2023 Challenge

To raise money for Loros we walked, cycled, and ran 2080.1 miles! Smashing our target of 1779 miles! That’s the same distance Frodo and Sam travelled with the One Ring between Hobbiton and Mount Doom.

These extra miles were usually never done or done by motor so we were getting fit, helping a charity AND helping the planet! And just think we’re the cliché group for spending the summer inside. What a challenge!?

Target Distance: 1779 Miles, completed 2080.1 miles

Dates: 1st June to the 31st August

Team members: 14 members

Members completed miles in their own time and on team walks:

1 The Hidden Orchard June 2023:

bug pyramid made from logs — Bug Pyramid

Green scenery of the orchard — scenery of the orchard

very small footpath through the orchard — tiny trail

team members walking across the ralley in Leicester — The start of the trek

bush covered sign to the orchard — Spot the sign

sheep under a tree — chilling sheep

old or original wooden sign to the orchard — Here’s the old sign

footpath surrounded by greenery and sunshine — could be Hobbiton

members sat on a wooden bench built by a member — Kats Bench

sheep in nettles — hiding sheep… nettles!

boulders arranged in a curve — cool boulder scenery

tree sculpture with a face — Ent!

tree with entwined branches — Another cool tree

tree with multiple trunks — cool tree

2 to Everards Meadows July 2023:

team members walking along tow path of canal — First steps

team members walking along tow path of canal with lock in back ground — canal side

two swans — swans

team members walking along tow path of canal — enthusiastic tow path

adult and young swan — swans again

stone waymarker — marker

team members walking along tow path of canal — artistic shot right?

team members walking along tow path of canal — more feet

team members black and white dog — 4 legged team member

a lock starting to open — lock opening!

Locks heritage sign — Kings Lock

White brick building with hanging sign. The kings lock tea room — Kings Lock tea room

3 mile way marker — marker two

wooden art work at side of canal — canal side artwork

team members walking along path at the meadows — tired feet

Team members around the meadows sign — We made it!

the meadows sign and map — Everards Meadows sign

green grass of the meadows with a rabbit in the back ground — Everards Meadows and a rabbit

fallen tree

the insides of the fallen hollow tree — fallen hollow tree

the captain stood waving in the hollow tree — Captain in a fallen hollow tree

chalk signs for horse sanctuary — county life, horse sanctuary

multicoloured artistic directions sign — cool sign

wooden sign — another sign

green wooden sign — a third sign

long path surrounded by trees — the long path home

3 Bradgate Park

Spot the team!

Leicester History… did the Doctor ever visit?

The captain sat in front of a very old tree — old old tree

the team and friends

4 Watermead Country Park

Club members gathered around the Watermead Country Park sign — Start of the walk…. how far??

floating statues — Some cool statues and art work here

A club member tangles in a pretend web — Shelob at it again

Two club members walking down a winding path — Where will it lead

A club member standing triumphant on the pretend head of a giant skeleton dinosaur surrounded by trees — Triumphant!

the club captain stood in front of a mammoth model — Mammoth!

Sunshine, friends and a mammoth

members walking down a path — the word hobbit was mentioned…

5 Leicester Botanical Garden and Brocks Hill Country Park

fancy fish pond

silly moments for smiles

Giant wooden slug — SLUGZILLA!

cool idea!

looks like a hobbit fence to us…

We have wind turbines!

Now who is that…

Leicester Botanical Garden

EEK!

Leicester Botanical Garden

Leicester Botanical Garden

Don’t get lost!

historic garden feature