THE MATTERHON CHALLENGE WALK - MELTON MOWBRAY TO GRANTHAM - 26 MILESS

About the walk and my story -

It all came about because of a chance meeting. A friend ordered a book from me and discovered she had ordered the wrong one! So I sent her the correct one and as I would be walking to her city would collect the other book. We sat on her patio and during the conversation, her friend, Ann had done several of my day challenge walks. She asked if I had ever been to Skillington and seen the Matterhorn window? I hadn’t and never knew about it, although I knew the tragic story. She had a picture of the stained glass window on her phone.

Back in my office I did some research and couldn’t believe the
synchronicity after more than 50 years. At school I was writing a book on the “History of Mountaineering” and had amassed a collection of some 300 books on both Alpine and Himalayan expeditions. One was Edward Whymper’s classic book - “Scrambles in the Alps”, which details his first ascent and the tragic descent when the rope broke and four of the party fell to their deaths. One of whom was Revd. Charles Hudson, Vicar of Skillington, where in his church is a stained glass window is dedicated to him. His body and two others are buried in Zermatt’s graveyard.

With reading so much about the early Alpine years, I went to the Alps, on my own, aged 16, and headed straight for Zermatt and the
Matterhorn. I slept in the Hornli Hut and at first light was soloing up the Hornli ridge. At 12,500 ft. all the guides and parties were turning back because of the icy conditions. Taking their advice I turned round and descended all the way back to Zermatt.

Three days later the weather had improved and I was once more back in the Hornli Hut. The weather was good and I set off up the ridge and enjoyed a dry climb. Partway down the descent I passed blood stained rocks, a climber had been hit on the head by a falling stone and had died. There were no climbers helmets in the early 1960's.

Back in Zermatt I hitch-hiked to Grindelwald to have a go at the North face of the Eiger! I was young and innocent. But falling stones on the face made me turn round. The following day two climbers were killed and I headed to Chamonix to have look at Mont Blanc and the west face of the Dru ....... but that’s another story!

So I pulled out my maps of the Skillington area and initially thought of doing a 20 plus mile circular walk from Grantham. The first part looked alright but the return was not so straightforward. I locked at Melton Mowbray and possibly use the town as the start for a circular walk but the distance was too far. So the thought of walking from Melton Mowbray to Grantham over the Wolds became my chosen route. The previous year I had been to a funeral of a walking friend in Long Clawson, north of Melton Mowbray. As I drove there I was surprised at the scenery and filed it away to do a walk there. Somehow I had missed this slither of land between the Nottinghamshire Wolds and Charnwood Forest. I wouldn’t be disappointed.

As a rough guide I thought the walk was approximately 22 miles, but it proved a 20 hour day and much longer - 26 miles; but a great day!
Although I was up at 4.15am to begin the bus and tube ride to the
London railway station, the trains were cancelled due to power failure
the previous night. I had planned to be walking from Melton Mowbray
by 8.30am but it was 10am. A cloudy and windy day with a few squalls of short heavy rain; but I never donned my rain gear. Proved a lovely walk along a section of the Jubilee Way to Scalford where I turned right to the attractive village of Waltham on the Wolds. I sheltered by the green and appropriately ate two Melton Mowbray Pork Pies! Then it was on over the Wolds with extensive views before heading for Skillington.

I came to the small church appropriately dedicated to the Pilgrim saint, St. James. The church was locked but found the key keeper and she let me in to see the Revd. Charles Hudson window and Matterhorn information boards. I pressed on to Stoke Rochford and its stunning country estate before heading along paths to Grantham, finally arriving at the station at 8.15pm. Apart from scratched and stinging legs from nettles, I was in fine shape. The trains were back to normal and was soon on my way back to London, finally arriving home at midnight. A very rewarding day.

This is long walk but full of interest and extensive views. Enjoy your
crossing of the wolds and pay homage to a fine climber who has become immortalised in an early Alpine tragedy.

A5.  Placed in a plastic wrap around cover and signed by John Merrill.

Embroidered cloth badge and signed certificate by John Merrill for successful walkers.

Successful walkers added to me Walkers Roll of Honour page.