We're here! It's begun. I've just come back from the Longboat Hotel and our first meeting. We passed out the name tags and t-shirts and handed in money.

A big thanks to Skye, who pushed us over our £2000 goal with her second donation!

And no pictures of tonight's meeting because I forgot my camera (and because it has been a confusing day, to say the least!) But it's going to be a fun time.

Stay tuned ...

Day One

And unfortunately when I got up this morning, it looked like this: Yup. Rain. Not horrible pouring rain, just drizzle (just very, very British rain.)

But that doesn’t deter the shepherd and her flock. Here we are, ready to start.[img]http://www.torey-hayden.com/lambing%202006/Sheep%20Walk/1readytostart.jpg [/img] (I’m going to make some mistakes on names, but I will correct them as I go along. From the left, it’s me, Lubey, Robyn, can’t tell who’s in back, then Carla, Lauren, Sarah, JAF, Charlotte, Lisa, Rachel, Mikko, Helene, and Tola.)

Today we walked from Land’s End to Sennan Cove and back. We sort of cheated on the miles, I’m afraid. Not intentionally. It was only when we got to Land’s End that I realised that no one walking with us actually knew where we were going! (Chelly has a lot to answer for, I fear. She has been a paragon of organization and help, but little did I know that she was doing this all as a mad scheme to lose 20 people at Land’s End.) After a mad scramble to find the route Chelly had put up on the site (thanks to Bados, who even laminated it) and an Ordnance Survey map (thanks to Maggy, who thought to buy one) and Chelly, who pointed us in the right direction, we were off. .

Except Chelly didn’t point us in the right direction. Baa-baa-baa, my mobile rings and it is Chelly telling us she sent us the wrong way!. And then off we go into the mist, the right way: That’s Ann, my publicist fromHarperCollins in front (very different to her usual author work, I’m sure!), Carla, Sarah, further back are Susan, Zoe, and Bados with Milly, who’s five. Milly was amazing. She happily walked the entire way and kept up well with all of us.

Notice, we have one member of the group who lags. This is Photo Lady (otherwise known as JAF) and it is a good thing she posted that picture of herself so you could recognize her, as otherwise, like a rare bird, she never gets close enough. I’m expecting some masterpieces of mist from this.(That's Sarah, Lauren Jay, Carla, and Robyn nearest.)

At last we reach Sennan Cove. I failed to realise we were suppose to walk to the other end of the beach to make our five miles, so we stopped in the village for a break. And here comes Maggy, Carline and Courtney out of the teashop to greet our soggy, dripping group and tell us they have just been eating the loveliest cakes. (Note how excitedly Maggy runs toward us to tell us about the cakes.)(You will be happy to hear no homicide was committed!)

And we pose for a group picture. From left to right:
JAF (with camera!) Sharing, Rachel, me, Mikko, Helene, Robin, Lubey, Sarah, Zoe, Ann(from HarperCollins, looking away from the camera), Susan, Carla, Lauren (Lisa, Charlotte and Bados in back, deep in discussion over something) Tola (looking very pleased with herself) and Maggy.

Then off we go again, back up the hill on our return journey.
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Only one lags behind . . . Photo Lady, taking more pictures of mist.

(A very good picture, by the way, of Sennan Cove and the beautiful sandy beach - albeit it rather more beautiful on a sunny day!)

Then we all stop for a photo opportunity up on top, as we have come to realise this is as nice as the weather is going to get.
(That’s Zoe, Susan, Sarah, Helene, Mikko, Tola and Lisa.)

Only one person isn’t there yet. Guess who?

And then at last we are all back up in the car park at Land’s End, Photo Lady and all, a little tireder and a lot wetter, and the Sheep Walk is finished for Day One.

Amended to say that you went with us today, but as there was too much rain to keep the avatars dry, you rode along in Zoe's waterproof bag. So you have been to Land's End, but didn't get much of a view. But then neither did we!

And same for the candy and sweets. Too wet! The treats come out tomorrow.

Day Two


Things look much better today. This is much more the way Penzance should look. It’s bright with some cloud and about 20C/64F.



Today is the beach walk. We are walking around the bay from Penzance to Malazion, but last night Ann, my publicist, was out investigating things and discovered that the tides will be just right for walking out to St. Michael’s Mount, which is an island in the bay which has a dramatic castle on it. (Here’s a little more information: St. Michael's Mount )
St. Michael’s Mount is accessed by a causeway, which means you can only walk out at low tide, but these conditions were exactly right for the time of our walk. So we decided we’d all walk the five miles together but those who wanted to could continue on to St. Michael’s Mount, an additional three miles. Ann (our sheepdog!) took charge of the St. Michael’s Mount group and I shepherded the others back to Penzance. This is because today is the book-signing, and we decided it would probably be better for Ann to be the one stranded by the tide, if it came to that, than me. I don’t think WHSmith, the bookseller hosting the signing would have appreciated that!

So, here’s our walk. All the way around the bay. The five-mile walkers stop at the village just visible on far left in the distance. The eight-mile walkers continue on to the island you see in the distant right.



And here’s everyone, gathering in the car park:



But first it is time to get all of you out of your plastic bag so you can come along.

First, I must apologise if some of you find yourself “going along” with someone you didn’t expect. I had a master list at home on my computer there and forgot to transfer it to my laptop, so I didn’t have all the original names. Also, we have had some changes, as some people like S-ter couldn’t make it after all. Other people are walking some days and not others for various reasons, so some days they carry. Some days they’re carried. And mysteriously, a few people’s avatar buttons seemed to breed in the bag and suddenly there were two. So if you find you went along with two people, just know you have one of these miraculous avatars! But I did try to match everyone up with the person they wanted to “carry” them, if possible, and we made a few creative decisions as well.

So, here we are with today’s crowd:

Walking with Carla are KathrynS, Ayngel and Tinkerbell.


Walking with Bados are Chloe, Catrina and Boots
And Bados’ foster daughter, game little five-year-old Milly (whom we can’t picture) is carrying Michalin


Walking Maggy are Sean, Vixen, Lauren Jay and Pam (and you can just see how pleased Maggy is about this!)


Walking with Lubey are Jennyren, Joe Cool, Rima, Sheryl and KathrynJ (But Lubey herself has managed to vanish off my camera. We'll catch up with her later.)

Walking with Susan (who also vanished at this point, so I will get her picture tomorrow!) are Jessie, S-ter and Karenjet

Walking with Val (another member who did a disappearing act at this point) are Kelly and Claire.

Walking with Sarah are Sheashea and IceBlazingFire.




Walking with Helene are Moptop and Cheryl.



Walking with Mikko are Amber and Kate.



Walking with Carol (on the left) is Shrew, JenniferC and Amanda87 and walking with Rachel (on the right) was GrAnnie, Cindy and Daffodil.



Walking with Lisa are Heather Danette, Sara604 and Helene, who has one of the breeding avatars and so is walking with Tola too!



Tola has won the “Miss Popularity” title, by carrying most of Scandinavia on her chest and a bit of the rest of the world as well. Walking with Tola are Linda, Helene, Maria, Muikku (who is still spelled Miukku!) Imon, Phlop, Alex LaChausette and Sirja.




JAF made a good run for the “Miss Popularity” title however, by carrying most of Italy on her chest. Walking with JAF are Massimo, Cinzia, Jes, Levana and FriendofAslan and Firefly, all of whom she made into a lovely necklace.



I’m afraid there was a rather unseemly tug-of-war over Menina until we realized she had one of the breeding avatars. So Menina walked with both Tola and JAF.

My HarperCollins publicist, Ann, was very kindly sponsored by Victoria Janet. So as Lauren Jay couldn’t walk today, Victoria Janet walked with Ann.

And walking with Robyn are Milly, TiredArtist, Sabzina, Skye and Heidi. And Heidi was another one to have a breeding avatar, so she’s there, twice as nice!! (And yes, that is THAT fox-eared hat, 25+ years old, taken out of mothballs just for the event!) In front of us is Carline’s daughter Courtney, whose own name tag bred in the night to give her two. And in back, Lisa and our much-bedecked Tola, looking very pleased with herself!

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And now we’re ready to set off.



Waving us off is Chelly. I’ve got to put her in here somewhere, not only for her skill in sending us off into the mist yesterday in the wrong direction, but also for the fact that she has almost single-handedly organized our stay in Penzance, sorting out accommodation for everyone, meeting everything off planes, trains and other forms of transport, arranging a place for our celebration dinner, meeting us at the far end of our walks to make sure we’re in the right place at the right time and otherwise making sure the Sheep Walk runs smoothly.

So thumbs up, Chell!



Stay tuned for more. I have a depressingly slow computer when it comes to editing the pictures and an internet connection that goes off at a certain time each night, so I will try to get more up tonight. We have lots more to share!

OK, we’re off. Here we are starting properly, leaving the car park near Penzance train station.



First we have to go down a narrow concrete walkway alongside the railway line.



(That’s JAF just ahead of me with Courtney in the distance, as well as Robyn, who is skipping with joy at the prospect of an eight mile walk.)

Us more stolid citizens follow up the rear. That’s Charlie, Ann’s friend, on the left, then me, then Ann from HarperCollins. In back are Sarah and Carla.



And to show you Carline’s cleverly designed t-shirts. Mine says ‘I’m shepherd of the flock’. All the members of the board who are sponsored walkers have t-shirts saying ‘I’m one of the flock’ and everyone else, including Ann and Charley have t-shirts saying ‘I’m a sheepdog, caring for the flock’.



Finally we start to get out into the country. (That’s Lisa, then Charley and Ann and Carla in back.)



Finally we go down on the beach and a break. That’s St. Michael’s Mount in the background, which is where the eight-mile walkers are going.

(That’s Sarah on the left, Carla, Robyn and Maggy.)

JAF decides this is a great place for a picture, with Penzance as a background. This isn’t our official group photo, as Sharing, Lauren Jay and Chelly aren’t walking, but we all decide we want photos too. Since Ann isn’t a member of the board, I ask her if she will take a picture of all of us together so that we can get everyone in. Unfortunately, Ann proves that while she is a very game publicist, she is not cut out for a photography career, as she points the camera the wrong way . . .



Ah, but a little persistence and it all pays off.



From left to right in back: Mikko, Carline, Carla, Lisa, me, Charlotte, Rachel, Sarah, Maggy, Carol, JAF, Charley, and Zoe.
In front: Val, Lubey, Courtney, Robyn, Susan, Lisa and Tola.

Once the pictures were taken, we were off again. (That’s Mikko, Susan and Helene in front and some poor, hapless walker going the other way through our flock.)



Chelly and Sharing meet us in a car park along the way (photographer photographing the photographer!)



This is because Carline is walking for two these days, so Chelly, ever kind and well-organized, made sure she was doing okay with the walk. Happily for us, Carline and Courtney, seven, did great and completed the entire five miles. (And no, I don't think Carline is really whistling a happy tune in this picture . . .)



Indeed, Courtney took a moment out to show us how foxy she is.



Very conveniently, the halfway point where we were to turn around and start back, had an ice-cream shop!!



And when the staff inside found out we were doing a sponsored walk for the NSPCC, they gave us a generous donation. Unfortunately, I didn’t get their names, but if you're reading this, thanks so much, girls!



Then the walkers who were intending to do the eight miles to St. Michael’s Mount and back left us.



And here’s their destination, still almost two miles off

Meanwhile, I shepherd the five-mile walkers back to Penzance.
That’s Susan, Carla, Lubey and Maggy ahead of me.



And finally we arrive back in the car park in Penzance where we started.



Susan is on the left, Val, behind her, Lauren Jay (who wasn’t able to walk today because of her bee/wasp allergies), Maggy, Bados and Milly. Milly’s amazing. She has done both walks very cheerfully (and more energetically than most of us!) So Michalin can be very proud of being chosen to “walk” with Milly

But the day’s not over, because this afternoon is the book-signing, which is being held at WH Smith in Penzance. And Ann informs us that something really special is happening. Even thought BEAUTIFUL CHILD is not due to be released in Britain until September 4th, they have decided to debut it here at WH Smith in Penzance and it will be on sale here and here only for today.

And what a reception! We are met by Gary, the manager of the shop and the staff are simply lovely. As Ann and I arrive, we see the queue!



So, now at last Ann, on the left, gets to do her real job. And so do I!


(Note Tinker's t-shirt being drafted in to act as a sign for our NSPCC donation basket. So it is, when there are no printers around!)

So I sign



(and our crowd waits patiently in the background)

And I sign: