20th May Yorkshire Dales Walk
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- Written by: John Burke
- Hits: 3532
Update After 20th May
Flickr Album for the 20th May Walk Click Here
Glorious day in the sunshine, and the trip through the Yorkshire Dales, via Barnard Castle was a delight. It was an early start for us all as the trip from Leeds to the 'Walk' itself was 2 hours and 90 miles to the North of Leeds. So we decided to set off around 7:00 AM Saturday morning, of the 20th may 2023. Monica, Qiniso, Knonzanani, and with John diving we did the 'pick-ups' around Leeds then headed for the M1/AI to the North!
It was a bright day, with some early morning mists being burnt off by the Sun. We drove to the famous "Scotch Corner" where the A66 meets the A1, and headed towards the Yorkshire Dales. A lovely drive indeed, and the scenery, as we turned off the A66 just got better with every twist and turn - and there were plenty of those! No road grid layouts in the UK! The breath-taking Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle that we passed, is clearly somewhere to visit at a later date.
Onward via, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Newbiggin and out to the Bowlees Visitor Centre, just West of Newbiggin. They have a great car parking arrangement with simply voluntary donations, rather than a set fee. And its mostly under the shade of trees and next to a babbling brook/stream too! BUT NOTE - get there early {we arrived at 9:30am and had the pick of the parking spots}, but at 1:00 pm with was completely full, with cars parked all the way along the approach roads!
The actual Walk itself was excellent too, although we set off in the wrong direction to start, and had to rectify that with a walk trough some fields (still technically a footpath as indicated on the Ordnance Survey map I was trying to use. PLEASE NOTE: Little of Zero Mobile Signal in the area of the Bowlees Centre! So in future I need paper maps!!
August 2023 Walk 4 Freedom
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- Written by: John Burke
- Hits: 4047
UPDATE: 13th May 2023
Well it's that time of the year again, when Zimbabwens, and their faithful supporters, need to dust off their walking boots and get outside to stretch their legs in anticipation of the "Walk for Freedom"! Practice is extremly important if this year's potential participants are attempting to try the full-monty!
This year our provisional dates are as the flyer namely, 12-13th August 2023 - [OR POSSIBLY THE 5-6th AUGUST as it's another FULL MOON] - simply ideal for the night section by the Rivers before and after Guildford.
but please, do not let the provisional date stop you from readying yourself with some PRACTICE!! However, as indicated in previous years, the "Walk for Freedom" is in 'bite-sized' chunks. See later for all the chunks, their description and maps.
20th May the High Force Walk Link HERE
Same route as all the previous years {since 2017, with some minor revisions} - We did infact organise a Walk in 2016 under the guise of ROHR, with Rashiwe and myself both path-finding and participating! Although, we all "checked-out" at the camp site we had organised at Edenbridge around 11:30pm - but that's another story!
2022 W4F Update
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- Written by: John Burke ZHRO
- Hits: 2000
In this update, made on the sombre anniversary of 1st August 2018 when Zimbabwe's Soldiers opened fire indiscriminately on unarmed civilians - who were quite correctly protesting about the rigging of the 2018 election, we must remind all Zimbabweans, the AU [African Union], SADC [Southern African Development Community] and the rest of the World, that there are currently NO Free and Fair Elections - nor has there been in practice since the 1980 [False] Independence. We will also repeat this item on our website that highlights the fact that there is a Military Cabal controlling Zimbabwe, the Zanu PF party. https://take2zimbabwe.com
So our WALK FOR FREEDOM is as relevant as ever on this 7th time we have planned this event [the first time was in August 2016 just prior to the formation of ZHRO in October 2016]. Our 'practice walks' this month in London and North Yorkshire, have tied-in with other events to do with campaigning for Free, Fair and Open Elections - as highlighted below:
"Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. . . . The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures."
Article 21, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
As in previous year's we will attempt to predict our walking timetable for those who may wish to cheer us on, or join us for part of this well trodden route of ours. So we will publish maps, timetables, and for those with a 'tech savvy' outlook - live navigation links to the UK's Ordnance Survey Mapping software. The same as the organiser's on the day. {Due shortly}
This year we are actively seeking supporting donations so that we can [as we have done in every year previously] have a support team(s) to ferry the walkers, food, bandages, blister plasters etc., In addition as necessary, finally collect the "walking wounded" (!) - joking - but some of us have very delicate feet - and the stony footpaths can take their toll on those without practice, multiple pairs of socks {for keeping the feet cool}, good footwear, ankle support, blisters and cramps! Plus a bit of sympathy at times too!
So our donation PayPal button on this page would welcome your spontaneous generosity. Or this QR code using your phone.
Now those wishing to be at the start, we must emphasise that the walkers will hope to leave the Brighton Pier forecourt at 7:00am sharp. This is to facilitate the 8 miles to stand and take in the stunning beauty atop the "Devil's Dyke" hill within the South Downs.
As the organisation is very 'minimal' we cannot accommodate people leaving at different times - as each group would need navigational support - since so few have taken onboard the mapping software in the past. So for practical reasons, we start at one time, in a group, ideally keeping together. This will facilitate the taking of photos, Twitter, Facebook, ZHRO Live, Zim Eye Live and other media we will employ throughout the full 25-30 hours of the "Walk for Freedom"
This link is the most important, its the original detailed full route as plotted on the OS Online platform from Ordnance Survey UK. It is scaleable, in that it can be enlarged right down to individual footpath levels. If you have the OS App then you can navigate "live" in the field using your phone as a direction finder. 100km Route CLICK HERE
Timetable {Approximate}
| This timetable is AN APPROXIMATION for arriving and leaving times at the locations identified with Sat Nav Post Codes |
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Route Maps here - Along the full Walk for Freedom
| These Short Section Maps are designed to help those without Data Access "In the field" as it were. Please print off the section(s) you will be walking | |
| USE THESE LINKS Opposite TO OPEN THE MAPS in a new Window | Itemised Map Links |
| Brighton Start: BN2 1TW | Brighton and suburbs |
| Crossing the A27 | Cross A27 |
| Towards Devil's Dyke: BN1 8YJ {Public House} | Towards Devil'd Dyke |
| Fulking Villiage | Down to Fulking Villiage |
| Crossing the Vale | Crossing the Vale |
| On to Henfield: BN5 9PJ | On to Henfield |
| Joining the "Downs Link" [An old Railway Route to Guildford] | Joining the Downs Link |
| Partridge Green | Partridge Green |
| Christ's Hospital Railway Station: RH13 0ND | Christ's Hospital |
| Scaling the Hill over the "Bat Tunnel" | The BAT Tunnel |
| Approaching Guildford {Night Time} | Approaching Guildford |
| Central Guildford incl Railway Station Meet Point GU1 4UT | Guildford Area |
| Now with the River Wey Path | Leaving Guildford area |
| Keeping with the River Wey Navigation Path | River Wey Navigation |
| Under the M25 [into London!] | Under the M25 |
| Meeting with the River Thames Path | Joining Thames Navigation |
| Following the Thames Navigation footpath to Hampton Court | Hampton Court and Finish |
Ready for further Updates Here
August 2022 Walk for Freedom
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- Written by: Walk for Freedom
- Hits: 3922
This year's "Walk for Freedom" will take place on the 13 and 14th August 2022. As usual there will be a single start time of 7:00am prompt from the entrance to Brighton Pier - But, please arrive well before this time. In addition, due to the astronomical price of fuel and food the support teams and drivers, will need some financial assistance. See box titled "Walk-Entry-Donations". Or Click Here to pay
In previous years, these costs have been donated, but in view of the level of organisation required etc we now have to ask for an entrance fee of £10. Other donations will help too. Additionally more Walk for Freedom T Shirts will be available from the middle of July at £15 each.
"Walk for Freedom" was the last five year's themes - and agin ZHRO will keep this. Having had so many freedoms denied in Zimbabwe in 2019/20/21/22, this is particularly relevant, especially with the abduction in Zimbabwe and Murder of more CCC Leaders/Children, False inprisonment on trumped up charges with senior CCC mebers in chains [Zimbabwe Updates.]
See PROMO WALK DRONE VIDEO AS WELL for some "inspiration"!! Also read some of the comments by the Walk for Freedom group from last year in the article "Reflections" pictures too.
Please register on the Walk Facebook Platform your Interests and application form CLICK HERE
Walk Training
Training programme for those interested was started in April and with Leeds Branch, in particular taking it very seriously indeed - see Flickr Album
Training went ahead in 2020 and 2021 in spite of the 'pointless' and unnecessary CV19 "Lockdowns" as we were out in the open air, so the risks as such are infinitesimally small! In view of the Partygate Scandal perpetrated by Boris Johnson and others, it appears to us that no danger whatsoever ever existed - the action of those at 10 Downing Street, proves that there was zero fear of any virus, by those fraudulent hypocrites - the same people ordering the rest of us to be afraid!
These training Walks will be 10-15km each over those few months. These will increase to 30 plus km by the Last Weeks in July in preparation for the main effort starting on Saturday 13th August 2022. Many images taken on these training walks can be found on our Facebook Walk Pages CLICK HERE. Arrive on the 13th August 2022, around 5:30am in order for an ideal 6:30-7:00am start. Pictured just outside Christ's Hospital Railway Station some 40km from the starting point in Brighton in August last year.
Walk Route
Very much as 2017/18/19/20/21/. Brighton Pier to Devil's Dyke. [see photo at top of Devil's Dyke and Flickr pages ] Dropping down to Henfield and the Downs Link. Then onto Christ's Hospital [Rail station photo ] just a short walk from the rendezvous location on the Downs Link. Ordinance Survey Route Map of Brighton to Christ's Hospital Rail Station is at this link
The long slog to Guildford [railway station frontage car park meet], finally the night walk along the River Wey Navigation and, this year, into Hampton Court [Rail Station], London. This year the 13-14th August was chosen due to there being a FULL MOON [and subject to a cloudless night sky] increase visibility during the night section next to the Rivers!
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