and Jane Brooks even made the trip down to shift bags, and enjoy a relaxing evening. Thanks S and J!!

Onwards along the Severn path to Gloucester, then road plod to Littledean on the edge of The Dean Forest, and now The Severn becomes much better. Knowing Littledean pretty well, I was hoping for decent morning weather for the walk down to Newnham out of Littledean on the way to Chepstow. I was not disappointed, the view is pretty good!


The road to Chepstow alongside the river is not too bad atall really, with good views to keep the eyes and soul happy. I had long had Chepstow in my mind as the end of the 'middle-section', and with crossing the river on the M48 bridge the following morning, I knew that only Somerset and Devon were to be negotiated before the final push through beautiful Cornwall, and the weather was still holding! Would it still be good on the Coastal path? I hoped it would...

The River Wye at Chepstow, looking muddy, and a spectacular sunset outside a splendid pub.

 That splendid pub was The Boat, and opposite is Chepstow Castle.

Across the river, then, and down into Somerset, by-passing Bristol, thankfully!

Clevedon and Burnham were nice, then on in Somerset to the wonderful litte village of Bishops Lydeard.

 The Moon and Sixpence in Clevedon, where I met the lovely couple above. Mark and Lisa. They had read my t-shirt, with all the details of my charity walk on it, and sponsored me for a very generous sum, thank you very much guys, that was lovely of you!

 

The evening sky at Clevedon was pretty good too!

 
Plodding on through pleasant Somerset countryside, with it's gentle rolling hills, Bishop's Lydeard was reached, and - having already spoken to Katie twice on the phone - I was very much looking forward to Pound Farm.

 

Pound Farm is very much a working farm, with 300 sheep and a livery yard, and James and Katie Hawthorne let rooms for bed and breakfast as well. Thet really are wonderful hosts, Katie had even called me two days before to ask whether I would like coffee cake or chocolate cake on arrival with a pot of tea!! That kind of hospitality is just fantastic, and so was everything else at Pound Farm. I cannot recommend them too highly, thank you both so much.

 

Katie and James had, 3 years previously, run the London Marathon together for charity, and James went on to climb Kilimanjaro also for charity! They seemed quite impressed at a plod the length of Britain, and Katie very generously donated to my charity fund, as well as donating some more of her lovely coffee cake!!

 

The pub in the village - Katie's recommendation - was also very good, with two more donations coming here, courtesy of friendly locals who had again read the t-shirt!!

 

Onwards to Shobrooke village, just outside Tiverton - now in Devon - and another wonderful hostess with a very charitable disposition. Natalie Dyson at The Red Lion in Shobrooke was very good indeed. The service was excellent, as was everything else, even the sunset!

Whitnage had been very good also, but my thoughts were very much now turning to Cornwall and would the weather keep on this good!!

Natalie donated also very kindly to the fund, provided ice cold bottles of water, a superb breakfast, and a smiling wave goodbye with good luck wishes, another diamond!

At this point my good friend Lynda from Barnstaple shifted bags for 2 days and provided wonderful home made scones with cream and jam - thanks Lynda, they were lovely!

Onwards now, through Sourton - close to Dartmoor - and into Cornwall, Launceston. The White Horse at Launceston was a cracker, but I'd had a tip that it would be!!

The very edge of Dartmoor, and the Prewley Moor Arms at Sourton.

 

The staff and locals were fantastic at The White Horse. Arriving mid afternoon, with sweat dripping from my shiny old head, I was greeted with handshakes and cold drinks, as well as donations from a table of locals in the pub garden. The evening was similar, several more donations, and lots of friendly banter with a lovely bunch of locals!

 

Onwards and plodwards to Bodmin Moor and Jamaica Inn - to watch Andy Murray winning Wimbledon on the beeb - and then to Wadebridge for a final rest day.

 

Brown Willy from Jamaica Inn, a famous hill on Bodmin Moor.

 

 The flag of Kernow, flying in many places down here!

A small lake on Bodmin Moor, on the way to Wadebridge, on the River Camel estuary.

The best pub in Wadebridge - The Molesworth Arms - and a lovely Aussie couple who were here touring, and not to watch their cricket team!

On to the coast at Newquay, which was disappointingly naff as a seaside town, but the sun still sets nicely there. Then down the coastal path for some of the best scenery in England!

Some of my favourite pictures on the path from Crantock to St. Agnes. Simply lovely.

St. Agnes was also lovely. Top quality pub/hotel with excellent being my rating for everything about the place. Going back there on the return plod, without any doubt!!

 

There followed only one more day of fantastic walking on majestic cliff tops, alongside the beautiful blue sea on the Cornish coast. It was, though, magnificent.

 

Chapel Porth.

 Near Porthtowan.

 
Porthtowan, and the rugged coast that surrounds it.

 

Turning slighlty inland at Carbis Bay, near St. Ives, a mere 20 odd miles from Lands End.

 

 

And there it is, the author at Lands End.

 

 Mission completed, lots raised for charity - though a long way short of my hoped for target - another day at this lovely place was an absolute must for me.

The morning sea mist cleared, and several hours of swimming in the sea and laying on the beach, were superbly finished off with a lovely evening in here with more lovely, friendly, locals.

 

The First and Last Inn at Sennen, just short of Lands End.

 

 

So, there it is, my review of my dirty great big plod for 4 charities. I hope whoever read this blog enjoyed it as I went, and that the pictures and writings were enough to keep you all interested. Thank you to all of you, and thank you everyone who helped in any and many ways. You all have my deepest gratitude, for me, and most importantly, on behalf of Sense, (W)RVS, Whizz-Kidz, and The A21 Campaign, the 4 charities that I chose to try and help with this walk.

 

If you enjoyed this blog, you may also enjoy my books. They are on a different subject, but the writing style is all me. Go to 'my wares' on the home page and see!

 

For now, that is me done. I must get a year or two of hard work under my belt to pay for this plod, and save up for the next one.

 

Alec Hawkes 19.07.13

 

www.justgiving.com/teams/milko-goes-walkabout 

 

please donate if you can.