Saffery Rotary 2022 walkers put in the miles with smiles
THE sun was shining and spirits were high on Saturday morning, as hundreds islanders persevered through the 39-mile Saffery Rotary Walk.
17 local charities will benefit from the walk, which began at the Tourist Information Centre and, via the entire coastline, ended at the Liberation Day Monument.
After the island-wide trek began at 4.30am, Lieneke Janson Van Vauren, who moved to Guernsey last year, said she had enjoyed watching the sunrise from the cliffs.
‘There is stunning scenery and it’s really lovely,’ she said.
‘I saw the sun came up – it’s a really nice experience and I will do it again.’
One of five on a relay team, Ms Janson Van Vauren said she had decided to do two extra legs of the route and had been glad to stop at Le Gouffre for breakfast.
‘It’s a way to make the most of a summer day,’ she added.
‘It’s nice to be here.’
A team of four 17-year-olds were taking on the challenge together, and hadn’t minded the early start.
‘Once we were up and going it was okay,’ said sixth form student George McNeela.
‘It’s deceptive though because it doesn’t feel like 10am now, it feels later.’
He was glad to be doing the walk with his friends.
‘It does make it easier. It’s been quite enjoyable and it’s a good morning for it.’
Adam De La Mare agreed.
‘It’s going alright but a bit painful,’ he added.
‘The most difficult part was the way up from Petit Bot.’
75-year-old Pete Walker has been coming on holiday from Somerset for 30 years, and was happy to be completing the walk as part of his bucket list.
‘I made a bucket list and this was on it,’ he said. ‘I have done a lot of training at home but that cliff walk was severe.’
Jonathan Torode had also done some training for the walk, which he last completed four years ago.
‘All the cliffs I enjoyed walking on. I’ve done it quite a few practices before this one... it should be good.’
Managing the checkpoint at Portelet was Gill Girard from the Inner Wheel.
‘They are in really good spirits,’ she said of the walkers. We were surprised at how early we had some people coming – someone who was running the course came before 7.30am.’
