Epic Butterfly Walk!

[Mark Colvin]

Respect ...

Absolutely serious respect ...

[Jack Harrison]

This really is excellent. I wonder how many Nature Reserves BC will be able to set up from the donations?

I am still thinking about a sponsored walk myself in a couple of years time. It would be to the bus stop clutching my OAP bus pass. This would be to celebrate my 75th. (and Stella's 70th)

Jack

[Gibster]

Hi All,

we've followed our route northwards and are now in Kendall enjoying our second rest day of the trip. You may have seen this on the news already - Kendall suffered a major flash flood which saw the River Kent burst its banks and flood the city centre. Whilst the phenomenal downpour (and rather impressive thunder and lightning show) was busy flooding Kendall, we were busy being flooded about 5 miles to the south. Put it this way, the storm hit us before Kendall. I think it dumped a few million gallons on top of us first, Kendall merely got the left-overs!!!

As a consequence Sami's i-phone is now a pile of useless i-junk. Anybody out there who is/has been in touch with Sami, could you now use me as your contact point. I'm on 07531 012 338.

The good news is that we are currently dry and there are still butterflies out here with us! We've seen lots more Small Tortoiseshells, our first Meadow Brown of the year plus a few more of the commoner species. But no blues or Small Coppers... The weather forecast looks utterly pants for Mountain Ringlet expeditions. I fear we shall have to bypass the species completely, the only British breeder we've yet to see.

Continued thanks to everyone who has thus far supported us, or joined the Facebook 'Epic Butterfly Walk' page. ScottD, we look forward to meeting you soon!!!! Keep up your brilliant efforts!

Seth & Sami

[JohnR]

I don't know how you survived yesterday. I was heading back to Surrey and coming down the M6 from Shap I have never seen so many lightning strikes on the hills in front of me, at least I was sitting in a dry car. Keep up the good work and I hope that the weather improves for you.

[sami]

Hello all!
My iPhone seems to be working again! May be just temporary but I'm feeling optimistic
Some bad news... Seth has developed shin splints I know how he feels as I only recovered from mine a few weeks ago. Horrible to see him in pain but he's battling on with shoe inserts, painkillers and walking poles. We're in Carlisle now! So close to Scotland but taking some rest in the hope that Seth will recover. The walk is getting harder now, it seems like we're falling apart! We'll make it tho
Some fantastic, incredible and unexpected news... A woman with the same surname as our £250 'Butterfly magazine donor' has just donated a stunning £500 to the cause. We're in shock and it's certainly helped to lift our spirits!
Bet wishes to all

[sami]

PS - our total raised to date stands at £2443.08!!

[lee3764]

Come on all UK Butterflies and Butterfly Conservation members.....If you all donate just £1.00 then Seth & Sami will raise at least £15,000!!! (based on 15,000 BC members & 1000+ UK Butterflies members) It's only a pound!!We donated when we met them on a fieldtrip in Cornwall back in May. This inspiring couple have given their all in the wettest June on record (official) and are attempting to raise £10,000. They are well short of that total at present ( £2443.08 - our new total on JustGiving!! as at 3rd July, 2012) . Everyone reading this PLEASE donate something even if it is just £1. Let's help raise their total towards their target of £10,000. Donate on... http://www.justgiving.com/epicbutterflywalk
Also follow their journey on facebook and see the hardships they are enduring to raise money for Butterfly Conservation!
Keep your spirits up Sami & Seth & lets hope the donations increase towards your target as soon as possible!
Regards & respect for your mammouth effort,
Lee Slaughter (Cornwall).

[Neil Hulme]

Well said Lee. 109 donations doesn't do justice to their incredible efforts in supporting such a worthwhile cause. Bearing in mind that the total will be used to release multiplied funding from external sources, every pound will make a difference. At the end of this season butterflies and moths are going to need more help than ever through targeted conservation measures.
Neil

[David M]

People shouldn't be embarrassed at donating just a pound or two. Anyone donating can opt for anonymity so that their details are not published.

Good to hear you're approaching Scotland, Sami & Seth. This should be the most enjoyable part of your walk.

[Gibster]

A-HA!!! Well that certainly put a smile on these two wet and weary souls' faces!!! As Lee (rather subtly ) mentioned, we've still a very long way to go regards hitting our £10,000 target. If you do donate (and why wouldn't you?) you'll be asked if you would like to pay Gift Aid. THIS COSTS YOU ABSOLUTELY NOTHING so please agree, then you'll be able to leave a message should you wish to.

We've had nothing but support and encouragement from UKButterflies and its members. You really are very fine people.

Sad to say that my legs are indeed falling to pieces, I used to get shin splints back in my running days at school but nothing like this. So our pace has slowed somewhat of late Still, I never was going to be in my boss's good books after the extended honeymoon. Oh well, in for a penny....

We've taken a couple of rest days in Carlisle. Scotland is just 11 miles away. We're crossing at Gretna, on Friday Sami's brother and his wife are coming up to join us for a couple of days. They seem pretty confident it'll be "a walk in the park"...but I've seen the weather forecast!! Hope they've sorted out some decent waterproofs

Absolutely nothing to report butterflywise other than seeing a handful of Ringlets weaving through the drenched roadside verges. Ivy-leaved Crowfoot and Common Butterwort were new plants for me (we've seen over 700 species so far from Red Deer and Otter to mosses and liverworts) and I'm still hopeful of hitting 1000 by the time we reach Jonh O'Groats.

So, Scotland next. ScottD, Sami's phone is working once more. Give either one of us a call/text!

Fingers crossed our next update will be full of tales of glorious weather, hilsides full of butterflies and absolutely no hint of shin splints!!!

[ScottD]

So, Scotland next. ScottD, Sami's phone is working once more. Give either one of us a call/text!

will do.
Meanwhile I've emailed BBC Scotland & Johnston Press (own lots of local papers) with info - we can but try!

[sami]

WE JUST CROSSED THE BORDER INTO SCOTLAND!!!! and on our 2 month wedding anniversary!!

[Jack Harrison]

WE JUST CROSSED THE BORDER INTO SCOTLAND!!!! and on our 2 month wedding anniversary!!

Aye it's a Bonnie Day up there according to my weather information. But a Dreich few days ahead I fear. At least you don't suffer the Haar in the west of Scotland.
(ScottD will no doubt correct my ignorance).

Tatties and Neeps for supper? Or Stovies perhaps?

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

WE JUST CROSSED THE BORDER INTO SCOTLAND!!!! and on our 2 month wedding anniversary!!

Congrats to you both - on both counts! Simply a-may-zing! Keep up the good work - look forward to seeing you at some point (if not on your trip, when you get back home). If you're up for an interview we can "bag" that (I'm sure many people will want to hear the highlights of your adventure - unless you're already gagged by a top notch newspaper!) and try and get more funds generated as a result - I assume folk can still donate once you're done?!

Cheers,

- Pete

[lee3764]

Remember folks..............a minimum donation of £1.00 would be good to all those not yet donated. If you can afford more then that would be great! These "toughies" have still nearly 400 miles to go before reaching John o groats!! Seth has shin splints and Sami has had problems with her shins and ankle too as well as appalling weather over a large proportion of their walk! Dig deep & donate please & ensure that they reach their target total of £10,000. There are 2000+ members of UK Butterflies & if say 50% of those (1000+) are active members on this splendid website and all donate something then that would boost Seth & Sami's fundraising total by several thousand pounds! Please just give a little to propel them to their target which will all help protect & save the UK's Butterflies via Butterfly Conservation.
Cheers all,
Lee Slaughter (Cornwall).

[sami]

Hi folks!
We crossed the border into South Lanarkshire today. Done Dumfries & Galloway already! I reckon Scotland will go so quickly now...
Sorry ScottD for not getting back to you. It's so difficult for us to know where we'll be each day as it's dependent on lots of things, especially Seth's shin splints at the moment (which seem to be improving but are still causing him lots of pain )
Scotland has been stunning so far, we're really enjoying it
Had a couple of sunny days but it's back to the rain now. Only Ringlet seem to want to brave the gloom.
I'm sure we're all wishing for sunshine but if you were as soggy as we are at the moment I bet you'd all be begging!
Best wishes
Sami

[David M]

I think all regular members should commit at least another fiver given that you've done this during the worst summer the UK has experienced since records began!!

[lee3764]

Well done Sami & Seth..........I have sent details of your walk to the ELG (Entomological Livestock Group) in the hope of getting a few more donations towards your fundraising. They have 600 odd members who all get a fortnightly newsletter & I hope that the editor has space to include details of your 'Epic Butterfly Walk'. I have included your justgiving link for anyone who wishes to make a donation.
Keep up the brilliant effort & enjoy Scotland!!
Cheers,
Lee Slaughter (Cornwall)....(met you both at Tuckingmill, St Breward on Bodmin Moor on 19th May with Cornwall BC & saw Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries).

[sami]

Looks like our Epic Butterfly Walk is more topical than we'd have hoped... On the plus side I hope it raises much needed awareness this year...

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/201 ... pe=article

[David M]

Looks like our Epic Butterfly Walk is more topical than we'd have hoped...

Shame it couldn't have been more tropical...

Seriously though, this article highlights just how damaging this year's conditions have been (and continue to be). I drove home at 3.55pm today and my car thermometer was reading 11c - yes that's ELEVEN degrees, and it's the middle of July!!!

A similar article appeared in my national newspaper today as well, although as forever seems to be the case with butterfly related stories, a major error of identification was made, with the photo of a Ringlet being mistakenly captioned 'Small White'. It's also found its way onto Yahoo:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/record-wet-wea ... 00447.html