SSAFA 125 Km Walk
Earlier this year a number of RAF personnel from RAF
Akrotiri Salt Lake Site decided to do a charity challenge to
raise £1,000 for SSAFA and to help celebrate their 125th
Anniversary.
The end result was a 125km walk from Nea Dimmata, on
the north coast of Cyprus approx 10kms north east of
Polis, to RAF Akortiri. This distance is 1 mile short of 3 full
marathons. To make the challenge just a bit more
interesting the plan was to complete it in less than 48
hours and top it all off, the first 110 kms would be done
They would be met by their support crew where
they would have a 15 minute break before setting off for another 5kms. During the
night two of the stops would be for 30 minutes. “These breaks will be rigidly stuck
to” said Craeg, “as we have a long way to go in the next 48 hours” At the start
Steve Kinsella drove the support minibus, but at 22.30 Greg Edwards and Steve
Wootton, husband of Sara, took over. They also had an important task in having to
find stops near the end of the 5km stretch where it was quiet, with no barking dogs
etc. Once the rest area was found they had to set up camp with chairs or beds,
liquids and food ready. They did manage to get told off at one stop by the team for
finding a perfect rest area – however it was
almost a 1000 meters past the 5 km point.
Other notable events overnight were the time
the walkers were chased by a goat and a bird
that flew out of some bushes which caused
Craeg to go into full Karate mode!
Shortly after 08.00 on Friday morning the team wearily arrived at Paphos harbour.
While looking for a suitable place to take a photograph, the SSAFA photographer
mentioned sitting on a bench about 10 meters from where they were all standing.
Mick Schofield replied “I’m not walking all the way over there!” So a photo was
quickly taken where they stood and then it was onto the minibus and off for a well
earned sleep.
Whilst the team were snoring soundly in their beds, a team of SSAFA Akrotiri
Sevice Committee members set up some treadmills outside Ermes supermarket in
RAF Akrotri and proceeded to walk. They walked for 3 hours, covered 17.5 Kms
and raised €374.12 to give to the team when they arrived back in Akrotiri.
At 18.00 Friday evening the intrepid walkers were dropped back at Paphos for
another 55 Kms. This time they don’t look quite as fresh as they did 24 hours
previously and the blisters gained on the first night, although taped up, were
complaining about being put back into a pair of trainers.
Their route this evening would take them along the B6 coast road through Timi,
past Aphrodite’s Rock, up the huge climb towards Pissouri and finally onto the
WSBA, through Episkopi Station and ending at Curium Amphitheatre.
All five started off and within a short time Carla Prater from BFBS TV arrived and did some interviews whilst she
jogged along keeping up with the fast walking pace that Craeg had set. As the night went along they carried out the 15
minute stops every hour. Incredibly they found that they were actually sleeping for 10 of those minutes. During the
stops Craeg often called out the time left until the 15 minutes were up. Twice when he called out “Two Minutes” he was
met with “SHUT UP” from the remainder of the group and it was 17 minutes before they got going. The worst part of
the night was the long steep incline from Aphrodite’s Rock to Pissouri. All the team said “we had to really grit out teeth
to get up there” with Sara adding “Childbirth is easier!” The team were getting more and more tired as the night went
on; there were times when all conversation stopped while all their energies were focused on putting one foot in front of
the other. Craeg said he had never thought it possible to fall asleep while walking; one point when passing through
Paramali he saw a gorilla standing by a swimming pool. It was then he realised
he had fallen asleep again and just dreamt it as there was no house, pool or
gorilla anywhere to be seen. The sun started to rise as they dropped down into
Happy Valley so they were able to see the long climb back up the side. At 8.30 on
Saturday morning they made it to Curium and a total of 110 kms under their belt.
The minibus took them off for 2 hours sleep and then it all started again for the
last 15 kms.
Back at Curium at 13.00 on Saturday, the team were looking very stiff and sore.
Their spirits were still high though as they all set off including two more friends
who had decided to join the team for moral support. After a short while a car
pulled up and a lady got out. She handed over €25 got in her car and drove off.
The team presumed she knew about the walk and had just given them a donation
and not just felt sorry for these mad people and given them some taxi money. The
first stop of the day was in the shade of the trees at Fasouri Orange plantation. It
was the usual routine of caring for the blisters and eating pieces of flapjack that
Mick was handing round saying “Come on,
have some, I’m sick of the stuff now!” Carla from BFBS turned up to do another
piece for British Forces News. This caused a long discussion as to who was going
to be a TV star. Mick drew the short straw and had to stand up and do his piece to
camera. When Carla had finished she positioned the camera ready to get a shot of
the team leaving the stop. Luckily she had not switched on when all the boys stood
up and proceeded to stuff large amounts of talcum powder down the front of their
shorts!
It just so happened that exactly 5 kms up the road was the New Inn and they had a
lovely shaded terrace. It was decided that it would be foolish to pass by this
excellent rest facility, so an hour later the team arrived where they managed to
“hydrate” and tend to their feet. Break over and they set off again with some more
supporters joining the group for the last 5 Km.
Two Kms later they arrived at the main gate of RAF Akrotiri where there happened
to be an Airfield Rescue Vehicle ready to hose them down if they were too hot.
They were also met by more people to walk the very last part to keep them going so they would arrive on time at the
Akrotiri Open Day. At 17.00, 47 hours and 125 Kms after they started, the whole team walked across the sports field
to the main arena of the Open Day to rapturous applause and cheers. Meeting them was the SSAFA Chair of Akrotiri
Service Committee, Tina Bessell, who had baked a special 125 cake to mark the event and then they were all
interviewed by BFBS DJ Wes Thompson. The total was donated to SSAFA Cyprus was €2,500.
When asked for final words, Craeg said that next year was SSAFA’s 126th birthday so they would need to walk an
extra Kilometre. Ian quickly suggested they find a charity that was only 50 years old!
A few words from the team: “We would like to thank the support crew, Steve Kinsella, Steve Wootton, Richie Caley and
Greg Edwards who provided us with a temporary home every 5Km. Without you all, there is no way we could have
finished.
Thanks to all the SSAFA committee girls who arranged a great welcome back for us. Just glad we made it back for
you!”
at night! Just after 18.00 hours on Thursday 9th September, Tristan Smith, Ian
Mooney, Craeg Henderson (Team Leader) Mick Schofield and Sara Wootton set off
from Nea Dimmata for the long trek to Paphos on the Southwest coast of Cyprus 55
Kms away. Their plan was to
walk for 5 kms which would take about an hour.
Whilst the team were snoring soundly in their beds, a team of SSAFA Akrotiri
Sevice Committee members set up some treadmills outside Ermes supermarket in
RAF Akrotri and proceeded to walk. They walked for 3 hours, covered 17.5 Kms
and raised €374.12 to give to the team when they arrived back in Akrotiri.
At 18.00 Friday evening the intrepid walkers were dropped back at Paphos for
another 55 Kms. This time they don’t look quite as fresh as they did 24 hours
previously and the blisters gained on the first night, although taped up, were
complaining about being put back into a pair of trainers.
Their route this evening would take them along the B6 coast road through Timi,
past Aphrodite’s Rock, up the huge climb towards Pissouri and finally onto the
WSBA, through Episkopi Station and ending at Curium Amphitheatre.
All five started off and within a short time Carla Prater from BFBS TV arrived and did some interviews whilst she
jogged along keeping up with the fast walking pace that Craeg had set. As the night went along they carried out the 15
minute stops every hour. Incredibly they found that they were actually sleeping for 10 of those minutes. During the
stops Craeg often called out the time left until the 15 minutes were up. Twice when he called out “Two Minutes” he was
met with “SHUT UP” from the remainder of the group and it was 17 minutes before they got going. The worst part of
the night was the long steep incline from Aphrodite’s Rock to Pissouri. All the team said “we had to really grit out teeth
to get up there” with Sara adding “Childbirth is easier!” The team were getting more and more tired as the night went
on; there were times when all conversation stopped while all their energies were focused on putting one foot in front of
the other. Craeg said he had never thought it possible to fall asleep while walking; one point when passing through
Paramali he saw a gorilla standing by a swimming pool. It was then he realised
he had fallen asleep again and just dreamt it as there was no house, pool or
gorilla anywhere to be seen. The sun started to rise as they dropped down into
Happy Valley so they were able to see the long climb back up the side. At 8.30 on
Saturday morning they made it to Curium and a total of 110 kms under their belt.
The minibus took them off for 2 hours sleep and then it all started again for the
last 15 kms.
Back at Curium at 13.00 on Saturday, the team were looking very stiff and sore.
Their spirits were still high though as they all set off including two more friends
who had decided to join the team for moral support. After a short while a car
pulled up and a lady got out. She handed over €25 got in her car and drove off.
The team presumed she knew about the walk and had just given them a donation
and not just felt sorry for these mad people and given them some taxi money. The
first stop of the day was in the shade of the trees at Fasouri Orange plantation. It
was the usual routine of caring for the blisters and eating pieces of flapjack that
Mick was handing round saying “Come on,
have some, I’m sick of the stuff now!” Carla from BFBS turned up to do another
piece for British Forces News. This caused a long discussion as to who was going
to be a TV star. Mick drew the short straw and had to stand up and do his piece to
camera. When Carla had finished she positioned the camera ready to get a shot of
the team leaving the stop. Luckily she had not switched on when all the boys stood
up and proceeded to stuff large amounts of talcum powder down the front of their
shorts!
It just so happened that exactly 5 kms up the road was the New Inn and they had a
lovely shaded terrace. It was decided that it would be foolish to pass by this
excellent rest facility, so an hour later the team arrived where they managed to
“hydrate” and tend to their feet. Break over and they set off again with some more
supporters joining the group for the last 5 Km.
Two Kms later they arrived at the main gate of RAF Akrotiri where there happened
to be an Airfield Rescue Vehicle ready to hose them down if they were too hot.
They were also met by more people to walk the very last part to keep them going so they would arrive on time at the
Akrotiri Open Day. At 17.00, 47 hours and 125 Kms after they started, the whole team walked across the sports field
to the main arena of the Open Day to rapturous applause and cheers. Meeting them was the SSAFA Chair of Akrotiri
Service Committee, Tina Bessell, who had baked a special 125 cake to mark the event and then they were all
interviewed by BFBS DJ Wes Thompson. The total was donated to SSAFA Cyprus was €2,500.
When asked for final words, Craeg said that next year was SSAFA’s 126th birthday so they would need to walk an
extra Kilometre. Ian quickly suggested they find a charity that was only 50 years old!
A few words from the team: “We would like to thank the support crew, Steve Kinsella, Steve Wootton, Richie Caley and
Greg Edwards who provided us with a temporary home every 5Km. Without you all, there is no way we could have
finished.
Thanks to all the SSAFA committee girls who arranged a great welcome back for us. Just glad we made it back for
you!”
at night! Just after 18.00 hours on Thursday 9th September, Tristan Smith, Ian
Mooney, Craeg Henderson (Team Leader) Mick Schofield and Sara Wootton set off
from Nea Dimmata for the long trek to Paphos on the Southwest coast of Cyprus 55
Kms away. Their plan was to
walk for 5 kms which would take about an hour.
