The Wey & Arun Canal Trust congratulates Bridget Glynne-Jones on successfully walking the 36-mile length of the Wey-South Path in one day. Bridget, an office manager for the Wey & Arun Canal Trust, undertook the walk on 17th June to raise money for the Canal Trust and Macmillan Cancer Relief.

Bridget had trained hard for the walk and had previously covered various sections to make sure she would not waste time by getting lost or breaking her rhythm for map-reading. It all paid off on the day when she covered the whole route in a remarkably fast time. The weather was fine and pleasantly warm when Bridget set off from Millmead Lock on the River Wey in Guildford, next to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, at 6.30am. The ground was dry, unlike on practice walks where Bridget had to wade through knee-deep floods.

Just after 7am, Bridget joined the route of the Wey & Arun Canal at Shalford and made quick progress past Cranleigh and Dunsfold into the quiet depths of Sidney Wood, then across the county border to Loxwood in Sussex for an early lunch stop at the Onslow Arms. Loxwood is the centre of the Canal Trust's activities, with boat trips every weekend in the Summer. Trust Chairman, Peter Foulger, was on hand to encourage Bridget for the afternoon's exertions.

Several Trust members acted as escorts as Bridget's route took her along the restored canal towpath into the beautiful Arun valley, just north of Billingshurst, past Rowner Lock and Northlands lift-bridge, installed by the Trust, then across the A272 road to the showpiece Lordings site. From here it is not far to the Haybarn swingbridge installed by the Trust in 2005, then a diversion is necessary before the path once again crosses the canal route near the canal's junction with the River Arun at Pallingham.

Trust Secretary, Julian Morgan, went to meet Bridget near the White Hart at Stopham, outside Pulborough, and was amazed to find her running along the path, having already covered over 30 miles, some of it in fierce afternoon heat. From Stopham the route follows the River Arun to Amberley, the end of the Wey-South Path, and by 4.45pm Bridget was enjoying a glass of lemonade in the garden of the Black Horse. She had covered the route in about 9 hours and 15 minutes of walking, plus about 1 hour of stops.

Bridget's choice of route was appropriate for the Canal Trust, which is restoring 'London’s Lost Route to the Sea'. The Wey-South Path follows the canal route as closely as possible, using public footpaths, and a detailed guide is available from the Canal Trust (http://www.weyandarun.co.uk/goods.php).

Bridget will split the proceeds of the Wey-South walk equally between the Wey & Arun Canal Trust and Macmillan Cancer Relief. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors, these worthwhile causes will receive over £2,300. Bridget would particularly like to thank The Fox Inn Fish and Seafood Restaurant which specialises in the best & most extensive range of seasonal fresh seafood in the area. The Fox Inn, owned and run by Simon and Erika Godsland, is on the main A281 midway between Horsham, Guildford, Billingshurst and Cranleigh and lies very close to the Wey & Arun Canal, so it is very appropriate that they immediately offered to be a principal sponsor. The pub supports a wide range of local community causes and landlords Simon and Erika were delighted to be able to become involved with such a worthwhile local project. They are planning further sponsorship for the Wey & Arun by providing signage along the canal in the near future.

For Bridget, the Wey-South walk was just a gentle warm-up exercise. Later this year, she sets off on a gruelling expedition along part of the Great Wall of China, this time wholly in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief. To sponsor Bridget for this walk, please contact her via the Canal Trust office (01403 752403, office@weyandarun.co.uk.

Editor's notes:

The Fox Inn

The Fox Inn, owned and run by Simon and Erika Godsland, is on the main A281 Guildford-Horsham road near Bucks Green (01403 822386). The Fox is an award-winning country pub and seafood restaurant specialising in the best and most extensive range of seasonal fresh seafood in the area. The pub is open for food 7 days a week & serves until 10pm every day. As well as real ales, there is a large wine selection (most available by the glass or bottle). Takeaway traditional fish and chips are available daily. The pub's slogan is 'Famous for Fish!'

The Wey & Arun Canal Trust

As part of the national strategy to connect Littlehampton to Kendal by inland waterway, the Wey & Arun Canal Trust was formed as a registered charity in the 1970s to restore the whole 23-mile disused waterway which runs from Shalford, near Guildford in Surrey, to Pallingham, near Pulborough in West Sussex.

The Trust's current £1.2 million project is to restore the canal crossing of the main road (B2133) in Loxwood.

This project is being carried out in 3 stages. Stage 1 (almost completed) is to build a new lock. The 2nd stage, which began at the start of July 2006, is to lower the canal by about 1.5 metres from Brewhurst lock to the east side of the B2133. Brewhurst lock has to be rebuilt to level out the two water supplies and this work is being carried out during the Summer by volunteers. Stage 3 is to tunnel under the B2133 High Street at Loxwood and will follow as soon as the money has been raised.

The canal once linked Loxwood to Guildford and the Thames by water. When this ambitious project is complete, another link in London's Lost Route to the Sea (at Littlehampton) will have been hammered into place.