Barry
Posted on 26 May, 2010 by Lynne Walker | Filed under Blog
Barry is on a journey around the coast of Britain. Barry the Baton (to give him his full title) is basically a piece of wood and he is being run around the coast in a clockwise direction by various groups of people. His journey began at the Blackpool Tower on 9th May 2010. He hopes to complete the journey and arrive back at Blackpool Tower ????
Dave Bleazard stepped up to co-ordinate getting Barry from Lochranza to Oban/Mull. He contacted folks to find out who was available and what they would like to do. Paul & I volunteered to collect Barry from Lochranza on Arran and run him to Tarbert (Loch Fyne). This would involve a run of about 12 miles on the waymarked tracks & paths of the Kintyre Way.
Dave was able to take a day off and so we all met on 26th May 2010 at Claonaig to catch the ferry to Lochranza. It was a stunning day – cool but bright and very clear with a breeze. At Lochranza we met Barry who had travelled that day from Brodick to Lochranza with Maurice (a run of about 15 miles). Alison was the support crew and she had planned the change over of the baton. We walked along the road to the Distillery for lunch and a good chat. It turned out that Maurice is a keen orienteer and he had travelled all the way from East Anglia to run the leg on Arran. Small world!
Barry then had his second ferry journey of the day and this time he occupied himself by doing an orienteering course on the boat. After a photo shoot at Claonaig (and watching the dolphins chasing their dinner in the shallows) Barry set off with Paul & Dave. This was to be a new adventure for him as he had not run off road on his journey.
I became the shuttle bunny and drove the van over to Corranbuie south of Tarbert where the others would end their run. My knee was still rather troublesome so I ran up the track to meet them and was then run faster down the track than I have run for some time! Yes the knee really complained about this but life is for living. Barry completed this section by ‘punching’ at the finish control at the van.
John & Suse Coon were looking after Barry the next day and ensuring that he caught the ferry from Kennacriag to Islay. His adventures then began in earnest – the Paps of Jura fell race with Susannah, a fast rib from Jura to Tayvallich and then to Oban by roads, tracks and paths (or any other devious routes Dave could think up!).
Barry is not being sponsored for this run around Britain – it is just happening! There are gaps where runners are needed between Oban and Ullapool but apart from that people have signed up to carry a piece of wood aroud the rest of the coast. Why don’t you check out the Coasters GB website and go for a run with Barry? He is actually quite cute!
I am a level 4 orienteering coach and a qualified Assessor & Coach Educator. I have been orienteering for xx years and have coached on many foreign tours.