London Bridges Walk 2017

I’ve signed up for Kidney Research UK’s London Bridges Walk this coming Sunday. I registered my interest in it a few months ago, and received an email saying I would be contacted when registration opened. Sadly, no such follow up happened, but I remembered to check back periodically and registration actually opened late last month. I don’t know whether they planned to contact me but I got there first, but it does make me wonder how many other people expressed an interest but never got contacted? Online registration is closed now, but people can still sign-up on the day for £10. 

It’s a seven mile walk across many of London’s iconic bridges. It might sound a bit anti-social but I’m quite looking forward to doing it by myself, I enjoy walking, but usually there’s a very functional purpose like getting to work. I don’t often get the time to go for a good long walk without any distractions, my wife has her own interests she’d probably prefer to spend the time on, and I know the kids would only complain about being bored or tired or more likely both after half a mile!

Kidney Research UK sent through the route map earlier today, it’s fairly familiar territory as I’ve worked in and around Central London for over fifteen years, and the course skirts close to both my current and previous employers. I’m going to try and put together a topical podcast playlist I can listen to as I make my way around, I haven’t found the right ones yet, but I know there are a variety of London podcasts out there covering the mix of culture, history and folklore I’m looking for.

I was also hoping to sneak a few crafty beer stops on route, but I rather fear the pickings are slim without taking too much of a detour. There are a few pubs along the route, but a few of them are shitholes or tourist traps, what comes from hugging the river. It’s probably no bad thing really, I’d only have about five minutes to neck a pint and have a pee, and no doubt once the seal is broken I’d spent most of the seven miles bursting for another! I’m also not sure how endearing it will be to more advanced CKD sufferers who have restrictive fluid intakes. Besides, afterwards I’m meeting up with the wife and kids for an early birthday treat at Byron Burger so I can save my 'dead' calories for that.