Marc Conquers the Viking Way

richardbarnett19
17 minutes ago
3 min read

Marc Shackleton of the Vale of Catmos Lodge has successfully completed the Viking Way, walking an impressive 148 miles from Barton‑upon‑Humber to Oakham in support of the Rutland Rotaract Family Support Centre.

Marc set off on Saturday 25 July, having travelled to Barton the day before, and reached his finishing point at Oakham Library at 6pm on 1 August. His journey took him through the rolling landscapes of the Lincolnshire Wolds, which he described as one of the most beautiful and memorable sections of the entire route. The challenge was made even tougher by a spell of intense summer heat, with temperatures at times rising above 30°C.

Challenges on the Trail

One of the unexpected difficulties Marc faced was finding places to restock food and water. Several villages he had planned to use as stopping points turned out to be far smaller than anticipated, offering no shops or facilities. At Normanby le Wold, for example, Marc arrived after walking around 20 miles, only to find a handful of houses and nothing more, forcing him to push on to the next settlement.

Kindness Along the Way

Despite the hardships, Marc also experienced moments of welcome kindness. On his third day, he reached Tealby at around 7am and paused at The King’s Head while waiting for the village to open. There he met the owner, Jayne, who chatted with him and kindly made him a cup of coffee. Marc said he particularly valued the scenery, silence and solitude of the eight‑day journey, enjoying the rare chance to disconnect from everyday life.

The Physical Demands

The physical strain of the challenge grew steadily. Marc carried a 25–30kg bergen, and the hard ground left the soles of his feet extremely tender. On the first day, the bergen rubbed painfully against his lower back until he was able to adjust the straps. By the halfway point, however, he had settled into what he described as a “slow and steady but relentless” rhythm, starting at sunrise and finishing around sunset to cover the required miles each day.

Support from Friends

On the penultimate evening, Marc was met near Buckminster by friends from his Dungeons & Dragons group, who arrived bearing a very welcome Domino’s pizza. They joined him for part of the next day’s walk as far as Greetham, where a former Army comrade took over and accompanied Marc for the final stretch to Oakham Library.

A Fantastic Fundraising Achievement

Marc undertook the walk to raise funds for the Rutland Rotaract Family Support Centre, initially setting himself a target of £1,000. Thanks to the generosity of friends, family and supporters, he surpassed that goal, raising a superb £1,093.

Marc said:

“Thank you to everyone who has helped, supported, donated and dragged me through this experience. Your support means more than you can imagine. Especially when everything seems to be going wrong, the temperatures are above 30°C, the pain is slowing the pace, the water has run out and it all seems endless, the support seems to give a second, third and even fourth wind. So thank you, again.”

Looking Ahead

It took Marc around three days to fully recover from the walk. He reflected that the challenge helped him rediscover a level of physical resilience he hadn’t needed for several years, while giving him the chance to enjoy being largely unplugged from modern life.

Although he initially described the Viking Way as a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience, Marc is already considering tackling it again next year, this time travelling south to north. He is also keen to hear from anyone who might like to join him for part of the route, or simply meet him along the way for a coffee.

Everyone at the Vale of Catmos Lodge No. 1265 congratulates Bro. Marc Shackleton on completing the Viking Way and raising £1,093 for the Rutland Rotaract Family Support Centre, surpassing his original target.

Thanks to Conor Stoneman for providing the story.