It's the journey rather than the arrival

About this time of year, it's our custom to undertake a modest little backpacking trip of about 25 miles from home to Harwich, two days walking and one night's camping. It's an unassuming walk along country lanes and field and woodland paths,much of it along the Essex Way. I really should do the walk in the other direction, from Harwich to home, but tradition dictates otherwise. The walk is a bit of a warm-up for the challenge, rucksacs loaded, a reminder of how to put up the tent, and a stretch of our legs.

Harwich, it must be said, is a bit of a dump, with a severe case of east-coast-itis, the incurable disease that afflicts so many coastal communities in this country - depressed, run down, seemingly permanently out of season. I know it's wrong to make sweeping generalisations, but there's something about many Harwich people (although of course there are some lovely people in the town),  a slow, we'll-just-do-the bare-minimum, kind of surliness, possibly caused by generations of in-breeding. Anyway, that's enough of my indefensible geographical prejudices, so on with the walk.

Bluebells and spring flowers were out everywhere on the way to the rather splendid Bromley Cross Inn for lunch

Following our exceptionally dry spring, the ground was rock hard, so coupled with a fair bit of tarmac, my feet were a bit weary

Our camping spot was at the Strangers Home pub in Bradfield, with a fine juke box and pleasantly drunk locals in, er.. fine voice

To try and replicate the wilderness experience on the Challenge, we pitched in as wild a place as we could find. Yes, right next to the bouncy castle.

No sooner was the tent up than Mt Softy arrived, sadly not selling ice creams, but just popping in for a pint

The tent is a Big Agnes Copper Spur, with a huge amount of space compared to our trusty old Nallo. Trouble is, I'm not quite so sure about how it will stand up to high winds.........

Day 2 was entirely along the Essex Way, along the River Stour and through lovely woodland

To the unusual church at Wrabness, with it's bell parked outside

and on to the woods at Ramsey, with more lovely bluebells, and one of my favourite benches

On to the Castle at Ramsey, complete with windmill

before the interminable trudge along the seafront at Harwich

before home on the bus and out for a curry.

So, that's it - we are fully prepared for the Challenge, having experienced everything the Scottish landscape might throw at us. Except the hills, bog, heather, climate and river crossings........