It might be that you’ve been touched by cancer or simply love walking; maybe your interest in geography and ancient history had wetted your appetite, or it could be my recollections of the war and post-war years that’s enticed you to read ‘The Big Walk’. Whatever the reason, why not post a comment below.
If you are of an age to have lived through the war, then you will empathise with Dave’s story. If you are of an age, (as I am,) that your old aunts and grandparents have told you of filling a tin bath for family bath night or putting clothes through the mangle, then this is part of your family history too. This book ‘The Big Walk’ is more than just a guided tour of the coast of England its Daves journey through life. I am proud to call this man my friend. A great read Dave.
You might wonder how Peter has managed to read ‘The Big Walk’ when the book is not officially available until the 31st of March. The publishers kindly released a number of pre-Christmas copies to allow me to give out to relatives and friends as presents.
I have to say that when this guy decides to do something he puts his all into it. Not only did he accomplish this incredible walk but he did it when most people would be sitting with their feet up. The book ‘The Big Walk’ is a must. It’s educational,inspiring and for me personally, it brought back my childhood memories and gave me an insight into the connection between towns around the country and their historical links.Well done Dave!
Dad, congratulations on publishing your book. I can’t wait for my advanced copy!! I must say that as your support driver during your ‘big walk’ around England I am proud of your achievement, and I know that the little adventures we had together (some good, some not so good) will now be mentioned in your book, ‘The Big Walk’. I hope my job as a suport driver was satisfactory! I also hope your readers have as much enjoyment reading your adventure as I did living it during those five or so months.
Cheers Rob
I’m also lucky enough to have received an advance copy of Dave’s book, The Big Walk. It really is a remarkable life story which I’m sure everyone will find fascinating. As well as chronicling the massive undertaking of the walk and all that it involved, Dave provides the reader with interesting historical facts about the areas he has visited together with a cleverly written insight into his own life and how he came to embark upon such a huge adventure.
Hi Dad,
I’m in Kent at the moment (in your book that is)and I’ve just read the account about your mother, my grandmother, and the traumatic times she had after she’d lost her husband, my grandfather in the early stages of the war. Then there was that incredibly moving part when she was saying goodbye to you at Euston station when you were emigrating to New Zealand.
Your book, ‘The Big Walk’ is fascinating and a great read so far.
Mike.
Truly an amazing read. Historical, comical and factual. For those of you who appreciate English history then this book is for you. My granddad’s intrepid journey around England is an astonishing feat, only surpassed by his command of writing, language and comedy. He is a person who loves people of all sorts, the great outdoors, active living and British culture. This is clear in his book, ‘The Big Walk’. The wonderful descriptions and stories give you the feeling that you are there along side him, as he climbs a steep hill, or wades across a deeper than expected estuarine creek. For me it was particularly special because it is a historical reference of our family, and the tough times they endured. What an amazing achievement to have captured our family history is this interesting story, that will exist for the rest of time. I’ve very proud of you granddad.
Thanks for those comments Andrew; you make the book, ‘The Big Walk’ sound so interesting I think I might read it myself!
To my son, Rob.
Take heed to this simple fact: The Big Walk would never have happened if you hadn’t been prepared to sacrifice almost 6 months of your existence in becoming my support driver over that period. Yours was a thankless task with no share in the accolades bestowed on me during the walk.
Having those ‘carb’ meals ready when I needed them and the campervan to rest up in at the end of a gruilling day allowed me to re-charge my batteries and soldier on for another day. Yes, we had some fractious moments but I think we enjoyed each others company most of the time.
I remember those occasions when I’d walk into a coastal village at the end of the day and see you waiting outside in the beer garden of a local pub with a cool beer ready and waiting on the table….and that’s just a micro-sample of the many good memories I have of my walk around England with you as my support driver. Dad x
Dave, I can’t wait to read the book. Ruth x
Hi Ruth, Thanks for your message. I will be only too happy to post the book, ‘The Big Walk’ out to you whenever you require one. Dave
Hi Dad,
Seems almost everybody commenting so far has read the book, ‘The Big walk’, except me! Have heard wonderful feedback on it though and so looking forward to reading it myself. This is something you have wanted to do since I can remember and to finally have achieved it must be so rewarding. The walk you did was an amazing feat and, I have to say, I very much enjoyed joining you on the many training walks in the lead up, here in Australia (in 38C heat most days, I should mention!). I congratulate you on your success with the walk and the book and can’t wait to receive a copy. Love Cas xx
Hi to my big brother, Dave.
Thanks for the advanced copy. I have read your book, ‘The Big Walk’ with great interest. What a terrific achievement! I really enjoyed your description of the various places you visited and the inclusion of many points of historical interest.
I was taken back in time with your childhood memories of our lives together as children. They were hard times for poor Mum, but we had a very happy childhood despite the hardships and deprivations of the day and the fact that we had lost our dad during the war, and our darling mum had to cope alone to successfully raise seven children.
I am very proud of your efforts in walking around England, which was a huge undertaking, and well deserving of all the accolades you are receiving!
Thanks also go to Rob, my lovely nephew, for taking the time to be your support driver. Well done, Rob!
Lots of love to you , Dave, from your sister, Viv xx
Thanks for your comments, Viv.
While walking around England I would often think of you and your disability and how stoical you’ve been over the years. Kept making me think how lucky I was just to be able to walk freely without any support…something you’ve never experienced. Dave xx
Your walk was a great achievement Dave and the book about it, ‘The Big Walk’, I read with huge enjoyment – also a wonderful tribute to our mother and all she went through during the 2nd world war. Well done little brother…Your big sister Jean xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Yes Jean, It was all the thoughts of our mother that arose during my walk that became the main driving force for writing something that would become a tribute to her. You know none of us ever heard her bemoan her lot in life despite all the desperate times she must have experienced during and after the war.
Us kids were dead lucky to have had her as our mother! xxx
On the 23rd of March I’ve arranged to do a ‘talk about the walk’…thats in about 10 days time and i’m not looking forward to it. Still, I’ll do my best and hopefully I can sell some personally signed copies of my book ‘The Big Walk’.
So look at my website: www.davesbigwalk.com and see what the book is all about.
Superb book!!
The Big Walk is not only inspirational but a great read and is likely to be one of those books that you remember for a long time. I’d recommend this to anyone, especially those who like those ‘true-life’ stories of people who truly go the extra mile (or 3,200km) in life.
The memories of hard times really made the book worth reading as it draws a great perspective on life as we know it now, and also to what a good cause you were walking for.
I also found The Big Walk to be a great self help book as the well-being section at the end provides some great advice and help with living a healthier lifestyle.
Finally (a bit off topic), but I heard you were becoming a bit of a pin up with the Women’s Institute Dave, great job!
Hopefully The Big Walk will sell a few copies so that more people can see what an achievement this was.
Well done!
Hi there Rob, Glad you enjoyed the book ‘The Big Walk’. I was expecting some off-the-cuff dry comments from you…a bit disappointed really. Only kidding!
What’s this with the Women’s Institute?
Yes, hopefully the Step by Step walking programme at the back of book ‘The Big Walk’ might motivate a few readers to start walking. We’ll wait and see!
Must pop over and see you some time.
The WI comment was my one and only off the cuff remark
We will be sorting out a family barbie at our house soon so I’ll let everyone know what dates we have in mind. In the meantime you are welcome any time of course!
What’s next on the charity agenda then, do the same thing only backwards?
dave this journey is legendary,,,,,,have followed your walk and cant wait to read the book…its on its way!!
April , Melbourne
Hi April, Yes, I know that Carolyn is itching to get some books out there for friends who might want a copy. Regards, Dave.
Dear Grandad,
I am so proud of your achievements..both in completing your trek around England, (a massive feat by any measure!) AND publishing the book ‘The Big Walk’. I know you have been working hard on for a long time. You are truly an inspiration and I am lucky to have such an amazing grandfather. Many of my friends followed your progress during the walk and thought you were quite incredible! I cannot wait for my copy of your book (a signed copy I hope!) and, from what I’ve heard, it sounds like a fabulous read. I am so looking forward to learning more about your life and your wonderful walk for charity. Lots of love, and I will see you soon!
Love Felicity (your 3rd favourite grandaughter!!)
Hi Fliss,
Hope you enjoy reading about your great aunts and uncles and your granddad when we were all youngsters. More important I think, is that the book, ‘The Big Walk’ will give you and my other grandchildren a greater understanding of the many hardships our mother had to face, thereby giving an insight into her gentle but stoical character. The lady of course is your great grandmother!
Dave
Congratulations on getting your book, The Big Walk published. I’m part-way through it and thoroughly enjoying accompanying you on your walk around England from a nice warm house in Hove! I’m also fascinated by your reminisces about your life and childhood. Hope to see you at one of the book signings and we’ll catch up for a beer soon.
Tor
Hello Tor, Glad you’re enjoying the book, ‘The Big Walk’. Get this ‘Talk on the Walk’ over with and we’ll catch up after that. Mick tells me that Charlie’s ‘on the move’!
Dave
Sorry but we can’t make the book signing at Brighton Marina Yacht Club tonight, but we hope to make the Waterstone’s one in Brighton on 19th May. Will try to catch up with you before then. Yes Charlie is trying to emulate you – he did 70-steps yesterday. You need to give him some tips!
Tor
That’s okay, Tor. Evening went well apart from a couple of faux pas that might (or might not) have gone unnoticed! Hopefuuly catch up one evening with you and Mick. Love to the little whirlwind! Dave x
Hi Dave
As you already know both Jules and I were both in awe and total admiration when you first told us of your intentions. We were at the beginning and the end of your journey and feel privileged to know you, and be considered good friends. Whilst you were away you were never far from our thoughts and Jules enjoyed her contact by text with you during that time. As far as the book, ‘The Big Walk’ goes I feel that it fills the gap between you being out there and our thoughts about you at the time. You may not be impressed but i have taken to going back over your words whilst on the loo, in fact it has become my choice of reading over “Bears cant run downhill” (and other useless pub facts) during those most private moments. A subject I for one may be considered an expert on! Pub facts that is. I very much enjoyed the manner in which you have conveyed your thoughts across and I find it interesting in the similarity in which i find my mind wandering whilst at sea alone, I can particularly relate to the way you describe the connection with the environment around you and the heightening of ones senses. Perhaps if everybody could find a way to enjoy and appreciate their own company in such a way we could all learn to be more content with and tolerant of the world around us. “Pessimistic Pete” excepted!
Look forward to seeing you at Lewis’ birthday bash this weekend.
(I hope you were invited!)
Gary the Bass and Jules
Hi to Gary and Jules, Thanks for those words Gary; as you say lone hours at sea in a small boat would be comparable to lone hours of walking…even more so when you think about it.
But my real appreciation is in knowing that ‘The Big Walk’ actually supersedes that of ‘Bears cant run downhill’ in your reading preferences while sitting on the toilet. It actually brings a lump to my throat just thinking about it!
Yes, will be going to the party and will bring another copy of ‘The Big Walk’ for your mother as per your wishes. Dave
Hi Dave, just a few lines to mark both your achievement in completing this long trek around England and writing such an interesting and readable book about the walk.
I enjoyed all the day to day incidents and your comments and reactions to various events during the walk, but especially enjoyed the family history and descriptions of being a kid in wartime England, and growing up in a poverty stricken but very colourful post-war Brighton.
As your brother I remember so much of it myself, but as you say so often in the book it was having such a great mum who held the family together and who made life so much better for us than it may have otherwise been.
Best wishes and congratulations on writing the book! Fred.
Dave very well done for your great achievement, it must have been a hard task in all weathers what wonderful sights you have seen. The book was was most informative and very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed your Book Signing and talk with slides of the beautiful sights a really lovely evening I am so proud of you.
Love and Best Wishes
Your Cousin Chris
Thanks Chrissie,
I think that the book ‘The Big Walk’ will at least have a lasting impression on family, especially grandkids and their offspring and so on, as it will give them an insight into the sort of life that existed in those far-off days. Dave
Reading this book was like taking a trip down memory lane. Being a Brightonian born and bred, I frequented many of the places mentioned in the book, including the Regent Dance Hall, dancing to Sid Dean. I do hope I was’nt one of the girls who refused his offer to dance. This book has been a really good read.
Hi Audrey, Glad you enjoyed reading ‘The Big Walk’. Yes, in many ways they were the ‘good old days’. Of course with the mushrooming Brighton population, the massive increase of vehicles over the years plus the enormous strides in technology, changes were bound to happen. Now, old Brighton as you and I knew it, no longer exists! Dave.
Dave, I’m still reading and travelling around the UK with you. It was so fabulous to meet you and Rob at Wells next the Sea, just wish we had more time together then. I really loved texting you and finding out about your progress – made me feel part of it. What a WONDERFUL read, I may just do it all over again, without the tears this time!!
Much love and best wishes for the success of you book
Geraldine
Dear Dave as a fairly new friend and neighbour I feel extremely privileged to know you, your courage and strength is admired by everyone in the Marina as I by many others all over England and the world, you did not choose a simple route to walk around the coast and many times you had to draw on your inner self to carry on, when you decided that is what you wanted to do nothing could stop you. From the very first day you were in pain and many would have given up but you persevered. Well done, well researched and very well written. I salute you.
Much love and respect Liz
Hi Geraldine and Liz,
Thanks for your generous comments. During The Big Walk, I had oodles of time to reminisce about life and things that really matter; time to think about how fortunate I was to be physically able to do the walk, but more iimportant, how fortunate I was to have good friends; friends that accept you for what you are and not for what you have or what position you hold in society. I am lucky to live on the Brighton Marina where those sort of people exist. Dave
Dave I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Big Walk – I enjoyed reading about all the places you visited, and the trials and tribulations on the way. You really experienced seeing sights that most of us will never see, except from a car! I am really impressed that you achieved such an amazing feat and were so stoical. Rob did a great job doing all the driving and cooking etc. By the way Dave talking of cooking, can you still face eating a bowl of pasta!
The family history too was very nostalgic, our dear Mum lived through some very hard times but was a great mum to us all despite all the difficulties she experienced. I came a bit later than the rest of you but have a lot of memories of those times in Brighton and all the old derelict houses, the rag and bone men, great times on the beach, and later on the Regent Ballroom and Syd Deans orchestra.
I am really proud of you Dave for writing this fascinating book, combining the walking experience and the past times – will be something our grandchildren can keep as a lasting record of life and times gone by – its also a very readable book for anyone who enjoys true life stories, I’ve read a lot of them and this is up there with the best.
Much love and wishing you every success with the book
Your sister Jan xxx
Yes Jan, They were memorable times; mostly pleasant ones for us but I reckon mostly lousy ones for our mother. Still, I’m sure if she could see us all right now she might realise what her actual worth had been in caring for us all. If The Big Walk helps in highlighting her role as an excellent mother despite all the hardships, then I’ve achieved what I had set out to do. Your big brother, Dave.
Great read –
The book ‘The Big Walk’ gives a lovely insight to your life and just really well done for completing such a massive enterprise. Asher
A refreshing journey of life…..A brave and truthful insight for all ages. After each few pages I took a moment and reflected on my own journey; my mother especially and her war years as a child and a tough years ahead. this is a purposeful and engaging book, and a fantastic gift for loved ones….
I was also lucky enough to receive an advanced copy.
What a read dates places and some amazing history. thoroughly good read and one that informs
Looking forward to reading it over again
Hi Dave, here is a link to the review on amazon you were asking about:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Big-Walk-73-year-old-Incredible/dp/1780032811/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336785576&sr=8-1
The only reason I can think that it doesn’t come up when you search it, might be that you’re not logged in on an account there like I am/was?
Anyway let me know if this one works!
Have just read your wonderful book Dave .Very inspirational ,I felt I was with you on the walk , you give a graphic description of the places that you trekked through and it made me laugh and cry. I can’t even begin to imagine sending my young children miles away when they started evacuating ! It must have been heartbreaking .But you all lived to tell the story and you have certainly written a good story .well done Dave.
Well done rob for driving the walk!
Cheers Hazel XXX
Glad you enjoyed ‘The Big Walk’ Hazel.
Yes, those years must have been terribly traumatic, not so much for us kids, but certainly for our mother. But then thousands of mothers all over Britain were experiencing the same heartbreaks through being seperated from their children. Dave x
I have just finished reading your book Dave, and it is amazing, I too have laughed and cried as I have read it and would love to do something as wonderful as this, to walk and be at peace with nature and reflect on life, we never have time to see how beautiful our world is around us, but I feel I lived a little reading your adventures. I especially enjoyed reading about my part of the country (cleveland way which I have walked along as a young girl!)…..well done, truely fantastic !!
Vikki
xx
Hi Vicky, Glad you enjoyed ‘The Big Walk’. I suppose the satisfaction for me is knowing that others might get enjoyment out of reading it. It’s the same with you and your dancing; you express feelings with the artistic movement of the body; a discipline performed in order to give enjoyment to others. That should be the primary reason for everything we do in life! Sincerely, Dave.
George Wall says:
June 27, 2012 at 1:07 am
What a great read: ‘The Big Walk’. I rarely have time to read books but found this one compulsive reading. Extremely interesting mixture of the author’s early years in England, the history of the places he walked through, and what a great achievement to even finish such a walk! And then to complete a book on your walk was another achievement in itself.
Well done Dave!
I got my copy today, i popped into water stones to sort my new phone out and i saw book signing , amazing build board showing the walk trail and i cant wait to read the book, Dave what a nice guy I do hope he gets to find my face book page lol
( Yair Newmeir)
Well done Dave, It was a very interesting read. It was well put together book and walk. Cheers. The re3st of the family can now have a read.
Regards Wal.
Hi Wally,
Glad you enjoyed ‘The Big Walk’.
Hopefully see you soon back in NZ around November this year.
Dave
Hi Peter, Thanks for buying my book. Hope you like it.
I have your facebook details and will make contact in the next coupla days. Dave
Dave,
I’ve just finished reading your book and really enjoyed it. I was particularly interested in your recollection of childhood memories and formative years. In addition, your straightforward views on life in general.
What you did, supported by your son Rob was a huge achievement. The way in which you narrated your experiences made this a compelling read for me.
You are a great inspiration and a remarkable man
Best Wishes, Dave
joseph fennell on October 8, 2012 at 1:42 pm said:Edit
Delightful read.excellently scripted have recommended it to friends and family. Well done Dave.highly recommended.
Attention Dave Fisher:
Hi Dave, Thanks for your comments. Still keeping reasonably fit with gym work and swimming and the occasional long walk. Hope things going well for you and the girls. Regards,
Dave.
Today is the start of ‘Movember’. I have managed to get around 60 odd participants in the Brighton Marina area so that’s good! It’s the month when moustaches are grown and hopefully a reminder to any man of 50 or older that early treatment of prostate and testicular cancer is extremely important; in fact early diagnosis can sometimes be the difference between life and death! Looking forward to the prize-giving celebratery evening on the 30th of November at The Master marina.