A DOZEN or so brave souls took on the challenge of walking Teignmouth sea wall without the benefit of sight in aid of Action for Blind People on Friday.

Yours truly was among those who took part in the mile-long walk, led by town mayor, Cllr Geoff Bladon. It was part of a fundraiser for the Action for Blind People hotel at Cliffden, and also marked the end of a week -long tandem bike ride by Teignmouth couple Mike and Linda Slade. The walk took us from Sprey point to the pier on an afternoon of high winds and rain. It was not an opportunity I jumped at and I was at my most apprehensive on the approach to the start point. I'm not keen on heights and the ever-present drop down to the beach was enough to keep me pressed along the railway boundary wall. Armed with a cane and blindfolded, those without sight were protected from the drop by those with sight. I admit that the first few minutes brought about a panic that almost forced me to remove the blindfold, but once I found the rhythm of the stick, tapping it in a semi circle in front of me, and in a sense, embracing the darkness, I shuffled along... slowly. It is a strange truth that other senses become heightened in the absence of sight. The texture of the stones beneath my feet became more pronounced and the sound of the sea that much more forceful. Trains thundering along the track felt millimetres away and the sound of voices from behind us seemed to come from all directions. But, bizarrely of all, my fear of heights was no longer with me. With trust in my guide and no visual understanding of the danger, there was nothing to feel frightened of. But by the same token, there was no end in sight. The walk was tiring. I was completely focused on the task of simple mobility and could not be encouraged by the finish line coming closer into focus. And it is also true that the imagination becomes more vivid. As we approached the town, the pavement opened up and I could see, in my mind's eye, sunlit curving pavements lined with brightly-coloured geraniums and begonias. I could hear children with skipping ropes, in fact the tapping of other people's sticks. I was elsewhere and therefore unaware of my surroundings. It was an incredibly humbling experience, and I was surprised at the strength of my reaction to what seemed at first to be such a straightforward challenge. Mr and Mrs Slade raised more than £1,800 on their tandem ride and buckets are still out at the Co-op, Teignmouth, and pubs in the town. The 325-mile bike-ride, in which they made several new friends, was 'wonderful, despite three days of rain and sore bums. 'We want to say a big thank you to everyone who helped us, from supplying accommodation to throwing a few pennies in the buckets,' said Mr Slade.